Category: Long Walks

On 6th August, we set out through the rolling hills and scenic trails around Elton, a quaint village in Derbyshire. The weather was perfect – slightly overcast with occasional bursts of sunshine, which kept the temperature comfortable for walking.

We began in Elton, a picturesque village with its charming stone cottages and narrow lanes, which led us out of the village and into the open countryside.

Our first stop was Robin Hood’s Stride, a fascinating rocky outcrop that is steeped in local legend. The walk to this point was straightforward, with clear paths and stunning views over the surrounding landscape. The Stride itself is a formation of large, weathered gritstone boulders, and it’s easy to see why it has inspired stories of Robin Hood leaping from rock to rock. Some of the walkers couldn’t resist scrambling up to the top for a better view; the panoramic views were well worth the effort.

After spending some time at Robin Hood’s Stride, we continued on to Long Dale. This stretch of the walk was particularly serene; the Dale was lush and green, bordered by dry stone walls and dotted with sheep. The path through Long Dale was relatively flat and easy, making it a relaxing part of the walk where we could simply enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside.

From Long Dale, we moved on to Grattan Dale, a more secluded and lesser-known valley. Grattan Dale was more rugged, with rocky outcrops and dense patches of woodland. The path here was a bit more challenging, with some uneven ground, but with a sense of isolation and  natural beauty.

The final leg of the walk took us back to Elton, completing the loop. The walk was a perfect mix of natural beauty, local legend, and peaceful solitude. Each part of the route offered something different, from the iconic Robin Hood’s Stride to the tranquil valleys of Long Dale and Grattan Dale. The entire route was about 8 miles, taking around 4 hours at a leisurely pace with plenty of stops to take in the scenery.

Our walk this month was to the Peak District on 2^nd July and was led by Carol Green. We walked 7.96 miles over good paths; it was pleasant for walking as the weather behaved itself and was warm, without being uncomfortable.

It was a nice walk with stunning scenery; we walked through Stoney Middleton and Eyam, two beautiful old English villages. Eyam became famous by shutting itself off because of an outbreak of plague, 400 years ago. There are plaques outside each of the cottages telling who lived there at that time and what happened to them, which we took time to read. We finished off by having a cup of tea and cake at a pleasant tea shop in Eyam where we were able to sit outside as the Sun had shown itself.

Our June walk was to Alderwasley, a very nice area of Ambergate, gently undulating and partially wooded.

A varied walk which everyone enjoyed, no complaints anyway. There was very little mud although we did have to walk down a trickle of water, which I think was a run off. It was a very scenic walk with dramatic views. When we stopped for lunch, we had a very panoramic view, including Crich Tower. The weather was largely kind to us although it was a bit ‘four seasons in one day’.

We had a very generous turn out, but always room for more if anyone wants to join us.

Thank you to everyone who went on the long walk to Calke Abbey. We all enjoyed a beautiful walk on 7th May, it was a pleasant day, just right for walking, with stunning views.

We walked to Staunton Harald, which incidentally carrying on from our talk on charities, was once owned by Sue Ryder. We walked on through Calke Abbey where we stopped for a well-earned cup of tea. Not only were the views magnificent, but the woods were carpeted with a sea of Bluebells, which looked amazing. There were new born lambs and calves in the fields giving the walk a real Spring feel to it. We also saw a lot of bird life, including Sparrow Hawk and Buzzard. Let’s hope it continues and we get a long, hot Summer.

The 5th of March saw us at Whaley Thorns for our March walk, which was 9 miles.  We set off from the railway station carpark, over the fields to Cuckney, passing the lake there which was full of different species of birds.  We carried on through Park House Plantation, past Nether Langwith and back through Poulter Country Park, at one point following the River Poulter, and back to Whaley Thorns.

It was an overcast day, but good company, we all had a good time.  There was a little mud but all in all a pleasant walk.

My thanks go to Steve and Carol who sourced and led the walk.

The group photo is a monument, meant to resemble a Rhino’s horns.

Mark