A walk around Melbourne and Stanton by Bridge

In the spring sunshine yesterday I led a walk from Staunton Harold Reservoir. There were eight other walkers there plus a dog named Reg.

We visited Melbourne Church [pictured in the handheld shot taken without flash] which is very impressive with its large columns and Norman features.

We then wound our way through the more modern features of Melbourne and had a tea-stop in the cemetery - well, we were resting too ! Melbourne is of course where Thomas Cook came from and [I believe] where the Australian city got its name from.

After following the old winding packhorse lane away from Melbourne we arrived at Stanton by Bridge with Swarkestone Causeway stretching into the distance to reach [and cross] the River Trent.

Before long we had climbed slightly and passed through some of the woods which form part of the National Forest.

We arrived back after just four hours of walking having taken a tea-stop and a lunchstop.

It's out !

The book is out - I saw it for sale at the Firs Bookshop yesterday. There's no turning back now !

I was out walking on Sunday afternoon, in the sunshine, as most walkers were heading back to their cars. We set off from Eyam car park and walked along the old lane [pictured] to Housley. Then across the fields before we reached Silly Dale where we turned round and came back to Foolow where we sat and had a coffee by the village pond.

The sun was still shining and the handful of ducks upended in the pond as we enjoyed the peace of the afternoon.

On the way back we had to do a bit of roadwalking where we made the acquaintance of a fully grown Irish Wolfhound. It came bounding out on the road with a woman shouting "Don't worry, he doesn't bite" [they all say that don't they] before the dog went in and she apologised.

Then we had an uneventful walk back, to reach Eyam at 5.30pm just as the coach took a bunch of walkers from Nottingham back home.

This will be the walk I will lead on Sunday, the 7th May, and an enjoyable one it will be, if it doesn't rain.

Before that though I'm leading a walk this Saturday, from Staunton Harold Reservoir. It's a 7 to 8 mile walk - if you're interested feel free to come along.

Path between Litton and Cressbrook Mills

I hear on the grapevine that after the recent heavy rain this riverside path, which runs through Water Cum Jolly, is a mess. There's mud and deep puddles.

If you're going to use it beware !

I've not written about our trip to Shropshire yet; our six days walking on Offa's Dyke.

In the event we probably didn't cover more than fifteen or twenty miles on the long distance path itself. We were doing circular walks using it and so then followed other footpaths or very quiet country lanes.

This area is a lot quieter than Derbyshire that's for sure. On none of the six days did we see more than ten walkers all day. On one day we saw none. Try and imagine walking in the Peak District and seeing no walkers ....

Pictured here is my walking companion acting as foreground interest whilst enjoying a view of the Clun valley after a heavy hailstorm. This was the first day and we wondered what the next five days would bring - a mixture of weather it has to be said.

If you're thinking of walking Offa's Dyke and have any queries then get in touch. It is fairly tough in places with the dyke tending to go straight up a hill rather than skirt round it. Having walked 5 or 6 other long distance paths I have to say this is my favourite, though I would like to go back and do the Cotswold Way in summertime.

A friendly grouse

I led a walk yesterday from Fairholmes car park beside Ladybower Reservoir for the Derbyshire Dales group. We had five walkers out and a dog.

The walk I followed was one that I had walked on my 55th Birthday last August and which I had considered using in Drive and Stroll in Derbyshire and the Peak District. After climbing up towards Pike Low and realising that if the mist came down people could get lost I soon dumped the idea. Still, it is an excellent walk for people who know how to use a map.

There was an unusual incident on the walk as we encountered a very friendly Red Grouse. As you can see from the picture it came to within a few feet of us. It didn't appear to be trying to draw us away from its nest - it just appeared to want to be near us. It may be that it has been hand fed in the past.

Any theories anyone ?

Away for a few days

Yes, I'm going to be away for a day or two so if you post anything here be prepared for a little wait ...

I'll tell you where I've been, when I've been there.

Bye for now.

Drive and Stroll in Derbyshire & The Peak District

I have just received an advance copy of my latest book - No. 9.

I'm very pleased with it and hopefully so will people who buy it.

There's something of an innovation involved as I've given details of this 'Walking in Derbyshire' blog. It will be interesting to see whether we get much traffic.

There are twenty walks in the book covering a large area but I can honestly say there are some excellent ones.

New paths created at Hardwick Hall

After my short Sunday walk from the Rowthorne Trail succeeded in attracting no takers yesterday I made the most of it by driving to Hardwick Hall and doing a different walk.

I'd noticed the previous day that the National Trust has opened up some new paths mainly in the woodland in the park so I worked out a three mile route and followed it. I didn't see anybody else on it though as can be seen from the photograph taken in one of the woods the paths are getting used.

Perhaps the new open access law has had a knock-on effect with charities such as the National Trust opening up previously unused areas. It's certainly the case with Forest Enterprise.

There was a lot of activity in the countryside with a couple of wood pigeons 'canoodling', a jay foraging for food, a long tailed tit and a robin having a scrap, a green woodpecker calling in the nearby woodland and a pair of tree creepers chasing each other up a tree. Then there was a hare running across the other side of the field as I got about halfway round.

All in all worth exploring - and the woods will get more interesting once the wild garlic and the bluebells flower - and the trees turn green.

A lovely walk.