National Stone Centre

Wednesday 5 January 2022

6 ½ miles Leader: Jane H & John H-T

Weather 4°C. sunny

No on walk 21

21 walkers, Met at the National Stone Centre, Wirksworth. A cold, frosty, beautiful, winters day.  6 ½ miles. Mostly on hard tracks, so going was not muddy. Also, ground was firm due to the frost. We started going west along the High Peak Trail and up the incline to Middleton Top. Bright crisp day with lovely views. Then on a bit further to turn down the well-marked foot path over the fields into the Middle Peak quarry, which looked spectacular in the bright sunshine. Coffee at the Star Circle which has been constructed above the disused Stoney Wood quarry. Steeply down to the town, to walk beside the old church and cemetery. Then up again to Bolehill a very picturesque little village, apparently constructed for quarry workers. The last part of the path is very steep but we all made it and stopped to catch our breath at the top.
A short way beside the road, then to turn left along the lane which goes past Wigwellnook Farm. This path afforded us magnificent views of Crich and Holloway. We had lunch enjoying the view including a view of Dethick church amongst the woods. We joined Intake Lane and followed it along until we went into a wood of magnificent Beach trees. Then met the High Peak Trail again, fortunately about halfway up the Cromford incline. The rest of it was steep enough! Only a short walk now passing the magnificent Black Rocks and we were soon back at the Stone Centre, where some of us enjoyed a beverage at the busy Blue Lagoon café, which always seems busy and deservingly so. A good day, easy underfoot, but with steep climbs and descents. Jane H.