3rd August Dove Dale - Wolfescote Dale

This was a re-run of the walk I did a couple of years ago. Fantastic walk with lots of variety on an intermittent sunny / cloudy day.

Parked at the cheap car park(£1.50) before you get to Dove Dale car park.

The Route was :-
Dove Dale - Hall dale - Stanshope - Alstonfield - Narrowdale - Wolscote Dale - Mill Dale - Dove Dale.

Note for next time :- At Alstonfield take the Hulme end / Hartington Road, and the footpath to take is the first signposted one on the right. The map suggests that there are two footpaths before then (there may be , but they aren't signposted)

Hall Dale

I had the same problem as last time at the derelict farm at the foot of Narrowdale Hill. I just checked my previous post - the wasn't Field House Farm - it isn't named on the map. The footpaths named on the path to the right the main path are not there, so navigation isn't that clear.
To get to the main path to Hartington/ Wolscote Dale - Head along the footpath out of the farm (do not turn immediate left) after about thirty yards take the footpath to the right. This is OK for a couple of fields and then just disappears. From a cowshed keep heading in roughly the same line from where the footpath disappears. In the corner of the field there is a rusty gate . Climb over that and then the main path is about 20 yards on.

Brilliant walk - about 13 miles OS OL24

27th July Coombs Valley Nature reserve

We had just had a drive out to the Roaches, but as it was mid - day we couldn't find anywhere to park. We stopped at Tittesworth Resevoir for lunch at the visitor centre on the way back.

Coombs Valley nature reserve is of the A52 between Leek and Ashborne. It is a RSPB site with three waymarked walks through old and new woods and meadows. We had a lovely walk on a hot Saturday afternoon. Anne is still recovering from her broken ankle so she used walking poles. This proved to be a good decision as there were quite a few ups and downs on the walk.

 

About 3 miles OS OL24