Black Rock and the Derwent Valley

Saturday 23rd March 2019

Eager for another walk in the Peak District I caught a train to Ambergate on the Matlock line for a walk around the Derwent Valley. Coincidentally, on my way to Ambergate I saw a poster at Derby station for Derwent Valley Walks so I immediately downloaded some of these onto my phone and thought I’d follow some that were not too dissimilar to my originally planned route, while Black Rock remained my ultimate goal. Leaving the station I crossed the main road and headed into Shining Cliff Woods where I remember walking ten years ago while on my way to the viewpoint of Alport Height, and twenty years ago right at the start of my walking career. Thanks to the mild winter and early spring I could already see many wild flowers including infant bluebells and ramson, already deliciously smelling of garlic. Slowly I made my way up a byway that became rough underfoot as I climbed but was quite firm thanks to the reduced rain over the last twelve months. Coming off the byway I descended to a pond that looked like it had been dammed in ages past to feed the mills in the Derwent Valley, and from there I climbed steeply through the lovely woodland to reach the Midshires Way on the edge of the wood.

Following this trail I passed through Alderwasley Park with views across the Derwent Valley under hazy, overcast skies that would eventually improve. Further on the path was lined with the small yellow flowers of celandine that brings cheer to my heart and epitomises spring when it is seen growing abundantly in many places. Eventually the trail enters Intake Lane that runs along the side of Cromford Moor, but fields now bar entry onto the moor so I had to stay on the lane until I was near the northern end at a wood that has open access and a path that beckoned me inside. The O.S. map doesn’t show any paths and with the trees preventing easy route-finding I had to pick a path that I hoped was going where I wanted, which was uphill. I was disappointed by the lack of wild flowers on the moor, especially in contrast to the edges of farmer’s fields where celandine and other flowers were shining clearly. Dead bracken and other scrubland vegetation were smothering the ground and prevented anything of interest to grow. Eventually I found my way to Black Rock, which is a place I have wanted to visit for many years.

I passed below these rocks two years ago while on the High Peak Trail and I have memories of being in this area when I was a child, but I had never reached the top. The views were still murky but it was good to have finally reached Black Rock, however this is obviously not the highest point on the moor. I had come off the described Derwent Valley Walk to reach Black Rock and I should have turned back north to resume the trail, but the highest point on the moor is south of Black Rock so I turned my back on the trail and headed across the moor gradually climbing until I reached the top, only to find it surrounded by my worst nightmare: teenagers. Quickly passing by I descended to the edge of the wood and stopped to have my lunch. I was now unsure what to do as I should have turned around and headed back north so I could resume my walk around the Derwent Valley, but that was becoming less appealing. Eventually I decided to turn south onto a bridleway that crosses the southern edge of Cromford Moor and descend steeply into the Derwent Valley at High Peak Junction. I had passed through there at the start of my walk two years ago when nothing was open as it was too early, but now I was able to have a look around and explore.

I could have resumed the Derwent Valley Walk from this point, but since that would involve a lot of hill climbing, including up Bilberry Knott and back down again I elected for the simpler and more relaxing option. Enjoying the warm sunshine that had finally broken through the clouds I slowly followed the Cromford Canal from High Peak Junction along the bottom of the Derwent Valley on a lovely walk with trees lining the bank while my feet passed ramson leaves and primrose flowers with the sun shining overhead. When a train passed me heading down the valley at quarter to two I thought it would be a good idea to follow the canal all the way to Ambergate so I could reach the station in time for the next train an hour later at quarter to three. I didn’t see any point in going anywhere else so I quickened my pace slightly from the gentle stroll I had been doing and followed the deteriorating remains of the Cromford Canal that is no longer navigable, but passes through a delightful green corridor that is immensely peaceful and blissful. This was not the walk that I’d planned, though with hindsight it might have been better if I’d planned a linear walk from Ambergate to Matlock or vice versa. It had always been my plan to walk beside the Cromford Canal on this walk and that delight was clearly the highlight.

Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill

Saturday 23rd February 2019

The sustained spell of good weather last February reached a peak on this date that saw temperatures more akin to May so, as throughout the month, I was keen to take advantage of it and do a long walk in the fabulous weather. This walk in the Peak District was inspired by the winning entry in a photography competition that was taken from the slopes of Chrome Hill looking south towards the distinctively shaped Parkhouse Hill. I have previously been up this hill twice both times in 2005, in January and in November, soon after access to the hill was opened up for the first time. Apart a brief visit to Parkhouse Hill with my sister in 2011 while on a family holiday in the area, I have not been back since so that was to be my target. I drove up in very misty conditions that are typical when warm, moist air sits above cold ground, but I was hopeful that it would soon clear. The mist made it a bit difficult to find the village of Hollinsclough, where I had started on my previous walks, but eventually I found the right turning and the exact spot where I parked before. I had decided to do a different walk to fourteen years ago and headed steeply uphill on a narrow, stony lane that was quite challenging to walk upon.

At the top of the hill I joined the route of the Manifold Trail on a bit of road walking down into the Manifold valley and then back across the river to climb back up and into Longnor. By the time I reached this iconic Peak District village the sun had begun to burn through the mist revealing blue skies overhead, however the distant views were still very misty and failed to improve throughout the rest of the day. This was a shame since it was photography that had inspired this walk and the mist would mar any pictures that were taken. Coming off the Manifold Trail I came down off the Longnor ridge and into Dove Dale where I followed the valley below limestone-encrusted rocks that line the ridge on the far side until I reached the remains of the motte-and-bailey Pilsbury Castle. There is not much to see now of the fort, but there is a steep limestone outcrop and I had great fun climbing and walking along the crest of the short, narrow ridge that juts out from it. This was a foretaste of the delights that I had to come on Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill.

From Pilsbury Castle my easy walking was over as I climbed the northern slopes of the valley, slogging all the way up, getting hotter than is reasonable in February, until I reached the summit where I found a grassed-over cairn that is marked as a tumulus on old maps. Turning around I headed along the ridge keeping as high as I could while staying within the open access land, which is generally only on the steep slopes that overlook Dove Dale. After crossing a road I climbed up to the top of High Wheeldon, which I had previously visited only during my family holiday in 2011. The views north, though misty, were enticing me on towards Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill, however onward progress proved difficult with a deep cutting before me and no access to the hill opposite. After a steep descent I followed a lane around Aldery Cliff until I was able to climb up to Hitter Hill where a scattering of limestone outcrops fails to detract attention from the two hills that I had come all this way to climb. Limestone abounds on all the hills in this area and there were fabulous views all around of the white rocks that seem to be bubbling out of the ground in many places.

There were now a lot of people around, drawn by the warm weather and the distinctively shaped hills. When I climbed them in 2005 they were still little-known as access had until recently been restricted, but now they are justly drawing in the crowds. After descending steeply from Hitter Hill I began climbing yet again, very steeply, up to the top of Parkhouse Hill. Slowly I made my way up to the top from where I see the shapely dragon-back of Chrome Hill wagging its tail at me and drawing me on down the steep, slippery, shadowed slopes of Parkhouse Hill before I could begin the ascent. With Parkhouse Hill basking in the sunshine behind me I began to climb Chrome Hill soon reaching the tip of the tail and slowly made my way along the ridge before the real climbing began up the spine of the dragon. At the point where the winning photograph had been taken a line of photographers were attempting to copy the achievement, but in very different weather. Even though they might have the right location the weather and the light was completely different so they were never going to get as good a picture. The right time is far more important than the right place, which is why photographers will wait many hours in the same place waiting for the light to be just right, though I don’t think that was ever going to happen on this day.

Eventually I managed reach the top of Chrome Hill and as I continued along the serrated ridge I couldn’t help thinking I must have tackled this ridge with a lot more energy in 2005, but this time I had already walked a long way and climbed a lot of hills so I was now rather tired. Gradually I descended onto the concession path that cruelly forced me to climb once more to pass Stoop Farm where I took a path around the top of the short Swallow Brook valley to Booth Farm and for one last climb up to the tumulus at the top of Hollins Hill. With stunning views to my left of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill I followed the ridge high above Swallow Brook until eventually I descended back down to the River Dove and in to Hollinsclough. This tiring walk was a lot longer than the walks I did in 2005 with a lot more climbing repeatedly up and down hill, but the star of the walk was the weather that was so warm I was eventually only wearing a thin base layer such as I’d usually be wearing in the summer. It was great to be able to do a walk in such weather and great to return to such amazing hills that look fabulous in any weather.

Trent Valley Walk

Saturday 9th February 2019

For several years I have been looking on a map at the complex area of wetland between Derby and Nottingham and thinking I would love to do a walk between these two cities. It was something I would like to do but had never done, until earlier this year when a prolonged mild spell of weather prompted me to do the planned walk. I caught a train to Derby and from the station I walked north a short distance dropping down to the tarmac path that follows the River Derwent east. This fast moving river is fed by the waters that fall into the Peak District so is amply supplied and accompanied by loud bird calls on the park-like path I was able to move almost as fast as the water as I followed the river out of the city. Gradually the path deteriorated into a gravelly and eventually a grass/dirt path, but this simply made the walking more interesting underfoot. It is always tedious to have every step taken exactly the same as the previous one, like on a tarmac pavement, but when every step is slightly different and your feet have to mould themselves to every slight undulation of the path this greatly enhances the experience, and is better for your feet.

There was a bit of a cold wind at first but the clouds soon broke to reveal blue sky that made for a rather pleasant day that was good to be walking in and enjoying. The trail I was following, known as the Derwent Valley Heritage Way, accompanies the river into Alvaston Park and short cuts several wide loops of the river until it eventually parts company with the River Derwent to follow a path across a number of fields into the small settlement of Ambaston. From there I had to follow the road south into the village of Shardlow until I reached the Trent & Mersey Canal at the point where, two hundred years ago, cargo from large river boats were transferred onto the narrower canal barges for onward travel through the Potteries eventually reaching the River Mersey near Liverpool. Turning onto the canal I headed east still following the route of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way past various marinas until eventually I reached the end of the trail at the mouth of the River Derwent. The river that I had been following earlier made a brief reappearance only to disappear into the wide River Trent.

A grand bridge took me over the river that I was now going to follow for most of the rest of the walk. On a couple of occasions the river heads into non-navigable sections where a length of canal has been built. The first of these is Sawley Cut which I came upon soon after joining the River Trent and immediately after passing underneath the M1 motorway. At Trentlock I found a beautiful complex of old canal buildings where the Erewash Canal joins the Trent only for another short length of canal to leave the Trent soon after, while passing underneath the railway line from London. Before the River Trent passes underneath the railway line the River Soar, including all the waters from Leicestershire, joins the Trent to head east towards the North Sea. I have seen this watersmeet many times before from the railway, but I had never seen it from the ground so I was enthralled to be there now and walking beside the canal that I had passed over on the train so many times. As I continued east I was now on the route of the Trent Valley Way walking beside the canal that soon merges with the River Trent and finally I entered the area that I had been most keen to explore.

Attenborough Nature Reserve covers a large area of the Trent valley south-west of Nottingham and was what had first attracted my notice when looking at a map of the area. It comprises a large number of lagoons that are the remains of gravel pits that have now flooded and been set aside as a nature reserve. There are many other such examples further upstream on the Trent, but the former pits at Attenborough are the most extensive and have been converted into the largest reserve. I had been looking forward to my chance to walk through the area and see if it was as spectacular as it looked on the map, unfortunately as I made my way beside the River Trent I was disappointed. There were many extensive open bodies of water separated from the river by a narrow strip of land, but I could not see any waterfowl and because it was so early in the year there were no wild flowers to spark my interest. As great as it was to get mild weather in February there still wasn’t the wild flowers to see that are such an important part of my walking.

Since I had a train to catch I didn’t follow the River Trent all the way into Nottingham, and since I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to reach the station I maintained a brisk pace through the reserve until eventually I left the river behind and made my way into Attenborough village to reach Attenborough station. This walk was disappointing considering I had been planning it for many years, but ultimately I think it was the wrong time of the year and I needed to come back later in the spring or summer.