Date: 19 March 2011 Area: Peak District
Distance: 10.3 Miles 16.6.k
Start Location: Grindleford Station and train to Hope
OS Sheet: OL1 & OL24
Grid Ref: 2503 7869Route
From Hope Station head south to the A6187 turn east, at the junction in Brough turn right crossing the bridge over the River Noe, turn left into Brough Lane.
Follow the lane southwards, as it turns to the east, go south taking the footpath across Abney Moor. At the road, go on down to Abney Grange, taking the path down to the bottom of the valley, cross the stream and bear left along the valley side.
There are no public paths here so keep well above the Brook and work your way westwards to pick up the footpaths leading down to Stoke Ford. Head east, passing Brook Wood, Tor Farm and Hazelford Hall. At the B6001 turn left, cross over the River Derwent and turn right along the path following the river bank. In Coppice Wood take the track bearing left uphill, and then cross 3 fields to the bridge over the railway line, turn right to Grindleford Station.
Journey
Saturdays walk was the real first proper walk of the year, the Foremark Repton walk xx weeks ago was a proper walk but fairly tame and gentle and we took a two hour stop for a roast beef dinner halfway round. Saturdays was a 10mile point to point walk through the heart of the Peaks a more serious proposition. Here lunch was beef and horseradish sandwich and a brew sitting on a grassy bank, we know how to rough it!
The day started at 6:30 an unheard of time for Mrs G to be awake on a Saturday morning. We eventually got out the house at far too many minutes past 8. A sprint up the M1 to pick Andy up then back to the M1 and through to Chesterfield, getting in to Grindleford with 15 minutes to spare, mainly due to the roads being quiet, which won’t last for long!
The 09:29 Sheffield to Manchester train was a two carriage Pacer and it was packed, so we had to stand, which was fine as it’s only a 10 minute journey. But it made me wonder how come there are so many crappy trains on our railways and why do so many have so few carriages.
Part of the plan for this walk was to find a number of Geocaches along the way, with first just along the road from Hope Station. So after a 5 minute faff sorting what tops to wear, switching on GPS’s, getting the relevant information on mobile phones and testing new sunglasses we got started and 75m later we located the first cunningly hidden GC (I’m not going to keep typing geocache). This was a film canister it was Andy’s first ever GC and the first micro cache Mrs G and I had found. In the next 4K we found 4 more GC’s all cunningly hidden, but almost in clear view, in fact Andy was heard to mutter ’when we’ve been round this way before, I’m sure I stopped and had a pee on that stone’. So be warned if you ever go out geocaching be sure to take hand wipes etc. with you. You never know…..
As we reached the top of Brough Lane there were a bunch of people unloading para gliding kit from their cars while two gliders floated over us, along with several para gliders. As we looked back, Lose Hill, Win Hill and Shatton Edge were clear but looking across Abney Moor the early sunshine was being pushed eastwards by a bank of clouds and a chilly wind. Away towards Shatton Lane areas of heather or, bracken were being burnt off.
Dropping down into the valley below Abney Grange is always a pleasure it’s an area of calmness and tranquillity, a tonic. You meander peacefully through its scaled down hills and valleys never quite knowing if you’re going in the right direction or where you’ll end up. It is very beautiful and quiet, I’ve promised myself that one day I will park close by and spend a warm sunny day here just wandering around and sitting in the sun
Stoke Ford is one of the major cross roads in the area. It’s a natural meeting place, a pleasant spot to take a break, even have lunch, let kids or dogs play in the brook but with walkers moving in five different directions it can become a bit busy.
Several years ago the very busyness of the place brought on one of my rare episodes of “ramblers rage”. We reached the ford as two groups of walkers each of about 20 people arrived on opposite sides of the bridge. Both groups seemed to know each other, but were going off in different directions. As they passed each other, they exchanged greetings, found they were going the wrong way, turned back, spoke to someone else, shouted to a person on the far side of the crowd that they were going the wrong way, only have them shout back, the groups lost cohesion! As a result the bridge and the east bank was mêlée and any movement in any direction was near impossible.
I watched and waited for several minutes then seeing red shouting “scuse me, coming through” (in best S‘arnt Major voice) I pushed and bullied my way through the throng, dragging an reluctant Mrs G with me, past men in golfing jackets and ladies in cashmere twin sets and cheap fleeces, many brandishing walking poles like drunken conductors (band not bus). As we crossed the bridge a florid gentleman in green corduroy trousers tucked into red socks, wearing a beige waistcoat with many pockets, stopped us saying “shouldn’t you be going the other way with Clive”. Growling something about f f f friendly ramblers, we stormed off towards the path to Oaks Farm and peace. I'm not proud on my behavior here but it still makes me laugh.
The path east from Stoke Ford to Hazelford is pleasantly undulating with woodland and open paddocks. The path alongside the Derwent is a steady track and parkland walk with the river and the woodland to please the ear and eye.
Although there were signs of spring and the afternoon sun was pleasant it did feel as if spring in this part of Derbyshire was some two to three weeks behind us in Leicestershire. In a few weeks I’m sure everything will be blooming, we can’t wait to get back.
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