The National Forest Way, stages five and six

Saturday 7th March 2015

Ashby to Smisby via Ticknall

After taking a break from walking along the National Forest Way I jumped at the first hint of the spring last year and returned to the Leicestershire market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch where I had finished the previous stage before Christmas. I parked in the small and lovely village of Smisby, just to the north of Ashby, and made my way past the small wood of Woodcote onto a footpath that heads south over the bypass into the town centre. Along the way I had to negotiate a new housing development that was encroaching upon the footpath, but eventually I was back on Market Street, Ashby’s main shopping street, where stage five of the National Forest Way starts. At a small lane between two houses I turned off the road and headed down the lane through a kissing gate into a field where I immediately glimpsed an example of the flower what would come to dominate this walk: the snowdrop.

After passing behind a large warehouse for a well-known biscuit company and over the Ashby bypass I came into an area of woodland where clumps of snowdrops were scattered excitingly across the woodland floor. I feel a lot of affection for these early spring flowers as they herald the start of spring and the promise of new growth throughout the countryside. I have snowdrops in my garden and after the New Year I eagerly follow their progress as they grow through the frosty winter until finally burst into flower in February. I would see a lot more snowdrops on this walk. Following the course of the Ivanhoe Way I walked along a path that at times was atrociously muddy, especially when going around the young Park Pale Woods. I passed through many fields on this tedious section of the walk until I reached Heath End where I took a turning onto the approach road for Staunton Harold Hall and soon veered left towards Dimminsdale Nature Reserve.

To my shame I had never been to this former limestone quarry before, but I was now being treated to a spectacular sight as thousands of snowdrops covered the gentle slopes of the valley. I was in awe and spellbound by this stunning display of a carpet of snowdrops, and could hardly believe my eyes. Eventually I tore myself away and plunged further into this heartbreakingly small reserve soon leaving the idyllic surroundings to emerge onto a road. My walk along the road ended when the road plunged down to a large lake, where the Staunton Harold Reservoir overwhelmed the old road. The way continued with a pleasant walk in surprisingly warm and sunny weather around the edge of the reservoir and into Calke Park National Nature Reserve. With the National Trust property of Calke Abbey nearby I followed the path beside a series of ponds built in a delightful wooded valley. At the end of Mere Pond I climbed out of the valley, crossed the approach road for the Abbey and followed a path into the primrose-filled village of Ticknall.

I had now finished stage five of the National Forest Way, but I was not finished yet as once I had eaten my lunch I set off on stage six. Heading out of the village beside the church I passed along the edge of Windmill Wood and soon reached the crossroads of two footpaths that is known locally as Hangman’s Stone, though there weren’t any stones in the area that I could see. Turning left I followed the edge of the field onto a road where I once again turned left to now head south back towards Ashby. Turning off the road I headed to my second reservoir of the day, Foremark, where I followed the well-designed woodland paths through the woodlands on the south-eastern edge of the lake. More snowdrops and primroses greeted me as I made my way along the path until I reached the millstone grit of Carver’s Rocks and came round to the southern tip of the reservoir where bright sunshine and cloudless skies made for an idyllic picture.

The picturesque walk continued through Hartshorn Bog and past the young plantation of Buildings Farm Woods to the village of Hartshorne where stage six of the National Forest Way ends. I had been enthralled by my walk along the trail though I still needed to cover the short distance back to Smisby and intended on taking a route through the enchantingly named Daniel Hayes Wood, but I was now getting tired and was eager to get back to my car as quickly as possible so I actually started stage seven of the National Forest Way heading towards Several Woods Farm. I was so tired by this point I missed the turning at the farm and it wasn’t until I’d walked all the way along the farmer’s access track onto the road that I realised that I had missed my turning and had to turn back. Taking the correct path I followed the path past a delightful small copse whose floor was covered with snowdrops, and eventually returned to the village of Smisby. This walk was the best that I did on the whole of National Forest Way, and was helped by staying on the trail for almost the entire walk due to huge loop in the route. The highlight of the walk was undoubtedly the snowdrops that were seen at their peak and in stunning splendour in many places, most notably in Dimminsdale.