Date: 2013-04-14
From: Whatstandwell
Region: Derbyshire Peak District
Walk : Circular
& OS Sheet: OL 24
Start Grid: SK 332 545
Distance: 9.3 ml, 16.1 km
Height
Gain: 1420 ft, 146m
Height
Lost: 1420 ft,198 m
Walking with: Mrs G & Andy
Notes: Canal path, field and woodland paths. farm tracks and minor
roads, muddy in parts.
Route
These notes are provided to enable the
walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.
From Whatstandwell Bridge, follow tow
path N to High Peak Junction. Cross canal to road to Lea Bridge. Take track
towards Splash Farm, at back of Mills, footpath L through Coumbs Wood to
Hearthstone Lane. At Hearthstone Farm footpath R to Riber, NE through village
to track and footpath E to join Carr Lane , E to junction, R on road to Wood, R
footpath to Dethick, footpath SE to Lea, footpath SE across High Lane to
Wakebridge Farm, cross road, through woodland to Canal and Whatstandwell.
Journey
This walk is one of Andy’s favourite
old standbys. For the first one of the year it was not the easiest of walks or
the nicest of weather.
This section of canal is getting a bit
too familiar we've been along it too often of late. However, changes are
planned, to the canal, not our walking, a new surface has been laid to the towpath
and a great deal of tree felling and lopping, along with the clearing of
undergrowth along the banks all a real improvement. In addition sections of the
canal have been cleared of weed plus some of the culvert and weirs have been
repaired. Hopefully, this much overdue maintenance and improvement work will
continue to the benefit of all users.
There were quite a number of people
out at High Peak Junction with the sunshine giving it a pleasant atmosphere. At
Lea Bridge we passed the back of Smedleys Mills and started the long climb
through Coumbs Wood and Hearthstone Lane. Here that slight felling of Spring we
had felt along the canal rapidly disappeared as we trudged through the grey
lifeless trees with little in the way spring like growth anywhere. In fact up
by Bilberry Knoll we stomped delightedly through 9 inch deep snow banks.
By the time we got to Riber the sun
had gone and a very stiff cold wind was blowing, with occasional rainy and
sleety bits . There was little in the way of views and everywhere had that dark
locked up look, so we moved swiftly on into the teeth of a howling wind (slight
exaggeration), in the direction of Dethick. The fields, which were largely,
empty although we did pass a couple of fields full of sheep and their lambs.
We
whipped around by Dethick Church and using the tower of Crich Stand as our
aiming mark down to Lea, crossing the lovely little valley and river to get
there. Lea and Wakebridge came and went and we were soon back in the car, then up
the A610 to The Excavator, for a very good, well priced roast dinner and a
beer.
On the day this felt a tough walk, the
lack of fitness and strong cold wind certainly took a bit of pleasure out of
the walk. On another day I could see this walk being enjoyable and I would like
to explore some of the alternate routes in the area
