News Archive (October 2018)

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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