A fine day, a gentle breeze, just enough with the little bit of thin cloud above to keep us reasonably cool over the next six miles, which included nine hundred and forty feet of ascent. We gathered on the Triangle, a rather noisy place to be able to hear the necessary safety advice. On the stroke of ten, as the nearby bell on Belper Christ Church was struck, we were off and away, going over the bridge spanning the River Derwent.  Once over, we immediately turned left to walk beside it and then gradually left it below us as we climbed up to Chevin Road, leaving this shortly to climb steeply up to Chevin Mount, where we paused for a hydration break and recharge. We now walked the length of North Lane, to reach Sunny Hill in Milford. We descended the hill, glad we didn’t have to climb it today, then made our way back over the Derwent, turning right to walk along the footway into Makeney. At the Holly Bush pub, we stopped for our morning break, a few nipping in for a quick pint of something.

On the move again we joined the, well signed, Derwent Valley Heritage Way, which we followed back to Cowhill, Belper. On the edge of The Park, here, those who had parked on the Coppice car park, left the group and headed through The Park, to finish their walk, having already walked from the car park to The Triangle. The rest of us, left the DVHW, making our way down to The Fleet and into Days Lane, Brook Street and then crossing New Road at the lights. We entered the Memorial Gardens, exiting into King Street and crossing it to walk the length of Green Lane, at the end of which was the historic Long Lane, with its very uneven stone slabs. We walked down it to cross over the A6 at Christ Church finishing the walk, there at fifteen minutes past one. Unfortunately, due to road and traffic conditions, the group had become separated, seeing the tail end as I left the car park. Thankyou Jane for leading the walk and for the good weather of course.