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Tutbury Castle from St Mary’s Church

Rolleston on Dove Station at the start of the Jinny Trail

A train ride to Tutbury and a Staffordshire route for the ‘long bus / train’ group.
David led 11 on a linear route from Tutbury Castle overlooking the Dove and (like Wingfield Manor a place of imprisonment for Mary, Queen of Scots), via Rolleston on Dove with its
Jinny Trail and the Trent & Mersey Canal.
An eight mile walk left ample time for a drink and sun-bathe by the canal before catching a return train from Willington.

A good turnout of 29 members – we all came out of hiding now the bad weather has gone.
The route was from Rowsley Old Station car park via Bowling Green Farm, Haddon Hall (still muddy by river), Stanton in the Peak, Stanton Moor
(Nine Ladies site for lunch), the Cork Stone, Birchover, Stanton Moor along the Earl Grey Tower path, Stanton Woodhouse, and Rowsley.
11.25 miles with 1650 feet of ascent.

Nine Ladies stone circle (photo by John)

Cork Stone (photo by Mel)

Just outside Flagg, heading for Monyash and ice cream

Six ramblers and one visitor with a very well behaved dog set off from Taddington to walk a nine mile circuit via the ‘mountain village’ of Chelmorton, Flagg and Monyash on a lovely spring day.

A group of twelve walked from the Goyt Valley up onto and along Combs Edge, down through Combs village, and round to Fernilee Reservoir – taking in some new paths even for the leader – due to map management skills!
There are lovely views from the Edge which were somewhat lacking in the low cloud but the surprise was that it was a new route to Mel – which doesn’t happen very often.

Combs Edge

Nine defied the monsoon forecast and set off up the Limb Valley to complete a 13 mile walk with the route taking us to Houndkirk Moor, Burbage Edge , Padley Gorge and the Longshaw Estate.
The rain did show itself briefly but nothing like the intensity forecast, and the perspex shelters on Grindleford Station provided a welcome spot for lunch when it appeared.

The route across fields and through woods, around the River Moss, had been modified because of the conditions and went to Lightwood, Ridgeway Moor, Eckington Woods, Bramley and Geer Lane, before returning to Coal Aston via Owler Car Lane.
On the way it crossed and recrossed the Moss and passed the mill ponds near Greatfold farm and at Birley Hay.
In the afternoon the sun shone and the rain held off until the last 10 minutes of the walk.

Coffee break near Lightwood

Photo: Mel

Climbing to Lords Seat along Rushup Edge

Leaders: Terry & Eileen    Photo: Mel

Source of the Lathkill in full flood

Dipper heaven, we saw six separate birds. (Mike coined the phrase Dipper fest).

Crossing the Lathkill below Over Haddon.

Leaders: John & Bob     Photos: Mel

Eighteen ‘long bus’ walkers enjoyed lunch at the side of the
Chesterfield Canal at Staveley in the ‘spring’ sunshine.
The route had begun at Chesterfield Railway Station and headed out via Tapton Golf Course (the Trans Peak Trail) and Tapton Grange, Brimington Common, Westwood, Ringwood Hall, Hollingwood Hub, Barrow Hill and through the old Staveley Works site to the canal.
Refreshed, the group returned along the Canal back to the Railway Station at Chesterfield – an enjoyable ten mile figure-of-eight walk after the restrictions of the previous week’s snow.

A bridge in Bradford Dale       Photo: Mel

  Lorraine led the ‘long car’ walk ;

Despite the anticipation of a very wet and muddy walk, 18 brave members set off from Elton.
Making our way over fields past Tomlinson Wood towards Hopping Farm and Alport we were pleasantly surprised at how clean we were – the overnight frost & morning sunshine playing a helping hand – plus the many snowdrifts offering a boot cleaning service.
From Alport we made a short ascent to join the paths overlooking the River Lathkill, heading across to Over Haddon, where we sat on the hillside for a spot of lunch.
The afternoon’s route via Bradford Dale, Lowfields Farm and Anthony Hill was to take us past 6 of the 17 Sites of Meaning – a millennium project of Middleton and Smerrill marking the 17 entrances to its parish with boundary stones, each inscribed with a text.
A total of 11.5 miles.

At the sheep dip in Bradford Dale