www.pdwc.org Vol: 23 Issue 11 18 October 2009

MATLOCK Coaches leave Matlock at 5.30pm

FUTURE WALKS 8.30am Start : 4.30pm Return Sun 15 Nov Ingleton A: A Benson B+: D Thornton B: E Jackson C: S Watson Sun 13 Dec Ambleside & Grasmere A: G Hogg B+: D Thornton B: C Hunt C: S Watson

Thursday Car Walks 10.30am Start Thurs 12 Nov Chipping B Walk with Colin Hunt Meet at the village car park Thurs 10 Dec Caton B Walk with Eric Jackson Meet at Bull Beck car park GR542650

Sunday Car Walks 10.30am Start Sun 1 Nov Witton Way C Walk with Derek Lowe Meet at Witton Park, Blackburn 6 miles / 9.7km climbing 726ft / 221m Take the M65 to Junction 3 and follow the signs for Blackburn. Witton Park is on the left hand side as you approach Blackburn. Park in front of the running track. We begin our walk, walking round the running track and passing in front of the pavilion, before starting to climb up through Big Corver Wood. (Watch out for the wild animals!) At the top we cross two fields to reach Billinge Nook and take the permissive path to Billinge Hill where you have panoramic views of East Lancashire. We continue downhill to follow the Witton Weaver’s Way to Close Farm and eventually reach Hoghton Bottoms. At the time of going to press the path along the River Darwen was closed but I have an alternative path if it is still closed when we get there on the day. We are still on the Witton Weaver’s Way as we follow paths through Pleasington Golf Course to Pleasington Priory. We go down the side of the Priory Cemetery to arrive at the back end of Witton Park and, eventually, the car park. I will not mention the mud!!!

Sun 29 Nov Barley B Walk with Dorothy Shackleton Meet at the village car park

Club Holiday 11 th – 16 th April 2010 The Rex Hotel, Weymouth, Dorset This ***hotel is situated opposite the Esplanade, overlooking Weymouth Bay. The cost will be £350 per person for half board in double or twin rooms. A deposit of £30 is required, with a cheque payable to Preston and District Walking Club sent to Dorothy Shackleton at the address shown on the Programme and indicating whether double or twin rooms are required. There are several National Trails in the area which should provide good walking for us. For those not wishing to walk, visits could be arranged to Dorchester, Sherbourne or Swanage

Allan Benson will take over as Coach Booking Secretary as from Janua ry 2010

Following the AGM, annual Subscriptions now become due on 1st January and should be paid

by the last day in February .

Seat belts are a legal requirement. Please use them. Dogs must be kept on the lead at all times. The coaches are non-smoking areas.

Editor: Maurice Bradbury Please note – All Walk details must be in 2 (TWO) weeks before each coach excursion.

Today’s Walks

Today’s starting points: 1. A: 2. B+: Haddon Hall 3. B & C: Matlock

Lathkill Dale with Dave Colbert

Grade. A Distance 14 miles / 23km Climbing 2500 ft / 760 m Lathkill Dale is one of the White Peak’s most picturesque, and is the main objective for this lengthy walk through limestone dales, shady woodlands (assuming the leaves are still on the trees) dry valleys and high moorland. We start just south of Bakewell and climb over Haddon Fields to the small village of Over Haddon, where we enter Lathkill Dale. The is followed for some distance up the wooded valley although, if it has been dry recently, the river will have disappeared underground. Eventually, we exit from Cales Dale to join the , which takes us to and the deep-cut valley of the River Bradford. The next part of the walk is undulating; we cross to Robin Hood’s Stride and if time allows, the Hermit’s Cave. A final climb takes us onto and to the (Robin Hood’s Merry Men were clearly women!) before we descend to the village of Rowsley and the A6 to await the coaches.

Haddon Hall to Matlock via Robi n Hood’s Stride with Val Walmsley . Grade B+ Distance 10½ miles / 16.9km Climbing 1600ft / 488m

Leaving the coaches at Haddon Hall we head south west to pick up Dark Lane to . Passing Millfield Farm and on to Lower Greenfields we join the Limestone Way in an area of Stone Circles and Standing Stones. We cross Robin Hood’s Stride – legend has it that Robin strode between the tower-like stones at either end of the tor – and continue south to Dudwood Lane passing a disused mine. South of Winster we turn east on the Limestone Way to Luntnor Rocks then south east to Bonsall to look at the (time permitting) before joining the Shining Cliff Path to Matlock.

Cuckoostone Dale with Dorothy Shackleton Grade B Distance 8½ miles / 13.7km Climbing 950ft / 290m

We leave the Coach Park to walk through part of Matlock as far as a footbridge over the River Derwent. We follow the Derwent Valley Heritage Path to High Tor. This part of the walk is one of a considerable number of short sharp ascents, none of which is too strenuous. We then go downhill to Wards End and across field paths where there are good views over Matlock. This is a possible place for a lunch stop. We cross the A615 to walk on the Derwent Valley Heritage Path, passing a recreation ground to a lane near a mill. We walk left, uphill, for quite a way to reach Bentley Bridge at the A632, Chesterfield Road, which we cross. Again it is uphill to the footpath leading us through Cuckoostone Dale. Further paths lead us back to the A632. Passing Wayside Farm on our return journey, we arrive in the village of Tansley. We then take various tracks and paths back to Matlock.

Heights of Abraham with Roy Smith Grade C Distance 5 ½ miles / 8.9km Climbing 500ft / 152m

Our walk today starts in Matlock. Leaving the coach park we make our way uphill to walk along the Limestone Way. Although most of the climbing takes place along the Limestone Way it is through farm fields and on quality tracks. The panoramic views along this stretch provide impressive views over Matlock and Darley Dale. A short descent leads us to the former lead mining village of Bonsall. From here we head to, and past, Ember Farm to arrive at a woodland area. The walk through the wood takes us to the outskirts of the Heights of Abraham Centre. From here we gradually make our descent with views over High Tor and Riber Castle. Well established tracks and paths then take us back to Matlock.

Please help to keep the coaches clean by removing muddy boots. Please check that you have all your belongings and take newspapers etc. away with you. Thank you.