Ambergate
>> Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Starting at Tansley we had an immediate steep climb that gave us lovely views of the cable cars at Matlock Bath.
We headed west to Riber Castle – which for part of its history was a wildlife park – 20 lynx that lived there were released into the wild when it closed, they probably aren‘t around now…unless the beasts of Lumsdale bred.
Some of us mud slithered downhill (the more sensible ones followed our leader on a parallel grass path only metres away!) towards Cromford Mill, a world heritage site. We stopped for a cuppa (and ice-cream – yes in January!) and the unexpected pleasure of a loo not in the bushes at Cromford Wharf. The canal that starts here is a site of special scientific interest.
We walked along the sheep pastures incline,
a feat of engineering,
with views
past the catch pit, still with a crashed carriage from the 1950s inside.
Past Leawood Pump House and Aquaduct Cottage which is currently a ruin but hoping to be restored, it was part of the Nightingale Estate and Florence visited it.
Following the canal again for a short time, I saw a pike, just by the bank, it soon moved away but the little grebes spotted later hung around for much longer.
I love walking through woods at any time of the year, these stones look placed not natural.
In an area with so much industrial heritage in a rural setting, I wonder.
Off the water again
and crossing the end of the line from the Crich Tramway Museum. Lunch at the Glory Mine (Fluorite mining)
We had time to go up the Sherwood Foresters Memorial Tower,
very windy up top but gave fine views.
And onto Crich, Fritchley and finally the (finally dry after the dreadful flooding at the end of 2019) Hurt Arms at Ambergate.
This was a really interesting walk with so many things to look at and learn about. And also notable for the bizarre street names we kept seeing: Intake lane, Chadwick Nick Lane and Top Hagg Lane. So much Googling to be done: a hagg is either a firm spot in a soft bog or a soft place in a moor – take your pick for a tarmac road I guess!
11.5 miles and a nice change to have an urban element to our Derbyshire walks which are usually on edges or the moors.
11.5 miles and a nice change to have an urban element to our Derbyshire walks which are usually on edges or the moors.
I’m looking forward to going back to this area to spend more time looking at the engineering.
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