Ambergate to Crich Stand

Date: 2012-09-23

From: Ambergate

Region: Peak District

Walk :  Circular

OS Sheet: Explorer OL24

Start Grid: SK 349 515

Distance: 7.3 ml, 11.7 km 

Height Gain:955 ft, 291m

Height Lost: 955 ft, 291 m

Walking with: Andy, Mrs G and Katie

Notes: Mainly on canal towpath and good tracks, some fields and roads fairly long climb and descent, a few stiles and gates, muddy in parts.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

From Ambergate Station car park walk down the approach road, turn left under the bridge to  A6, turn right N. Take footpath on the right up on to the canal towpath N. At second bridge cross over on to track passing Thurlowbooth Farm and turn right on footpath NE to Chase Cliffe. By Chasecliffe Farm take footpath to Crich then through housing estate towards Crich Church. Follow signs for the Tramway Museum. At junction turn right and take track on left to Sherwood Foresters War Memorial. Take the path N to Wakebridge Farm and S to the road, cross down to another road, cross down to the Canal, follow the towpath S back to Ambergate.

Journey

This was not the walk we had planned, unfortunately due to external problems, plans had to be changed and a last minute decision made to do this walk again. As we only decided as we were driving out of Long Eaton we hadn't checked maps or plotted a route. Although done the same walk last October we soon found ourselves on different route up to Crich. It was just as steep though.

View to North East

Crich

On the way up w had kept Mrs G going by telling her about about the super tea room in Crich we’d stopped last year. Unfortunately it was closed, as was the one at the Memorial. Mrs G was not impressed.

Mercian Regimental War Memorial

The Memorial, its position, its surroundings and the views, the way it is kept and what it stands for worked its moving magic on us and a few quiet moments were spent

Tram Arriving

Stopping for lunch at the end of the tramway line we were entertained by a variety of trams arriving, from Crich Tramway Museum, changing around the conductor pole and all the seats then trundling back to the Museum.

Walking along canal, through leafy woodland, out on to open hilltop and back helped to dispel or at least reduced the range and depth of the recent problems as did the opportunity to discuss some of them.

Bridge over Canal, Whatstandwell

The therapeutic effect of walking and talking with friends in such wonderful settings as these keeps us walking.