Woodhouse Eaves,Beacon & Bradgate

Date: 14 August 2010

Area: South of Loughborough, Leicestershire

Distance: 11 Miles 18 k

Start Location: Car Park in Woodhouse Eaves

OS Sheet: Explorer 246

Grid Ref: SK 5310 1446

Outline: Woodhouse Eaves, Outwoods, Beacon Hill, Broombriggs, Bradgate Park, Swithland Wood, Woodhouse Eaves.

For GPX file see Every Trail

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1 : 25,000 map. They are not walking instructions.

From the car park head north along the road, as far as Hangingstone Farm, take the path right over the fields to Halfway House. Continue across the next field to reach a small wood, bear left and follow path to meet the bridleway west of Moat House.

Go to GR 519 159 enter the Outwoods, head west and south to GR 517 155 on Woodhouse / Breakback Lane, follow the road SE to GR 519 152 turn right up a track, in 100m left at gap in fence, turn right and walk up to path junction at GR 518 150 and take the path heading up into the woodland along the north side of the woodland to the top of Beacon Hill.

From the top take the main track down the south side of the hill to GR 519 144 take track heading south across into Broombriggs take path left across field to GR 522 141 and head SE to pick up the Leicestershire Round on Maplewell Road.

Follow Leicestershire Round across the Golf Course to Benscliffe Road and into Bradgate Park car park. Enter the park gate turn left, follow the wall down to the car park in the NE corner near the reservoir. Turn left along Roecliffe Road and take the path to then through Swithland Wood, follow the roads back to the car park.

Journey

I ‘ve been running and walking around the Charnwood Forest area for many years, this walk was based on my standard ‘about’ 10 mile walk, but tweaked to add a couple of miles, then on the day amended to lose a mile or so because of the rain. Yes, we wimped out.

Mrs O-n-G decided not to walk, so it was my long time walking mate A and I on our own. Having waited for a group of gaiter clad, pole carrying ramblers (what happened to red socks and bobble hats) to sort themselves out then off down the Leicestershire Round, we set off north past The Old Bulls Head and across the fields. Almost as soon as we left the paved track we were hit by a couple of showers, initially we pressed on but soon had to stop to kag up, which is a guaranteed method of stopping rain, for a about half an hour.

Having left the lovely woodland of the Outwoods we made our way on a fairly new path leading upwards along the north side of Beacon Hill. This path, for horses and cyclists, according to the signs, was installed as part of a large scale clearing and replanting scheme carried out several years ago in what had once been inaccessible woodland, it is now my preferred way up the Beacon. These and other works over the years, including introducing Alpaca’s and Long Horn cattle, have certainly enhanced the Beacon, which was featured on BBC’s Country File a couple of weeks ago.

From the Beacon we walked across Broombriggs following the Leicestershire Round across Lingdale Golf Course and up to the top of Bradgate Park below the Old John Tower and War Memorial.

More showers and a wet lunch standing under trees in Bradgate Park eating soggy sandwiches, I do hate rainwater in my coffee, was followed by a dose of heavy rain as we plunged downhill, only stopping to photograph the deer. This photo was taken as the deer were starting to walk away from us, I shouted “oi stop, look this way” and they did, gob smacked.

Later in the Wheatsheaf in Woodhouse Eaves we both agreed that it had been a crap walk, it was not the area nor the walk, probably not the weather but somehow we just did not feel up to it. We have both walked longer walks with more climb on them recently, so it’s not the fitness, it just happens.

Back when I was running, every now and then particularly on training runs you could start off feeling awful not enjoying it at all then, a few minutes later everything’s changed and you'd be flying. Other days you step out as fit as a flea and hit a wall inside the first mile and it’s a struggle from then on, but you get the miles done and in the book. I guess it happens with walking, just not so intense

As well as a days walk with a few pints after, this walk was pretty much training and testing for our Lakeland Circle walk in September. As a standard route, with or without tweaks, we know it well and with plenty of ups and downs it provides a good indication of our fitness. It also allows gear to be tested and things practiced, like this was only the third time in two years that I’d had to put on my over trousers and I then I managed to put them on back to front. Just shows!

Winster Stanton Moor

Date: 7 August 2010
Area: Derbyshire Peaks, West of Matlock
Distance: 6 Miles 10 k
Start Location: Winster car park (opp. Miners Standard PH)
OS Sheet: Explorer 24
Grid Ref: SK 2389 6023
Outline: Winster, Stanton Moor, Birchover



See route & GPX file at EveryTrail



Route
These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1 : 25,000 map. They are not walking instructions.

From the car park, down to the centre of the village, take the small road to the left, west, of the shop. Cross out of the field at the sign, cross the stream; bear right and right again to meet Clough Lane to the east of Ivy House. North to Barn Farm, crossing Lees Road onto Stanton Moor.

Explore the moor, leave south of New Park Quarry, south along the road into Birchover or after about 500m take the woodland path. From The Druids take the track west to the B5056 and follow the Limestone Way back to Winster.

Journey

This walk was a stroll, a gentle amble, a bimble from lovely village of Winster downhill, up dale, through cow field and campsite on to the heather clad dome of Stanton Moor.

Six of us old friends and new friends all moving in total disharmony, generally ignoring maps and clocks just enjoying the sun, scenery, chatter and somewhat ribald good humour.

After stopping for lunch alongside the Nine Ladies we moved slowly around the moor admiring the views,  the sight and smell of the heather, ending up by the Cork Stone which two of us climbed, then taking the woodland path bypassing Birchover we emerge at the front door of Druid Inn just in time to avoid the first rain shower.

An hour later, we wandered damp but cheerful around Rocking Stone Farm, down to the B5056 to join the Limestone Way, walking up Dubwood Lane , in the rain, as far as the historic Ore House. Another shower hit us as we arrived back at the campsite, but ten minutes later we sat around drinking tea and enjoying several slices of S’s moreish chocolate and courgette cake.

Later we went down to the Miners Standard for a few drinks and superb meal.

We enjoyed our day, thank you A & S, G & R

Petersfield to Bedhampton

Date: 31 July 2010
Area: Hampshire, Petersfield and Havant
Distance: 15.7Miles 25.25k
Start Location: Petersfield Railway Station
OS Sheet: Explorer 133 and 120
Grid Ref: SU 7438 2355
Outline: Petersfield, Buriton QE Country Park, Charlton, Finchdean, Rowlands Castle, Leigh Park, Stockheath, Bedhampton Railway Station

See route and get GPX file from Every Trail







Route
From Petersfield Station head down through the town centre and south along the old A3 road, left and across to Buriton before heading uphill to a road. Crossing right follow the signs left across the fields into the Forest and down to the visitors centre. Head back south a bit to pick up Staunton Way. This is the start of a long but steady climb curving around the Forest to come out into fields heading towards Charlton.

Leave Charlton by Church Yard and follow the Staunton Way south over Charlton Down to Finchdean. From the centre of the village bear right uphill to bend in the road and pick up the path across the fields, walk down in to Rowlands Castle From here follow the Staunton Way into Staunton Park and Leigh Park Gardens and try to follow the signs and the 1 to 25,000 map to reach Bedhampton.

Journey

Every couple of months we travel down to Portsmouth to see my mother in law for the weekend. This gives me a change to do a walk on the Saturday while Mrs O-n-G spends time with her mother. So earlier this year when I found an article on the internet describing an 11mile walk from Liss to Petersfield using a section of the Hangers Way, I was immediately interested, as I knew could get a train there and back letting Mrs O-n-G use the car to take her mum out.

The Hangers Way walk starts in Alton in Hampshire and heads south through Selbourne, Steep, Petersfield, and Buriton generally keeping to the wooded areas (Hangers) along the sides of the Downs. It finishes at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park south of Petersfield. http://www3.hants.gov.uk/longdistance/hangers-way.htm
On a blustery damp Saturday in early April I walked from Liss Railway Station out to pick up the Hangers Way near Empshott and walked, slipped, slithered and waded through deep mud to Petersfield.

After that it seemed natural that the next walk in this area would be from Petersfield, south to the end of the Hangers Way and then, to make a walk of it, on to the railway station at Rowlands Castle. A study of the map showed The Staunton Way starts at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park and passes through Rowlands Castle; route planning is seldom this easy. http://www3.hants.gov.uk/longdistance/staunton-way.htm

Furthermore, south of there the Staunton Way snakes its way through the very attractive Leigh Park Gardens and into the massive council housing estates of Leigh Park and Stockheath. This was where I was lived with my parents between 1953 and 1963. During that time I had explored and played over a wide area of the estates but have seldom returned since. What the hell I thought, it’s only four more miles to walk but I can catch a bus to mums from Bedhampton, perhaps its time I went back for a look.

On Saturday I didn’t get up in time and missed the 0832 train from Hilsea Halt to Petersfield, but managed to make the 0932. As I walked through Petersfield town centre, there was a bustle about the place, it felt pleasant, comfortable and I was quite taken with it. There was a wide range of the small local shops of the type that seem to have disappeared in many places, plus in the square there was a small market.

I have walked in the Queen Elizabeth Country Park many times but on this visit it felt quiet, lifeless, flat even sterile. I’m not sure why this should be as there were plenty of visitors about including two ladies, in what looked like evening dress, but there was little bird song and few flowers other than Ragwort. Perhaps it was just the time of year, a quiet period between the spring and autumn flowers or it might have been the close, thundery weather that darkened the atmosphere and mood.

I had a pleasant chat with a lady doing the flowers at the Charlton Church as I passed by on way to Charlton Down. On a good day the walk from Charlton to Finchdean is very enjoyable with super views, on Saturday it was warm and rainy and a bit unpleasant, the hamlets and farms in the valley below appeared to be fading in and out of the murk. Then the sun would break through and drag a fast moving golden glow across the downs, fields and woodlands.

From Rowland Castle I followed the Staunton Way south. Leigh Park Gardens and the lake looked to be pretty much unchanged from how they were 30 years ago.

Less than a mile later more memories came flooding back as I recognised places and things I’d not seen for nearly 50 years. Several times I was shocked, almost to a standstill, by the strength of memories and feelings that were triggered by a tree, a path past some now derelict garages, a road, a view of our old house, the Dentists I went to, still there.

Unfortunately, my overwhelming impressions of the walk through Leigh Park will be of a depressing mixture of 1950’s and 60’s social housing bareley changed since 1963, of wild, unkempt ribbons of paths along dirty streams strewn with rubbish and scruffy gardens. I did not expect much, I only saw a limited area, I’m sure other parts are far nicer but I didn’t see them. Clearly a ten/eleven year old child tends to accept their surroundings as the norm, how the adult person will see those same places 50 years later will depend on many factors. But I am sure that Leigh Park had a hand in making me as I am.

Hope, Castleton, Mam Tor, Lose Hill

Date: 24 July 2010

Area: Derbyshire Peaks, Hope
Distance: 9.3 Miles, 15 k
Start Location: Car Park in Hope (opposite the Woodbine Café)
OS Sheet: Explorer OL1
Grid Ref: SK 1709 8348
Outline: Hope, Castleton, Mam Tor, Lose Hill

See route and get GPX file from Every Trail





Route
From the centre of Hope take the road south over the bridge to a footpath on right, follow to Castleton, along the road and left in to the centre, keep left past the Nags Head heading south up the road to Cave Dale, at Grid 135 813 turn right and right again. Continue over two roads to reach the path to Mam Tor. Past Hollins Cross, Back Tor and Lose Hill.

Head south down to Losehill Farm, through fields, small holdings, gardens and roads to reach the centre of Hope.

Journey

This walk or versions of it can be found in scores of books, guides and pamphlets, it is a Peaks classic. As a result the section between the road below Mam Tor and Hollins Cross can get pretty busy. On Saturday it was not as bad, possible because no one was keeping the exhausted masses entertained with their death defying feats of trying to run down the hill while attached to flimsy sections of parachute fabric.

Joking aside, when weather conditions allow the parachutes and hang gliders to fly it is extremely compelling viewing and I’m sure on previous visits we’ve seen a couple of dozen or more of them floating out above Mam Tor.

Back Tor and Lose Hill were peaceful enough.

The weather for us was fairly close to perfect, the early mist faded away, the clouds stayed high most of the time and for long periods the light was very good allowing the detail in the stunning landscape to be seen clearly almost to the horizon.

From Lose Hill the most noticeably route off the hill leads down to the Edale Road at Townhead Bridge which results in nearly a mile of road walking to get back in to Hope. Try swinging more to the right, across the fence line and drop down via Losehill Farm, and into the back of Hope, there are more stiles to climb this way but a lot less traffic.

For the first time in many years we had a dog with us on the walk. We’ve been looking after our son’s 1 year old Cavestie dog while the family’s on holiday so the dog came with us. Louis was a great attraction and we spoke to loads of people about him. You can’t tell in the photos but he looks like a small, short legged Labrador with lots of cheeky character.

I’ve now look Cavestie up on the internet and found this on GreatDogSite.com “The Cavestie is a hybrid dog which is a combination of two different pure breeds. It's a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a West Highland White Terrier”, which was pretty much all we knew anyway. Apparently cross breeding to form hybrids is quite common as people told us of several like the Labradodle, the Great Dogs site lists loads.

Louis was great fun and 9 miles was at least double any distance he’d ever walked before, inevitably he slept all the way home, had his dinner and stayed in his bed till 10 Sunday morning, Typical teenager.

Hope to Grindleford

Date: 17 July 2010
Area: Derbyshire Peaks, Hathersage
Distance: 9 Miles 14.5 km
Start Location: On road leading to Grindleford Station
OS Sheet: Explorer OL1
Grid Ref: SK 2510 7871
Outline: Train to Hope, Thornhill, Bamford, Hathersage, Hathersage Moor, Grindleford

See route and get GPX file from Every Trail





Route
Catch train from Grindleford to Hope. Leave Hope Station by the footpath heading north towards to Aston, after about 300m take the path right to Thornhill. On reaching the lane head down into Thornhill, turn right then left down a narrow track, follow through to the A6013 in Bamford. Walk south to Saltergate Lane, go up the lane and across the Golf Course to Hurstclough Lane, climbing out of Hurst Clough Wood, bear right to Nether Hurst, then left, heading for Birley Farm. Go down through Cliff Wood across the valley and up the slope to St Michaels Church in Hathersage.

From the Church Lych Gate go downhill then left on the track heading for Carr Head, before there take the path on the right to Thornhill Farm, cross by the farm and down to the road. Walk uphill to the bend and follow the track up the hillside past Callow Bank. Cross the road to Higger Tor, across to Carl Wark and down to Toads Mouth, cross the road and head south through Padley Gorge to Grindleford.

Journey
I don’t know about you but I always feel there is something special in a walk that starts in one place and ends somewhere completely different; even if that was the place you left your car that morning, before catching a lift, train or bus to the star of the walk. Undoubtedly the majority of walks are, by necessity circular, but somehow they don’t you give that feeling of achievement, that sense of completing a journey that a point to point walk delivers.

I found this walk on EveryTrail posted as a walk from Grindleford to Edale by Gazza69. What struck me was that it was all north of the railway and although I had walked three short bits of it, most would be new. As Mrs O-n-G was walking with me I thought a start in Edale and back over Mam Tor would be a bit excessive, it would have to be park at Grindleford, train to Hope and walk back.


I’ve parked at Grindleford Station many times, had a quick bacon cob and mug of tea in the Café before catching the 9:29 train to Hope or Edale and walking back to Grindleford. The routes you can create in this way are numerous with a wide range of distances.


This time I was not allowed the bacon cob, but as Mrs O-n-G wanted to use the toilet I was instructed to buy us a Twix each (to qualify as customers). There were quite a few walkers and cyclists on the train and the ‘train manager’, person selling/collecting tickets had a great line in patter that had everybody smiling.

I must admit I was a bit doubtful about the quality of the walk but once we got the first few fields out the way and we picked up the views of Losehill and Shatton, Abney and Offerton Moors etc. I  felt more positive.

The route meanders up and down across the lower slopes along the north side of the Hope Valley, passing below Bamford, across to Hathersage then climbing towards Higger Tor. By the time we got to Hathersage I was really enjoying the ‘undulations’, the wooded areas, the views and the feeling of walking along tracks and byways that may have been in use for hundreds of years.

When we got to Higger Tor the wind was blowing a gale and people were starting to head for their cars. We walked right to the south east corner of the Tor where the green dotted line on the map goes down the pointy bit and we wangled and scrambled our way off the Tor through a 3D maze of rock slabs and jumbled boulders that is the public right of way.

As we left Carl Wark the rain started, with the wind forcing it near horizontal. Going down through the lovely Padely Gorge to Grindleford we met an intermittent stream of under prepared, ill dressed people and children struggling uphill  in the wind and pouring rain back to their cars.

Next time I think I’d like to try this walk again the other way Grindleford to Hope.

Winster Snitterton

Date: 10 July 2010

Area: Derbyshire Peaks, West of Matlock

Distance: 8.5 Miles 13.7 km
Start Location: Winster car park (opp. Miners Standard PH)

OS Sheet: Explorer OL24
Grid Ref: SK 2389 6023

Outline: Winster, Wensley, Snitterton, Upper Town

See route, download GPX at Every Trail

Winster is a great place to start and or finish a walk, it has good walking in almost all directions, plus the small car park is only a short stroll from the Miners Standard one of our favourite pubs in the Peaks.

Walking down through Winster, along the lanes and alleyways leading to Main Street you can’t help but notice that the layout of the buildings is a bit odd, a jumble, fascinating and very picturesque, as cottages, garages, out houses and gardens seem to spring out of each other, in some quite disconcerting positions and directions.

In July the village holds a “Secret Gardens” weekend when visitors can go around the village looking in on a number of gardens that have been ‘opened’ by the owners. It’s a great day and you start to get an understanding of how this jumble of buildings grew out of the homes of miners, quarrymen and farm workers and their families through the centuries.

On reaching the grander Main Street head east, passing well out of the village past the school, on the north side of road pick up the path dropping diagonally through fields down the hillside to a small footbridge in the corner of the field. Entering the woodland follow the stream through Clough Wood and eventually start climbing up to Oldfield Lane. About 500m down the lane a stile on the right puts you on a foot path into the woodland and then bear right across the fields into Wensley.

Turn east past “The Stone Mushroom Farm” and take the path across the fields to Snitterton with its impressive Hall, Manor House, and cottages. Head south taking the track to Leawood Farm and Leawood Cottages. This is a good uphill pull but the views are fantastic and well worth stopping for.

The area from Oldfield Lane, Wensley, Snitterton, Leawood Farm and the next section over to Upper Town all lie adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Peak Park and the whole of this quarter is a super area to walk in. It is largely farm land, mainly sheep and cattle and the views that can be had over Matlock, Darley Dale, Stanton Moor and the moors across the Derwent Valley are some of the best in the White Peak. Also it is usually fairly quiet and feels a bit undiscovered. In eight miles on a beautiful sunny day we only met 2 couples out walking.

Just where the path comes on to the road at Upper Town lies Hollies Garden Centre, where as well as plants, drinks, ice creams and provisions are for sale. The planned route from Upper Town back to Winster was to take the public footpath along Moor Lane, across Blakemere Lane, up to the west side of Blakelow Hill to bring us out on Bonsallmoor Lane just to the north of Moor Farm.

Unfortunately, two of us, both with 1/ 25,000 map and different GPS’s  managed to get into a major navigation faff between Blakemere Lane, and Blakelow Hill where we ended up two fields to the east of the Trig pillar. We should have been three fields to the west. The excuses were many, poor sign posting, trusting GPS’s, talking too much, the heat, getting lazy at the end of the walk, bad eye sight, magnetic interference from the lead mines, but in reality it came down to not keeping good map contact in a detailed area, not counting off the fields and not checking our direction as we crossed each wall. That is basic stuff that we’ve done correctly many times before. (The GPX File available above shows the correct route)

Once we sorted ourselves out we took the footpath from Bonsallmoor Lane across the fields downhill and uphill across Bonsall Lane and uphill and downhill to the Limestone Way and back to Winster for a well-earned pint at the Standard.

NOTE to self take even more pictures and use the 1/25,0000 map more effectively.

National Memorial Arboretum Yoxall

Date: 4 July 2010
Area: Staffordshire North of Litchfield
Distance: 10.5 Miles 16.8 k
Start Location: National Memorial Arboretum car park
OS Sheet: Explorer 245
Grid Ref: SK 1814 1483
Outline: National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Yoxall





The idea for the walk this weekend, or at least its general location came from reading a recent post on Mike & Gail’s Blog Here of a walk they did taking in the National Memorial Arboretum. Then, while looking at the map, I spotted the village of Yoxall, where in 1990, when working for Civil Engineering consultants I designed a small bit of a new sewerage system.

So a plan was formed; park at the NMA, walk through Alrewas, following the footpaths along the south side of the River Trent, up into Yoxall and back to Alrewas down the Staffordshire Way then around Croxall Lakes and through the NMA for a look around.

Ten minutes into the walk we came to the A38 and a piece of advice given to me years ago immediately came to mind “treat motorways and major roads like deep rivers, only with fewer bridges”. Thankfully, there were gaps in the multiplicity of Armco and other barriers that protects the motorists from straying pedestrians, so we crossed.

Alrewas (I have no idea how to pronounce the name) was very quiet and rather an attractive place with a whole range of period architecture from 16th Century right through to modern. There are a number of timber framed properties in classic black and white, some in unpainted timber with brick infill panels as well as a few thatched cottages, also some pretty gardens.

We walked through the village, over the canal and past the church to set off across the Trent flood plane, along a path carefully hidden at the end of a road to the north west of the church. The journey from there to Yoxall Bridge was a bit of a mixed bag. There were some pleasant sections and we saw swans, cows, dragon flies and herons but so much of the land was lying thistle strewn and unused. Some stiles were in poor condition and the way marking was sparse so that careful map reading was necessary to stay on route.

Don’t mention the oilseed rape.

At Yoxall Bridge we took the old road over the Trent and went uphill picking a route through the new woodland to the highest point on the walk at 87m. Dropping down into Yoxall we crossed the A515 and picked up the Staffordshire Way down through Wychnor Park, crossing the Rivers Swarbourn and Trent via two rather disconcerting bridges into Alrewas.

Along the Staffordshire Way we reached an elevation of 75m along the track out of Yoxall and 67m near to Wychnor Park. There was some good walking here with views over the Trent Valley, but these good bits were again offset by the poor state of some fields, the meagre way marking and dysfunctional stiles. Through  Wychnor Park the route was pure guess work, plus a bit of help from a golfer.

From the River Trent we followed an agreeable path along the north edge of the village until we hit the A38. Using discretion we retreated to the crossing point we used earlier, missing out Croxall Lakes, and headed back to the National Memorial Arboretum. By the time we bought a guide book, used the toilets, had a cup of tea and a cake and went to look at the Royal Engineers memorial, it started to rain, so back to the car, via the shop where, so I’m told, they have a lot of Thomas Joseph mugs and things, why?

Another visit to the Arboretum and Alrewas, plus Croxall Lakes is already planned.

Note to self: Use 1/25000 maps and take more photos

Black Rock, High Peak Trail, Middleton

Date: 21 May 10
Area: Derbyshire Peak District, west south west of Cromford
Distance: 9.25 Miles 14.8K
Start Location: Black Rock car park between Cromford and Wirksworth
OS Sheet: Explorer OL24
Grid Ref: SK 2912 5572
Outline: Black Rock, High Peak Trail, Middleton


Route Description
From the Black Rock car park head west along the High Peak Trail for about 3.5 miles. After passing Harboro Rocks on the north side of the trail the Limestone Way crosses the trail at Grid 236 556; head north along the Limestone Way to the gate at Grid 243 567.

Take the broad quarry/farm track south eastwards through Griffe Grange until a gate across the track sends the footpath north eastwards and down to the road at Elms Trees Farm. Follow the road north for 200m and take the paved track leading up into Hopton Quarries follow the footpath all the way into Middleton.

At Grid 277 559 pick up the track running down to the back of the chapel and school and follow the footpath eastwards back to Black Rock.

Journey
Black Rock is a great spot to visit with much of interest for the casual visitor, its ideal for a stroll in the woodland or along the High Peak Trail, for rock-climbing on the rocks themselves or orienteering on the permanent course. There is a car park and small information centre with public toilets and a small cafe. It is also the ideal starting point for a range of longer walks or cycles.

This part of the Peak District is a fascinating area to walk through, for here perhaps more so than anywhere else in the Peaks, the long history of the industries that made this part of Derbyshire are so clearly visible in the landscape. The remains of centuries of mining, quarrying, railways and workshops, roads and canals can be seen alongside a patchwork of the ancient narrow strip fields, sheep pens and barns all built with local limestone. Here the modern industries with their slab sided structures, dusty haul roads, smoky towers and strident notices can be clearly seen, while the detritus and disturbance of the older industries seems to merge into the countryside

While walking up the inclines on High Peak Trail one can imagine what it was like here in its heyday, the noise, the dirt, the movement of men, railway wagons, machinery, horses, carts and of course the smells. Then later, walking through quiet woodland, over gentle undulating ground there comes the slow realisation that these tree and undergrowth covered humps and hollows were created from the excavations, spoil heaps or rubble of workings that may be even older. In other place the mind can run wild in attempting to determine what process natural or industrial created what lies in front or beneath you.

This was a worthwhile walk with much of interest, views, wildlife and history. Unfortunately much of the walk is on the hard surfaces of trail, tracks and roads which on a hot day certainly reduced our enjoyment of the walk. For us the most pleasant section was through the woodland, village and fields between Hopton Quarries and Black Rock.

Failure with OS OpenSpace

After a month or more of trying to sort out, how to put a OS OpenSpace map of the route featured in the  post below, in to that post, I have now given up.

I have struggled with books and the dreaded Web Map Builder Tutorial (download from the OS forum) and got nowhere.

While on holiday in the States my nephew who is employed by a company to develop 'things' using the languages and methods employed by Blogger and the OS, who apparently do not necessarily use the same or similar dialects of a list of languages that are mixed together to produce websites, blogs and web based programs, spent several hours over three days looking at 'the problem' and could not get the map I had plotted in OpenSpace to appear and work consistently.
His comment on the quality of code produced by OS OpenSpace and the tutorial is, after 'out of date', unprintable. His final advice was to get a website and create links to it for each post. Bugger. I just wanted to display a simple map.

In fact while OpenSpace may be able to do lots of things for many users it is just too much, even at its simplest, for others. A map and a route line would be fine, no zoom, no scroll around half of England in a matchbox size window half obliterated by a zoomy-pan thing and a copyright notice. No showing on one computer but not another.

If I do go down the route of using a website I may think a bit differently, I'm just so disappointed with the experience to date. In the meantime I am having to rethink how I show the routes on this site, I do not want a long screed of 'turn here', 'cross there' etc. its boring to write and read.

Rant over

Swithland Woods, Cropston, Ansty, Groby Pool, Newtown Linford and Bradgate Park

Date: 21 May 10
Area: North Leicestershire. South of Loughborough
Distance: 9.8 Miles 15.8 k
Start Location: Swithland Woods, south car park
OS Sheet: Explorer 246
Grid Ref: SK 5369 1180
Outline: Swithland Woods, Cropston, Ansty, Groby Pool, Newtown Linford and Bradgate Park

This walk is a local one for me, it is a mish mash of the miles of paths and roads that I frequently mix together to make walks of between 5 and 15 miles.

The walk is through woodland, fields and wild park land, with some road walking, which is inevitable in an area such as this. There are good viewpoints of Bradgate Park, Cropston Reservoir and Lady Jane Greys house at Bradgate and I could see Leicester simmering in the haze. Groby Pool was alive with twitchers.  I managed to spot three pubs, and in Newton Linford two cafes, plus a shop selling a wide range of ice creams (I had a scoop of red cherry and one of pistachio).