Lost Lad

About Lost Lad

Standing as a gritstone sentinel on the northern reach of Derwent Edge, this modest summit offers a rugged, peaty character typical of the Dark Peak. Marked by a significant stone cairn, it serves as a panoramic vantage point overlooking the Ladybower and Derwent Reservoirs before the ridge rises toward Back Tor.

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Did You Know?

• •Local legend suggests the name commemorates a young shepherd who perished in a winter blizzard; his body was supposedly found near a stone where he had scratched the words 'Lost Lad' as his final act.
• •The summit is crowned with a large, well-built stone cairn containing a toposcope, which provides bearings for distant landmarks including Kinder Scout to the west and the city of Sheffield to the east.
• •Walkers rarely visit the summit in isolation; it is most commonly bagged as part of a high-level traverse of Derwent Edge, situated on the approach to the more dramatic gritstone outcrops of Back Tor.
• •The view south-west offers a classic Peak District vista, framing the long reach of Ladybower Reservoir against the backdrop of Win Hill’s sharp, symmetrical profile and the Great Ridge beyond.
• •While the name suggests a place of navigational peril, the arrival of modern flagstone paths means the only way to truly replicate the original 'Lost Lad' experience is to leave your map at home and wait for a very thick mist.