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The Ramblers
Wednesday 14 November


Alrewas

Leader: David

Branston Water Park coffee stop
National Memorial Arboretum
National Memorial Arboretum
National Memorial Arboretum


A repeat visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire for the ‘longer bus & train’ group.
After a 30 minute train journey to Burton upon Trent, the walk again followed the Trent & Mersey canal southwards, via Branston Water Park and Barton Marina.

Once again we entered the Arboretum through the quiet northern end near Catholme, and it was obvious that the number and scale of the memorials had significantly increased since our last visit a few years ago.

A feature of the route, then and now, is having to cross and re-cross the ‘motorway style’ A38. The Arboretum is not a friendly place for either public transport or foot access.
All ten in the group were nimble enough to have survived without incident.

The crossing to Main Street, Alrewas (Google Streetview)

Rowsley to Bakewell

Leader: Andrew    Photos: John

Autumnal colours
Haddon Hall from Haddon Fields
Love Locket Bridge, over the Wye in Bakewell

The Ramblers
Sunday 11 November


Fox House

Leaders: Graham & Edna    Photos: John

Poppies at Longshaw (a convalescent home in WW1)
The café at Grindleford Station
A Magic Money Tree at Padley Gorge
Lunch stop on Hathersage Moor
Approaching Higger Tor

A 10 mile route from Fox House via Longshaw, Grindleford Station, Padley Gorge, Higger Tor – and back.

The Ramblers
Saturday 10 November


Defunct Reservoirs

Leader: Pat    Photo: Mel

Above Smeekley Wood


There was some discussion over a Guide Stoop on Big Moor which used the word way as opposed to the more normal road.

The Ramblers
Wednesday 7 November


Duffield to Allestree

Leader: John                  

Basil writes ;

Ten group members took the train to Derby and on to Duffield to commence a 10 mile route to Allestree Park using parts of the Ecclesbourne Way and the Centenary Way.
Good views, but on the approach to Kedleston the heavens opened and we experienced a couple of hours of heavy rain (plus wet sandwiches).
It cleared as we got closer to Derby where the greatest danger was getting soaked again from the traffic and large puddles whilst waiting for the bus.
A good day enjoyed by all.

Next week it’s train again to Burton and a walk to the National Memorial Arboretum.

In Search of Ancient Waters

Leader: Mel                  

Deer camouflaged on the Eastern Moors



16 turned up at Shillito Wood for Mel’s circular over the Eastern Moors, visiting redundant reservoirs.
A reasonable weather forecast turned out to be a persistent downpour for the afternoon return via Wimble Holme Hill, Fanshawe Gate, and Smeekley Wood.
After a glorious summer we had perhaps forgotten that it sometimes rains around these old reservoirs.


Trig point on Totley Moss

The Ramblers
Wednesday 31 October

Wardlow Mires to Baslow



Leader: Andrew


Basil writes ;

Andrew led a group of 15 on a linear walk from Wardlow Mires, using the route 170 bus from Chesterfield, connecting with the route 66 bus in Baslow – with the intention of walking back to Baslow.
On a fine day we began by heading to Great Hucklow and saw a good number of gliders from the Derbyshire & Lancashire Gliding Club at Abney in the clear sky.
Heading onwards and upwards we made for Eyam via Bretton for our lunch stop. Magnificent views along the way.
The plan was to catch the bus from Eyam to Stoney Middleton and walk back to Baslow from there.
Unfortunately the bus did not turn up, and so Andrew improvised with a walk down to Calver.
Again excellent views this time of the Edges, passing the Vinegar Stone on the way.
Arriving at Calver we caught the bus back to Baslow for a change to the 170 bus.
The walk wasn’t as long as planned but was appreciated by all.


Next week we have a Derbyshire Wayfarer walk, catching the train to Derby and on to Duffield for a linear route in the Derby outskirts.

Trail Around The Dales



Leader: Graham    Photos: Mel / John



After a frosty start, a fine day with plenty of warm sunshine for the last day of October.
Graham led a group of 18 on a circular from Litton which explored a few dales.
Tansley Dale and Ravensdale led to Cressbrook and then it was on via Millers Dale and Cheedale for a lunch stop by the James Brindley memorial well in Wormhill.
The great canal engineer was born in nearby Tunstead.
Crossing Peter Dale and Monk’s Dale, the return to Litton was via Tideswell.

Cressbrook


Coffee and a warm sun spot in Millers Dale

The Ramblers
Sunday 28 October

Derbyshire / Notts Border Country



Leader: Collin    Photo: John

Norwood trig point 5188 next to a tree near Bonbusk


You don’t always need to climb to bag trig points

The Ramblers
Saturday 27 October

Looking for Fungi with a Fun Guy

Leader: Mel      

Fly Agaric


The walk title needs no further explanation.
Our guy writes ;

Embracing the first snow flurries of the winter the Saturday group started out from Heatherdene car park for a nine mile fungi themed walk.
After crossing the Ladybower Dam the group meandered through the trees parallel to the Snake road before climbing to Hope Cross for lunch in pale autumnal sunshine.
The return route included Wooler Knoll, the edge of Wiseman Hey Clough Plantation and Thornhill.
The route taken yielded sightings of numerous fungi including Brackets, Bolete and gilled species, the highlight being the many colourful Fly Agaric in all stages of fruiting.

Fungi seekers

The Ramblers
Wednesday 24 October

Ecclesbourne Way



Leader: Val


Basil / Val report ;

A group of ten walked the Ecclesbourne Way from Duffield to Wirksworth on a fine clear day.
This 11 mile route has excellent views, and is well way marked and provided with wicket gates wherever possible.
The walk is recommended and can be combined with a journey on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.
In this case we used public transport (train to Derby and on to Duffield, returning via bus to Matlock – and the very reliable X17).
Some of the walking was over fields close to the river and railway, but other sections climbed up out of the valley with excellent views.
We were glad to see the signs acknowledging the contribution made by Amber Valley and Derbyshire Dales Ramblers to the creation of the route.
From the official finish point it was a short walk (our last hill) to catch a bus.

Errwood circular

Leader: Ann        

A distinct lack of sunshine around Buxton, as opposed to many other parts of Derbyshire today.
14 ventured out to Bunsal Cob, next to Errwood Reservoir.


A steady climb up to Combs Edge gave excellent views – no sun, but no mist either.
With Chapel-en-le-Frith laid out before us we descended to the small village of Combs, passing the vibrant school that successfully resisted closure ten years ago by Derbyshire County Council.
Climbing up to Heylee Farm for a lunch spot it was then more or less downhill to the River Goyt at Fernilee and a return by Fernilee Reservoir, built to supply water to Stockport and its surrounding area.

The Ramblers
Wednesday 17 October

A lunch spot by Wetton Hill



A Walk from Hulme End



Leaders: Christine & Doug


A Staffordshire Moorlands circular on a fine October day from the Tea Junction at Hulme End.
A clockwise route via the Back of Ecton, Wetton Hill, and Wetton Mill, returning for fine tea and cakes via the Manifold Valley.


27 walkers with probably a similar number of stiles to negotiate.



The Ramblers
Friday 12 October


A Stephenson Trail



Leader: David


George Stephenson is known worldwide as the ‘father of the railways’.
As a civil and mechanical engineer he pioneered our early use of steam engines and designed rail infrastructure that is still widely used today.
Although born in Northumberland he spent the last ten years of his life at Tapton House in Chesterfield, and is buried with his second wife at Holy Trinity Church.

Tapton Golf Course


This ‘Stephenson Trail’ set out from his statue at Chesterfield Railway Station on a grey old morning, following part of the southern spur of the
Trans Pennine Trail on Tapton Golf Course to Tapton House, before making its way via Tapton Park and, very briefly, the Chesterfield Canal to Holy Trinity Church.


Holy Trinity


Tapton Park


A short walk then back to the town centre and the Stephenson Memorial Hall which is now a museum – and through the churchyard of the Crooked Spire to end in Stephenson Place.

Another ‘Stephenson Trail’
George Stephenson’s birthplace

Other short Chesterfield walks we have done in the last eighteen months include a
Northern Circular and a Western Circular

The Ramblers
Wednesday 10 October


Ladybower circular




Leader: Edna

Wheel Stones


29 turned out for Edna’s circular on a superb October day.
From the Ashopton viaduct at Ladybower an anti-clockwise route via Cutthroat Bridge, Whinstone Lee (where we had a quick sight of a Red Arrow screaming low over the Reservoir), Wheel Stones, White Tor, Back Tor, and Lost Lad – before dropping down to Wellhead.
It was apparently World Mental Health Day and this walk was a fine prescription.


Lost Lad


Street View panorama descending to Wellhead

Bakewell



Leader: Basil


Basil added a ‘long bus’ walk to the printed programme to enjoy what proved to be probably the best walking weather of the year.

Ten of us on the circular walk from Bakewell, via Alport, Stanton, Rowsley, and Coombs Farm – about 11 miles in all.
Three dropped out at Rowsley to catch a return bus ; all the rest came back from Bakewell.
Those who went via Coombs Farm walked through a plague (or ‘loveliness’) of ladybirds, the like of which we have not come across before.
However we spotted them well.

The Ramblers
Wednesday 3 October

Dore to Hathersage



Leaders: Bob & Anne


A ten mile linear walk on the Hope Valley rail line today – from Dore & Totley Station to Hathersage.
A route via the Ecclesall Woods into historic Dore Village for a coffee break, by the memorial stone where the army of King Ecgbert of Wessex met the Northumbrians way back in 829 AD.

England united ?



On then to Blacka Moor and Longshaw, with a descent of Padley Gorge to Grindleford Station.
Finally down to the Derwent Valley and Hathersage Station for the return.
14 in the party on a dry, if mainly cloudy, day.


Blacka Moor fungi
Blacka Moor Woods



…. previously on chesterfieldramblers




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