As the nights draw in and the mist starts rolling across the moors, the Peak District takes on a whole new personality. Behind the pretty villages and gritstone edges are centuries of stories passed down by the people who've lived here, from plague and spectral dogs to mermaids who lure walkers to their doom.

So this Halloween, we've rounded up five of the spookiest walks in the Peak District: the legendary Mermaid’s Pool in Hayfield; the mossy chasm of Lud’s Church and the Roaches; the plague village of Eyam; the B29 crash site on Bleaklow; and Edale’s haunted lanes, Jacob’s Ladder and the Old Nag’s Head.. Keep reading for the legends behind each one, plus everything you need to plan your walk (if you dare!).

Hayfield, Kinder Reservoir and the Mermaid's Pool

Hayfield is a pretty village on the western edge of Kinder Scout, but don't let the bunting fool you, it's packed with folklore. Back in 1745, villagers swore they saw the dead rise from their graves in St Matthew's churchyard and float up into the sky. Then there's Old Susannah, a local woman who was accused of witchcraft around 1760 after buying a cursed charm from a sailor. The village blamed her for everything from sick cows to milk that wouldn't churn, and legend has it the curse eventually fled up to Kinder as fast as a greyhound and plunged into the Mermaid's Pool.

Which brings us to the main event. High on the slopes below Kinder Downfall sits the Mermaid's Pool, a dark, still pool in a grassy hollow. It first appears as the "Mermaid's Pool" on a map in 1840, and by the Victorian era its legend was well known across the valley.

The oldest tales describe a beautiful nymph who lived in the side of Kinder Scout and came down to bathe in the pool every day. Any man lucky enough to catch her bathing would become immortal, and one story tells of a local man she led away into a cavern in the hillside, never to age again. She was said to appear most often at Easter, and in the 1800s locals would trek up at midnight on Easter Eve, gazing into the black water hoping for a glimpse of her. Some say that staring into the pool will also give you visions of the future.

But like most water spirits, she has a darker side. In other tellings, she's a siren whose song drifts down the brooks of Kinder, luring walkers closer. If she likes you, she'll grant you eternal life. If she doesn't, she'll drag you down to your death. A Victorian poem by Henry Kirke tells of a young man who fell in love with the mermaid and drowned in the pool. Some even say the water is salty like the sea, and that its icy depths have healing powers for anyone brave enough to bathe in them, which is why it's thought the pool may once have been a site of ancient Celtic water worship. On a windy day, nearby Kinder Downfall adds to the mystery, as the waterfall is blown straight back up into the air so it looks like it's flowing upwards.

And she's not alone. The Peak District is said to be the only place in Britain with its own freshwater mermaid folklore, with "sister" water spirits haunting Blakemere Pool and Doxey Pool on the Roaches (more on that one below). So stare into the pool if you dare... just maybe not for too long.

A quick word of warning: actually getting to the Mermaid's Pool is tricky. It sits in a hollow on steep, rough, mostly pathless ground, and the path to it is faint and easy to lose. The good news is you can get a brilliant view of it from above by heading up from Kinder Reservoir onto the plateau edge, which is still a challenging walk but on a much more well-travelled path:

• Distance: 14.5km (9 miles) circular route via the Snake Path, William Clough, Kinder Downfall and Kinder Low
• Ascent: 540m
• Difficulty: Hard - a steep, rocky climb up William Clough, exposed walking along the plateau edge (tricky to navigate in poor weather) and a steep descent. Allow 4.5-5 hours
• Start: Hayfield village. Park at the Sett Valley Trail car park by the bus station (Station Road, SK22 2ES), or at Bowden Bridge Car Park further up Kinder Road (SK22 2LH)
• Facilities: paid parking, public toilets in the village and opposite Bowden Bridge Car Park, cafés and pubs (we recommend the Pack Horse) in Hayfield village

From Hayfield village, follow the Snake Path up out of the valley, through the gates and onto the open hillside, with big views down over Kinder Reservoir and across to the Kinder Plateau. Look out for gnarly, twisted trees and, in autumn, bright red fly agaric toadstools (fairy rings, anyone?), and enjoy the moody reservoir views, which are especially atmospheric when the fog rolls in. The path drops down to the head of the reservoir and the start of William Clough. From here, follow in the footsteps of the 1932 Kinder Mass Trespassers up the steep, rocky clough and onto the edge of the Kinder Plateau, then join the Pennine Way along the edge. As you walk, keep your eyes peeled below and the Mermaid's Pool will come into view, a dark pool sitting in the hollow beneath the plateau. Carry on past Kinder Downfall, Derbyshire's tallest waterfall, to the trig point at Kinder Low, before making the steep descent back down to Hayfield. Finish with a pint in the village to de-spook.

Want a shorter, gentler option? A walk up to Kinder Reservoir and back from Bowden Bridge still gives you plenty of spooky woodland and views of moody water.

Hayfield and Mermaid's Pool hiking routes:

Hayfield, William Clough and Kinder Scout Circular on AllTrails

This route takes you along the edge above the Mermaid's Pool rather than down to it. If you want to visit the pool itself, Peak District Walks' Kinder Scout from Hayfield route includes an optional detour down to it.

Lud's Church and the Roaches

Hidden deep in Back Forest on the Staffordshire edge of the Peak District, Lud's Church is a deep, narrow chasm in the gritstone, formed by a huge landslip and carpeted floor to ceiling in luminous green moss. Walking through it feels like stepping into a real-life fairytale, or a horror film, depending on the light.

It's long been tied to legend. Many believe it's the "Green Chapel" from the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where Gawain travelled to receive a deadly blow from the Green Knight a year after beheading him (the Knight simply picked his head back up and laughed). In the 1400s, it's said to have been a secret place of worship for the persecuted Lollards, led by a preacher called Walter de Lud-Auk. One tale says soldiers raided a service and killed his daughter, and that her mournful singing still echoes around the chasm. Robin Hood and Bonnie Prince Charlie are said to have hidden here too.

Up on the Roaches ridge, things don't get any less spooky. Doxey Pool is said to be haunted by a water spirit called Jenny Greenteeth who lures people into its depths, and legend says it never dries out, no matter how long the drought.

• Distance: 14.3km (8.9 miles) circular route
• Ascent: 461m
• Difficulty: Moderate to challenging - muddy woodland paths, a wet and slippery chasm floor and rocky, uneven ground along the Roaches ridge. Allow 4.5-5 hours
• Start: Gradbach Car Park, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SK17 0SU)
• Facilities: car park (donation requested), the Riverside Cafe at Gradbach Mill (open spring to autumn), no toilets on the ridge

From Gradbach Car Park, follow the riverside path along the River Dane, then cross Black Brook into Forest Wood. The entrance to Lud's Church is easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled. Once inside, follow the chasm through to the far end (expect it to be wet and muddy whatever the weather). From here, climb up across the moors to Roach End and follow the Upper Tier of the Roaches ridge, where the wind-sculpted rock formations look extra eerie when the cloud swirls around them, with views down to Tittesworth Reservoir. Just past the trig point you'll reach Doxey Pool (keep your distance from Jenny Greenteeth). Carry on along the ridge, then descend and loop back along the eastern slopes, past Roach End again and down through the woods to Gradbach. A few short stretches are on the road, so take care at crossings.

Short on time? A walk from Gradbach to Lud's Church and back takes around 20 minutes each way, making it the perfect spooky micro-adventure.

Lud's Church and the Roaches hiking routes:

Forest Wood and the Roaches Circular on AllTrails

Eyam: The Plague Village

Eyam (pronounced "Eem") looks like any other chocolate-box Peak District village, but its story is one of the most haunting in Britain. In 1665, a bundle of damp cloth arrived from London for the village tailor, Alexander Hadfield. His assistant, George Viccars, hung it by the fire to dry, unknowingly releasing fleas carrying the bubonic plague, and within a week Viccars was dead.

As the disease spread, the rector William Mompesson and former rector Thomas Stanley persuaded the villagers to do something extraordinary: quarantine themselves to stop the plague spreading to neighbouring towns. Around 260 people died over the next 14 months, out of a village of roughly 700 to 800. Church services were held outdoors at Cucklett Delf, families buried their own dead in their gardens and fields, and food and medicine were left at boundary points in exchange for coins soaked in vinegar to disinfect them.

As if that wasn't eerie enough, Eyam has plenty of ghost stories too. Eyam Hall is said to be haunted by a servant called Sarah Mills, who drowned in a well there, and footsteps of a 17th century landlord are still heard on the stairs of the Miner's Arms.

• Distance: 8.4km (5.2 miles) circular route
• Ascent: 393m
• Difficulty: Moderate - undulating with some steep, uneven ascents and descents, plus stiles and gates
• Start: Hawkhill Road car park, opposite Eyam Museum (S32 5QP)
• Facilities: paid parking, public toilets, Eyam Museum, cafés, tearooms and the Miner's Arms pub in the village

This circular walk takes you right through the history of the plague. The YHA route officially starts at YHA Eyam, a short walk up Hawkhill Road from the car park. Head down into the village past the Miner’s Arms, where green plaques on the cottages tell the stories of the families who lived (and died) inside. From Lydgate, follow the footpath towards Stoney Middleton past the Boundary Stone, where villagers left their vinegar-soaked coins in exchange for food and supplies. After exploring Stoney Middleton and its unusual octagonal church, climb back up towards Riley Lane, where you can visit the Riley Graves, a small walled enclosure in a field where Elizabeth Hancock buried her husband and six children within about a week. It’s a quiet, sobering spot with sweeping views over the valley. The route then climbs through the woods to Edge Road, with views over Eyam towards Froggatt Edge, before heading back down into the village. Finish at St Lawrence’s Church, where you’ll find the grave of Catherine Mompesson, the rector’s wife. A short detour from Edge Road to Mompesson’s Well, another of the quarantine drop-off points, is well worth it too. Take care on the road sections, which have no pavement.

It's a walk that's more poignant than scary, so do take a moment to remember the villagers whose sacrifice saved so many others.

Eyam hiking routes:

Eyam and Stoney Middleton route map (YHA)

Eyam and Stoney Middleton on Ordnance Survey

Bleaklow: The B29 Crash Site and the Roman Soldiers

The clue's in the name. Bleaklow is one of the wildest, loneliest moorland plateaus in the Peak District, where the cloud can roll in within minutes and the peat groughs all start to look the same. It's also the resting place of the Peak District's most famous plane wreck.

On 3rd November 1948, a US Air Force B-29 Superfortress nicknamed "Over Exposed" was flying from RAF Scampton to Burtonwood near Warrington when it descended through thick cloud and crashed into the moor near Higher Shelf Stones. All 13 crew members were killed. The plane had a remarkable history, having photographed the nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946 (hence the name) and flown in the Berlin Airlift. Over 75 years later, large pieces of wreckage still lie scattered across the peat alongside a memorial stone, where walkers often leave poppies.

But Bleaklow's ghost stories go back much further. Walkers have reported seeing a ghostly legion of Roman soldiers marching across the moor. Local legend tells of a Roman patrol that vanished crossing Bleaklow, either lost in the mist or ambushed and buried in the bog, armour and all. The Romans certainly knew this landscape: Doctor's Gate, a Roman road linking the fort of Navio in the Hope Valley to Melandra near Glossop, runs just below the plateau.

• Distance: 6km (3.7 miles) circular route
• Ascent: 153m
• Difficulty: Moderate to challenging - short, but extremely exposed with unclear, boggy paths between the Pennine Way and Higher Shelf Stones. Only attempt on a clear day and take a map and compass
• Start: roadside parking at the summit of Snake Pass, A57 (SK13 7PQ). Spaces are limited, so arrive early at weekends and don't park on the double yellow lines
• Facilities: free roadside parking, no toilets or facilities nearby

From the Snake Pass summit, head north along the Pennine Way (you're close to the line of the old Roman road here, so keep an eye out for any marching legions). After about 500m, turn left where the paths cross and follow the rocky, boggy track, then bear right at a cairn above Crooked Clough, where a ribbon of little waterfalls tumbles down the valley. Cross a couple of muddy fords and keep heading uphill on faint paths until the trig point on Higher Shelf Stones comes into view, with huge views all the way to Manchester on a clear day. The crash site sits just a couple of hundred metres beyond the trig point. Take a moment by the memorial, and please leave the wreckage exactly as you find it. Follow the path down past the wreckage, then pick your way across the moor back to the Pennine Way and follow the flagstones back to Snake Pass.

This is a walk where atmosphere and respect go hand in hand, so it's a lovely one to do around the anniversary of the crash on 3rd November.

Bleaklow B29 crash site hiking routes:

B29 'Overexposed' crash site walk on Peak District Kids

Edale, Barber Booth and Jacob's Ladder

Edale is the start of the Pennine Way and one of the most popular walking spots in the Peak District, but walk these lanes after dark and you might not be alone.

In the tiny hamlet of Barber Booth, just outside Edale, walkers have reported a large black dog roaming the lanes. Don't panic though, unlike most ghostly black dogs, this one is said to be friendly. Legend has it he belongs to the fairies and acts as a guardian of the area, so give him a nod and carry on.

Further up the valley is Jacob's Ladder, the steep stone path climbing up onto Kinder. It was once part of a busy packhorse route between Hayfield and Edale, used from medieval times right up to the 1700s, and is thought to be named after Jacob Marshall, a farmer who cut steps into the hillside to make the climb easier for his packhorses. Local tales say that on quiet nights you can still hear the clatter of phantom carts and horses making their way up the hillside, long after the last packhorse passed this way.

And then there's the Old Nag's Head, the 16th century pub at the very start of the Pennine Way and a favourite haunt of hikers... and ghosts. Staff and drinkers have reported flickering lights, pint glasses sliding across tables and footsteps in empty corridors. During the Second World War, the bodies of airmen who lost their lives in crashes on the Kinder moors were brought to the pub before being laid to rest, and ghostly figures in uniform have been spotted roaming the building ever since.

• Distance: approx. 13km (8 miles) circular route
• Ascent: 502m
• Difficulty: Hard - a rocky scramble up Grinds Brook, exposed walking along the plateau edge and a steep, rocky descent down Jacob's Ladder. Allow 3-5 hours
• Start: Edale railway station (trains from Manchester and Sheffield), or Edale Car Park next to the village hall (pay and display, S33 7ZP)
• Facilities: public toilets and the Moorland Visitor Centre in Edale, the Penny Pot Cafe by the station, the Rambler Inn and of course the Old Nag's Head

Grab a hot drink from the Penny Pot Cafe by the station and head up through the village, past the Old Nag's Head. Just past Grindslow Lodge, cut right through the hedge and follow the old flagstones through the woods and over a little footbridge into Grinds Brook. You can follow the river itself (lots of rock hopping) or take the easier upper path, before a rocky scramble brings you out on top of the plateau. Instead of heading up Grindslow Knoll, bear right along the edge path past Pym Chair and Edale Head to the top of Jacob's Ladder. Head down the steep stone steps (listen out for those cartwheels...) to the narrow 17th century packhorse bridge over the River Noe, then follow the Pennine Way back to Upper Booth. From here, cut right along the lane to Barber Booth, keeping an eye out for a big black dog along the way, before taking the low path back to Edale. Finish with a pint by the fire at the Old Nag's Head, if you're brave enough.

Edale and Jacob's Ladder hiking routes:

Grinds Brook and Jacob's Ladder Circular on Visit Edale

Grinds Brook and Jacob's Ladder Circular on Ordnance Survey

What to Wear on a Spooky Autumn Hike

The only thing scarier than a ghostly Roman legion is being caught out on the moors in the cold and wet, so layering is key at this time of year. Start with a pair of THERMAL TRAILBLAZER Leggings and a thermal top (or grab the Thermal Bundle and get both) to keep you toasty when the temperature drops. Add a cosy Rambler Fleece for extra warmth and always pack a waterproof jacket for those sudden moorland downpours. Finish it off with a pair of HIT THE ROAD hiking socks and our winter accessories for chilly fingers and ears. And with the clocks going back, don't forget a head torch, because nobody wants to meet the Barber Booth dog in the dark without one!

The Peak District this Halloween

From plague villages and mermaid-haunted pools to mossy chasms and lonely crash sites, the Peak District's stories are just as wild as its landscapes. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, these walks are a brilliant excuse to get outside this autumn and learn a bit of local history along the way.

Just remember that shorter days and changeable weather make the moors a lot less forgiving at this time of year. Start early so you're back before dark, check the forecast, take a map and compass (especially on Bleaklow and Kinder) and stick to the paths. Many of these places are also memorials to real people, so treat them with respect and follow the Leave No Trace approach.

Let us know if you head out on a spooky hike this Halloween (and if you spot any mermaids, Roman soldiers or friendly black dogs along the way!). And be sure to check out our other adventure blogs in the "Be Inspired" section of our website.

Happy haunting!