A brilliant day out walk leading a 9.25 mile walk from Monyash for Dearnevalley Walkinggroup today.
Starting from the Bull's Head pub we headed out along the Limestone Way, dropping down at Cales Dale before making a short, steep ascent. We left the Limestone Way to take a field path towards Over Haddon, dropping down through the woods to the footbridge over the River Lathkill where we stopped for some group photos. We then headed back towards Monyash, following the banks of the river through the picturesque Lathkill Dale back to the pub for a deserved pint. Thanks to everyone for a great day and welcome to DVWG to Julie Evison (and her dog!) who walked with the group for the first time
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Just over 7 miles walked with Dearne Valley Walking Group today, starting from Cawthorne and walking to Cannon Hall, where we paused for a short break. We then continued along a variety of muddy paths and tracks to Whin Moor and then back via the Silkstone Waggonway, finishing off at the Spencer Arms for a post walk drink. Thanks to Keith Fox for leading a good walk and big congratulations to Jane Love who today passed 1000 miles walked with DVWG - and in the process totally smashed Steve Pennock's record of being the quickest to achieve this! A decent day for an 8.56 mile walk leading for Dearne Valley Walking Group from Creswell, taking in Creswell Crags and part of the Welbeck Abbey estate.
Starting from the station car park we walked out of the village and along one side of the crags, stopping to have our first group photo of 2024 taken by not the world's best passing by photographer! We then joined the Robin Hood Way following it over Shrubbery lake and on to the South Lodge. Here we paused for a break, enjoying some Christmas Cake made by Melanie Beever. Continuing along Broad Lane we then took some very muddy field paths across to the hamlet of Belph, having to divert along the verge of the A60 for a short period due to a flooded footpath. We then returned back through the crags, walking on the opposite side of the Crags Pond to return to the start point. Thanks to everyone who walked with us today, plus, well done to Andrew Beever who today passed 100 miles walked with DVWG By Steve Pennock Today's walk had caused me some concerns and frustrations. My original route should have taken us through the very pretty valley of Dove Dale along the banks of the River Dove. However, recent floods had dislodged the stepping stones. Further enquiries revealed that much of the path was now under water. After a period of reflection, I re-plotted an eight mile route to the south.
As the walk date drew closer, the weather forecast got worse, and after some discussions, we moved the walk start time to 11am in an attempt to get the best of the weather. I got up this morning and it was raining heavy. The forecast for the Dovedale area showed around a 90% chance of rain all day. This had changed for the worse overnight. The day looked like being a complete washout. Just sometimes, perseverance pays off. Today proved to be one of those days for the three of us that made the fairly long journey to the Old Dog Pub at Thorpe for the start of our walk. We arrived in dry conditions albeit the mist was quite low, just covering the hill tops. Almost immediately we ascended Thorpe Cloud. The conditions underfoot were to remain a constant. Lots of mud and wet, slippy limestone. I took a tumble at the base of the hill and there were lots of slips for all of us as we progressed. Having ascended Thorpe Cloud, we followed the lower slopes of Bunster Hill to the very pretty village of Ilam where we stopped for lunch. We then passed through Ilam Country Park before ascending Musden Low with magnificent views back to Bunster Hill and Thorpe Cloud. After taking in the views, the path took us gently downhill, passing around Hazelton Clump, back accross the River Manifold to Thorpe, and eventually back to the very welcoming Old Dog Pub for a well earned drink. Apart from the smallest amount of drizzle, the day had remained dry and we had a lot of laughs along the way. So, against all the odds, it proved to be a really good day by Keith Fox Saturday saw Dearne Valley Walking ground head to West Yorkshire for an 8.75 miles point to point walk from Saltaire to Ilkley.
Utilising the West Yorkshire Day Rover train tickets we headed for Saltaire, leaving the train to head for the café in the nearby Roberts Park for a coffee before embarking on the walk. We got started by climbing past the Shipley Glen Cable Tramway onto Baildon Moor, diverting slightly to bag the trig point and admire the views. Next followed a descent to the Dales Way link via a footpath to Golcar Farm which we followed to the Dick Hudson's pub for a swift pint before a gradual ascent of Bingley Moor to the 12 Apostles stone circle, where we had short break, before continuing on to Ilkley Moor. After reaching Ilkley Crags we then dropped down to Ilkley, passing White Wells, to finish the walk nicely before sundown with a short walk through town where we enjoyed another pint at The Station pub before getting the train back. A really enjoyable day's walking on an unseasonably sunny day Today saw Dearne Valley Walking Group tackle some unfamiliar ground with a 7.4 mile walk from Old Whittington, near Chesterfield.
Considering the forecast, our group of 13 set off from the Cock & Magpie pub in decent weather, taking an adjacent footpath to pass St Bartholomew’s Church and its expansive graveyard through some woodland to emerge onto a series of field paths. These field paths ascended gradually through Grasscroft Wood and Stubbing Wood to reach the hamlet of West Handley. A short period of minor road walking followed before we descended back through fields just before reaching Middle Handley. A further ascent to Nether Handley followed with us pausing for a lunch break near South View Farm. After lunch we walked southwards on a bridleway towards New Whittington, but bearing left just before reaching the built up area to descend through some rough woodland to the banks of the Rover Rother when it began to rain lightly. We accompanied the river for a short while before turning back towards our start point, skirting Brearley Wetland Nature Reserve and walking alongside the main road through New Whittington before taking a footpath back to St Bartholomew’s Church and on to the Cock & Magpie for a post walk pint, with some of our group then tackling the pub’s Sunday roast! It was a slightly extended walk of 10.64 miles for DVWG's six walkers today.
After starting from the Arabian Horse pub in Aberford we took the bridleway along Becca Banks to Becca Park where the impressive Becca Hall came into view. The bridleway skirted to the left and we passed Becca Home Farm before turning left onto a virtually non-existent footpath across a recently seeded field to South Plantation woodland. Continuing along the edge of the woodland and field boundaries we eventually reached Potterton lane. This took us past the entrance to Potterton Hall and into Barwick in Elmet. Perusing the information boards while having a lunch break we decided to detour to the remains of the Roman Hill Fort where we ascended the hill before returning to our original route. Following the Leeds Country Way towards Scholes and along Bog Lane we then turned left along another bridleway which took us through Garforth Golf Course and past Throstle Nest Farm. Here the path followed the route of Parlington estate's former railway line but we were prevented from walking through Parlington Tunnel as the tunnel is currently close due to some falling masonry. We then continued along the bridleway, passing Nellie's Tree, back into Aberford where some of our group finished off with a pint in the Arabian Horse. With heavy rain forecast we were quite lucky with the weather as we only had a few light spots of rain on this evening's 4.1 mile DVWG walk from Wadworth.
Starting at the church we walked along Wadworth Hall Lane, following the lane to the main road under the M18/A1(M) junction. After taking Wood Lane track we then turned left to follow a bridleway through Wadworth Wood, passing back under the M18. By now it was quite dark and we took another path to the left to join Short Gate and then Green Lane before taking a footpath cross fields back to Wadworth Hall Lane to return to our start point. Most of the group then made the short trip to the White Hart pub for a post walk pint! Thanks to the six people (and 2 dogs) who walked this evening. A small group of 4 embarked on this walk which started from Binn Green car park at Dovestone Reservoir. The 8.5 mile walk climbed steeply to Alderman's Brow and then past the 'pots and pans' stones to the War Memorial monument overlooking the valley below.
We continued along the edge, following the Oldham Way, before dropping down at Slades Rocks and worked our way back to Dovestone Reservoir where we circled most of it and the adjacent Yeoman Hey Reservoir, which was certainly extremely dry, before a short ascent back to the car. Thanks to Keith Fox for leading the walk. Last weekend saw DVWG return to the Brecon Beacons, with a small group of 4 travelling down on Friday with the aim of walking up the highest peak in the Black Mountains, Waun Fach, on Saturday before returning home on Sunday.
Arriving at our accommodation, the Dinas Castle Inn, in late afternoon 2 of the group took the opportunity to make a 1.1 mile ascent of nearby Mynydd Troed to bag the trig pillar before returning to the pub to join the other 2 who had already begun sampling the local beers, and then enjoying a hearty meal. After a full English breakfast on Saturday morning the group set about the short ascent of the iron age hill fort of Castle Dinas before tackling the climb up the Dragon's Back to Pen y Manllwyn. A short rain shower early on brought out the rain coats but these were soon removed as the rain cleared and a cloudy but nice day ensued. At Pen y Manllwyn we diverted to the trig pillar at Rhos Dirion, where a lone walker appeared just in time to take our group photo before returning to our route and then on to the steady climb to the peak of Waun Fach. Unfortunately, the trig pillar here is now non existent and has been replaced by a block marker but we again managed to persuade a couple who were sat at the peak to take our group photo. We then descended via Pen Trumau to return back and finish our 10.95 mile route with a meal - and a further few pints! A great weekend, thanks to all concerned and to the fairly new owners of the Dinas Castle Inn who looked after us. Here's looking forwards to DVWG's next trip.... |