News

Saturday 22 February

Bakewell

Leader: David   Photo: Mel    

Just four of our regular members turned out for today’s walk from Bakewell – perhaps deterred by the heavy rain earlier in the week and an unpromising forecast.
We were joined by a lady originally from Brazil, who has lived in Chesterfield for the past three years.
She proved to be a delightful companion on what was her first ever walk in the Peak District – and was a little surprised by the hills, amazed by the extensive views, and bowled over by the architecture of Edensor.

Kathleen Kennedy grave

Our walk of under nine miles took us up past Bowling Green Farm, over Haddon Hall land through Manners Wood (rather spoiled by the mass of litter from the plastic tree protectors left in place when outgrown by the trees they protected as they were planted).
We crossed onto the Chatsworth Estate and over Calton Pastures, past the Russian Cottage, and over the very wet and slippery parkland – and on to Edensor.
A short detour in the churchyard, colourful with daffodils and snowdrops, for a look at the grave of the Marchioness of Hartington – Kathleen Kennedy, sister to John F Kennedy.
Then the long drag up the hill to Ball Cross with a gale blowing in our faces, and back down into Bakewell.


Much to our surprise, we managed without a drop of rain throughout the walk.

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Wednesday 19 February

Wollaton

Leader: David  

A rare dry morning at the moment for a nine mile walk along the disused Nottingham Canal and the Robin Hood Way – from Ilkeston Rail Station to Wollaton Park in Nottingham – via the 1951 ‘Festival of Britain village’ of Trowell.
A good hardcore towpath kept serious mud to a minimum.
Light rain arrived for a lunch under cover at the 16th century Wollaton Hall – with its similarity to Hardwick, both having been designed by Robert Smythson.
A post-lunch walk through the Park and the adjacent Nottingham University led on to a Skylink bus to Long Eaton and a train return to Chesterfield by 3pm.
Five enjoyed a very flat Nottinghamshire walk at a reasonable pace.

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Wednesday 12 February Eckington Leader: Michael   Thirteen ramblers (including one who hadn’t walked with this group before) set off on a 5 mile circular from Eckington – taking in Bramley, Ford, Plumbley, and Mosborough. The weather was fine and the strength of the wind had dropped from the previous day’s storm. There was, though, evidence of the weekend’s storm with a tree almost down and the bridle way littered with twigs and branches. At Bramley it had been my original intention to descend into the valley by way of paths across the hillside. But after the heavy rain of the weekend I decided the better option was to stick with the road which took us down to Ford. This proved to be a convenient lunch stop. Next, we climbed up the road to a bridle way which, though wet in places, took us safely to Plumbley and Mosborough. From there we followed field paths and stiles down into the valley without coping with too much mud. This final stretch along the Sheffield Country Walk took us back to Eckington and a bus back to Chesterfield. With North, South, and East Chesterfield Ways well established, a good route from the town westwards to Chatsworth and the Peak District is overdue.                                                Leader: David Heading across Eastmoor Three members left Chesterfield Rail Station (where a spur of the Trans Pennine Trail ends) to set out on the newly developed cycle path that leads through Queens Park and Walton Dam to Somersall Park. By this stage we had been joined by three more en route. The journey continued across fields to Holymoorside and then over Holy Moor and Eastmoor to Hob Hurst’s House, before descending to Chatsworth House. The route will be repeated on 15 May as part of this year’s Chesterfield Area Walking Festival. Shadows again, this time over Ashford Ashford in the Water Church Dale, Bakewell, Wigger Dale, Over Haddon, Kirk Dale Leader: Graham   Photos: Mike & Mel Ashford without shadows 25 walkers, with three guests from Scunthorpe, on this 10.5 mile circular    The top of Kirk Dale, with a snowy Kinder in the distance

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Wednesday 5 February

Hathersage (2)

Leaders: John & Dermot   Photos: John & Mel

31 walkers participated in the second part of the Hathersage Hurtle – a 50% increase on last week!
Such was the success of our first half of the route that the news had travelled, and we had three visitors from Scunthorpe coming to join us.
We left Hathersage Station and walked along Baulk Lane and commenced the steady climb to Dennis Knoll.

From there we climbed up onto Stanage Edge, stopping for coffee beside High Neb and continued along the Edge via the trig point to Burbage, where we took lunch.
Then we dropped down towards Longshaw, stopping briefly to look at the bullet holes from WW2 on the rocks opposite Carl Wark.
The return to Hathersage was via Padley Gorge and the banks of the River Derwent.
Like last week, a route of over 11 miles.

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Sunday 2 February

Cutthorpe

Old Brampton, Holymoorside, Wigley, Linacre Reservoir

Leaders: Naomi & Chris   Photos: John       

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…. previously on chesterfieldramblers

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