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A 16.5 mile circuit from Gradbach, taking in the Roaches, Hen Cloud, Meerbrook, The Foulds, the Gun, Turner’s Pool, Dane Bridge, Hanging Stone, and Lud’s Church.
It was fine warm weather all day – a welcome change in this area.
We had five takers – and collected two more at Dane Bridge with two young ladies trying to navigate from Dane Bridge to Lud’s Church using Google Maps on an iPhone – a forlorn hope as they only show roads and not paths. They joined our group and returned safely to their car park at Gradbach Mill, thanking us for our help.
The walk was completed in six hours with all happy and thirsty, leading to a stop at the Red Lion at Litton.

Leader: John      Photos: Simon

Mam Nick circular

Leaders: Maureen & Dorothy     Photos: Mel

Lunch at Perry Dale

In front of the Great Ridge

Edale Valley from Rushup Edge

The Hardwick Story

Leader: Collin   Photos: Mel

Nine of us set off from Hundall on a perfect summer evening, with our four mile walk taking us to Middle, and then then West, Handley.
It could be called the oilseed rape walk, as we went through or alongside no fewer than nine fields of this crop…. but very pleasing to report that there were wide clear paths through – and also through the several cornfields too.
Not all field paths though – we did also visit a couple of woods.
At West Handley, I took the group to see a (very!) old friend – though he (or is it a she) did not have much to say (see below).
Towards the end of the walk there were splendid views over Dronfield and across to the Eastern Moors.
Earlier paths gave good views across to Bolsover Castle and Hardwick Hall.

Another hot sunny day and the ‘long bus’ walk was shortened a little to find more shade and cope with the heat.
From the Matlock park we went to Lumsdale and climbed through the old mill ruins past waterfalls to reach the first reservoir for a welcome break.
We then took lanes and field paths to Tansley and Dethick – and on to Lea.
The lunch stop was beside the playground with a choice of either picnic table or shade. The lure of swings and see-saw proved irresistible to two (nameless) members of the group, before we went on to pass Lea Gardens and then through Coombs Wood and a long ascent to Hearthstone Lane.
A return to Matlock via Starkholmes, High Tor, and the riverside path into Hall Leys Park.
A walk of generally quiet paths until finding a large school party on High Tor, apparently just looking at the view of Matlock.

Photos by Mel

Emerging from the Forest

From the top of Shutlingsoe

Cimbing to the top of Shutslingsoe

Macclesfield Forest from the top of Shutslingsoe

On the top of Shutslingsoe

It was over the border to Cheshire today for 13 long car walkers on this glorious sunny day.
Setting off from the Standing Stone car park in the Macclesfield Forest we headed to
Lamaload Reservoir via Forest Chapel and Higher Ballgreave Farm.
After topping up our fluids, we soaked up the splendid scenery across to Vale Royal before picking up a concessionary path to Ash Tree Top, offering views of Tegg’s Nose to our right & Croker Hill ahead.
Heading back into the Forest, the original route should have taken us to Higher Ridgegate. However, due to storm damage in March several footpaths are still closed. A pre-planned diversion took us back to Forest Chapel before following a path through Bollin Brook to Trentabank Visitor Centre. Here we were treated to a superb picnic area & facilities for
lunch (part 1).
Fuelled & in good spirits, we made a steady ascent to the summit of Shutlingsloe where a gentle breeze and a rest for lunch (part 2) awaited us. A fantastic clear day to take in the extensive views across three Shires (and the Welsh Hills).
From Clough House, an option to take a shorter route back to the start was dismissed by all, so it was onwards and upwards along Cumberland Brook towards the Cat & Fiddle.
Dropping back down the valley to Chest Hollow, we followed Clough Brook towards base.
Altogether, with a total of 14 miles due to the path closures, we all finished happy.

Heage Windmill
No sign of Don Quixote in this Spanish weather

Ripley AV 23 / 9 – heading towards Heage Windmill on the horizon

Crich – the end in sight on a hot day

A rare gorgeous week for weather saw 17 set off from Crich market place on a 10 mile circular, via the Heage Windmill, Cromford Canal, and Whatstandwell.
The final path between Whatstandwell and Crich is stunning, but the steps are fairly demanding at the end of a hot day.
Bob was in charge.

A Windmill pose

The Cromford Canal in green

It was an ideal summer day for the 14 of us on our 11 mile walk along the eastern border of Derbyshire.
We started at the car park at Whitwell Wood.
Our route took us past Whitwell and Hodthorpe villages, through the hamlet of Belph, and then briefly into Nottinghamshire and on to Creswell Crags.
We walked over the old colliery site at Creswell, noting that the footpath has been temporarily moved as house building has now started on this long derelict site.
We continued to Elmton and had lunch on the village green.
Some of our group were sat straight in the path of a flock of around 100 sheep being moved from the farm, where they had been sheared, back out to the fields.

Elmton

Photos by Mel

Passing through a magnificent field of poppies, we paused to look at the attractive parish church which was built in 1773 after the original one had fallen down.
We also learned a little about
Jedediah Buxton, an illiterate farm labourer and mathematical genius who had lived in the village in the early 1700s.
Skirting the edge of Clowne, we continued over the fields, through Whitwell village – and back to our cars.


It’s pleasing to report that most of the footpaths were in excellent condition – clearly defined through growing crops and with wide, mown,paths along the hedgerows.
Much of the land in the area we walked is part of the Chatsworth estate and we had several reminders, with the familiar blue paint on gates and doors.