Friday 16 February 2024
4.4 miles Leader David d.
Weather 12° Sunny, perfect
No on walk 22
After paying our dues for the day’s car parking, we assembled to hear a few more details about today’s walk. I had decided to shorten the advertised walk, by about three tenths of a mile, cutting out the very muddy final stretch to the north of Hankin Farm, by taking New Road down from Chapel Hill, Alderwasley to the A6 instead. I also advised that some places would be very slippery due to the overnight rain.
The train arrived four minutes before we set off at ten, but no one alighted to join us, we were expecting one. So, at ten on the dot, we moved off following the footway beside the A6 then to cross over the river bridge, pausing briefly to look upstream, where we could see a weir and near to it, although not visible, the fish stair which had been put in at great cost, in the last few years. Once over the bridge we crossed over the A6 and headed up New Road for a short way, taking the first path on the right. A steep and slippery climb now up to the dwellings at the top of the rise, here turning right to walk parallel to the Wirksworth Road and above Walker Wood. Level walking now as we passed by Hilltop Farm and Oakhill Farm, bringing us to the B5035, which we followed west for a very short way. On the next sharp corner, we took the very good vehicular track to Watergate Farm. We now joined the Mid-shires Way, leaving it to walk the north side of Bunting Wood, stopping for our mid-morning break on the edge of Mill Wood.
The break over, we took the next path left to cross over Mere Brook on a rather splendid footbridge. Not long ago there was no foot bridge here and we used to have to take a chance, using some large rocks in the brook as stepping stones. We crossed the next large field diagonally, aiming for a corner near to the tail end of Park Wood, here ascending a short, but very sharp rise on our way to Knob Farm. At Knob Farm we stopped to look and take pictures of the boy statue sitting on the roof edge, above us with rod in hand, see picture. Onward now to the road junctions at Alderwasley, going straight over it for a lovely walk through Kennel Wood, which we promised to return to during Bluebell time, knowing that there would be plenty to see. Already we could see some of the first shoots of the Bluebells appearing through the thin undergrowth. At the end of the woodland path, we strode uphill to the junction of Chapel Hill and New Road following the latter, downhill to join our outward trail along the A6 and so back to the car park, arriving there at twelve twenty. Great day, great company, thanks to all who made it so. d.
