Kirk Ireton

Friday 21 March 2025

5.5 miles Leader Petra H.

Weather 14° C. Light cloud

No. on walk 24 + 3 Dogs

A great turnout for Petra, from this seldom walked area, at least by us. Kirk Ireton, a lovely, typical rural village, with a mixture of very old, old and modern dwellings, the modern, sensitively designed and built in keeping with this rural setting. A small car park and some roadside parking, enabled us to gather around our leader, to hear the usual safety talk and we were off, from outside the former, Barley Mow pub, crossing the road to a field gate. From here, we were on good pasture land, heading west, for one mile. Now within sight of Carsington Water, we turned left, passing by The Riddings Farm and around the southern tip of the reservoir, called Millfields, with a car park and toilet block, the latter, being put to good use. Ten minutes later, we had moved around the reservoir’s southern-most tip onto the Dam Path, stopping, for our morning break, in a pleasant memorial area, dedicated to those young men who lost their lives during the construction of the reservoir.

After another mile, north along the Dam wall, which we left, doing a ‘U’ turn, then walking south, parallel, but below the dam wall, passing by woodland and newly created plantations. There are very many of these new woodlands, created by Severn Trent Water, which in years to come will looked upon as an effort to control global warming. Another mile and we were back at Millfields and another toilet stop. We then roughly followed our outward track, keeping a bit nearer to the water until reaching Hays Lane. Walking it and turning left, for a short way onto Broom Lane, then a right along Gorsey Lane and so back into the village, arriving there by twelve forty. A good walk on a good day, with not too many stiles to delay our progress. Well done Petra and thank you.