Footprints Newsletter of the Derbyshire Dales Group of the Ramblers January 2021

Editor: Martin Phillips

Nick’s Final Natterings Nick Stephens (Chairman) Welcome to my final “Nick’s Natterings”. With Lucie taking over the Chair, the only heading I could think of starting with an ‘L’ was “Lucie’s Lucubrations” (look it up!). No doubt Lucie will think up a better heading. Lots of “Thanks You’s” go to those members of the committee who are about to depart or have already departed. Kath, who has worked hard for 14 years to produce our Walks Programme without a single complaint (maybe her helpful husband Peter had a hand in it). I hope she finds new, interesting hobbies to keep herself occupied. Teresa, for almost 10 year’s work as Membership Secretary, including the complicated GDPR headaches. To Pat, who not only worked her little sox off acting as our Social Secretary over 8 years, organising dozens of events, booking the room and the presenters and baking biscuits for you all to eat. Not just that, she has been my ‘hearing aid’ during meetings and AGM’s, along with correcting/advising my compilations of Natterings & other articles to Footprints. On top of all that, she acted as our Minutes Secretary for 10 years. It was such a shame our social events came to an end, I always found them interesting and entertaining, gathering members who didn’t normally meet up. Also, Sue Weatherley who has put in years of work on our behalf, probably not always acknowledged by us (especially the early morning TV interviews!). Sue has beaten me hands down for the number of words entered into years of Footprints. Although not yet retiring, thanks go to George Wolfe who has quietly managed our website for 10+ years and is now working with Martin Phillips on website duties. Thanks go to the continuing members of the committee, especially to our Treasurer, Richard Alton, for allowing us to use his dining room for our committee meetings, along with providing scrumptious cakes. A huge thank you to Martin Phillips, an Amber Valley Group member, who has produced our new extensive

Footprints January 2021 Page 1 of 12 DDR Group website, for editing our colourful Footprints and devising ways of producing our printed walks programmes with the minimum of human intervention. After the sudden, sad death of our Footpath Secretary, Dave Pearson, we were very lucky that Martin Bennett took up the post, and several other posts, with enthusiasm. A warm welcome to our newcomers, Marie Clarke as our Secretary and Minutes Secretary and to Liz Smith as our Membership Secretary, who have already proved themselves in doing excellent jobs. With them as “new brooms”, I wish all of you the very best. I feel I am leaving you with a very capable committee. Finally, for “related” reasons, I hope the future is all plain sailing for Lucie as Chair. Having just finished our AGM on Zoom, it was definitely a different experience. Give me good old fashioned AGM’s any day of the week, when ‘proper’ farewells could have taken place. I’d like to thank you all for the good wishes I’ve received and the presents delivered to my house (see photo below). Soon after taking up the Chairmanship, it was suggested a more vigorous selection process be adopted with the post lasting only 2 years, something akin to

Rob Crouch, Angela Binns, Hilary Crouch and Rosemary Symes presenting a gift to Nick with thanks from the Committee, the Walk Collectors and members

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The handover to Lucie, at a low key, but socially well distanced, ceremony in Birchover a top industry job but without the 6-figure salary. Thanks to Graham Games for pointing out that after a year’s searching, I was the only person to volunteer for the post, my having already led walks and made social event presentations. Maybe Graham felt a bit guilty having twisted my arm to take up the post. I hope I’ve not disappointed anyone with my 11 years of service, which I must admit has kept me busy but has provided interesting times and the nicest of friends. As I normally finish with a humorous comment, I wondered what I should choose. Ex-Ramblers President and now the Trustee Chair Kate Ashbrook and I over the past few years have exchanged birthday greetings via email. Kate often gets a mention in the Daily Telegraph birthday listings – I don’t! On my birthday this year (1st April) my reply to her greetings made her laugh so I thought I’d choose it as my final offering. The 1st of April wasn’t just my birthday, this year it was also my 20th wedding anniversary of my marriage to Pat. Twenty years ago, a Yorkshire friend with a dry sense of humour sent us a card saying: “Remember, a wife is for life, not just your birthday”

Ramblers GC chair, Kate Ashbrook, when she heard that Nick was retiring as group chairman after 11 years, offered her warmest thanks. She said: “I know how hard Nick has worked for the group and we are fortunate indeed to have such devoted volunteers like Nick in the Ramblers. I hope he enjoys a long and happy retirement.”

Footprints January 2021 Page 3 of 12 Our Group Walks: Covid-19 Update We resumed our walks at the start of September with around half of the planned programme operating for the first two months. As a recognised outdoor activity, we are permitted groups of up 30, although several leaders prefer a smaller number. We thus needed to make advanced booking mandatory for all our walks. The second lockdown has meant further cancellation of all Ramblers walks and activities for this four week period. At the time of publication we do not know what will happen after 2nd December, whether restrictions will be lifted or will continue, or a new set of restrictions will emerge. We will resume some walks if we can. When available, information will be on our website. See below for how we will be communicating with you.

Because of the changing situation, we have decided not to print a paper walks programme for January-April 2021

The usual walks programme will still be compiled and available to download from our website from late December. All walks to the end of April are already on the Ramblers GWEM, accessible from our website. If you do not have access to the Internet and wish to go on future walks, please ring Liz Smith (0781 648 3227), and she can print off details of the walks and post them to you. Our website has a dedicated Covid-19 page regularly updated with the latest information.

Accessing Members During these times of lockdown, our Group needs to access our members by the most convenient method. Luckily, most of our members have access to the internet and can check our own DDR website which is regularly kept up to date with any changes. In addition, many members have made their email addresses available to Ramblers Head Office, which means that our membership secretary, Liz Smith, can access the Ramblers Head Office database and email members.

There are some members who have not yet informed Christmas Day Ramblers Head Office of their email address, and we We are still hoping to hold our proposed walk on urge you to do so, in order Christmas Day, as detailed in the last edition, but to remain up to date with of course dependent on Covid situation and national and local changes. restrictions at the time. 8 miles from Monsal Head, also 6 miles option. Advanced booking Instructions on how to required, at time of publication a limited number update your preferences of places available. For full details see the online are in the Data Christmas Day page on our website, or contact Protection section on the Sue, 01629 636350, [email protected]. Legal page of our website.

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Three Tramways – A Walk through Transport History

Below Stand, Graham is in the centre in the red jacket The Thursday Ramblers were led on this walk by Graham Hutchinson in September. The walk encompassed Crich, Wakebridge, and with Graham giving all a most informative insight. Of the three Tramways one is the Tramway museum with electric trams. supervised the construction of the in 1790. He built blast furnaces at Butterley to smelt iron. Limestone was required as a flux which he got from a quarry south of Crich. Instead of making a road down to the canal wharf he built a tramway using cast iron plates mounted on stone blocks. The horse drawn wagons were known as trams and had cast iron wheels with no flanges. This became known as the Butterley Gangroad. George Stephenson built the Derby - Leeds railway in 1839. At Clay Cross he found iron ore and coking coal and built blast furnaces there. He obtained limestone from Cliff quarry (now the Crich Tramway Museum). He built a line down to the main line using wrought iron rails on wooden sleepers. There were three inclines where loaded wagons pulled up empty ones. Flatter sections were worked by horses. From the 19th century locomotives worked the whole of the Butterley Gangroad. The steepest incline, 1 in 4, on the line continued to use the self acting incline and loco’s worked the rest of the line including the other two inclines.

Footprints January 2021 Page 5 of 12 Aqueduct Cottage Richard Alton

History Aqueduct Cottage was constructed in 1802. It lies where the Lea Wood Arm leaves the Cromford Canal (SK316554) and close to the nearby aqueduct taking the Cromford Canal over the River Derwent. Built as a lengthman’s and lock-keeper’s cottage, its occupant’s job was to maintain this Lea Wood Arm of the canal which was used by Peter Nightingale, the great uncle of Florence Nightingale, for transport of goods for his factories and lead works at Lea Bridge and Lea Wharf. It was a condition of the construction of this canal branch that the water level should be held at least 12” above that of the adjoining Cromford Canal. This was to ensure that no water was taken from the Cromford Canal to supply this new branch. Maintaining this would have been one of the Aqueduct Cottage prior to restoration duties of the lock-keeper.

Footprints January 2021 Page 6 of 12 Initially the cottage was a single one up, one down cottage. At some point a second similar cottage was added to create two semi-detached cottages. These were later combined into one house, at which time a wash house was also added. It was lived in until 1969, but in the ensuing years became derelict. This photo, taken in the 1930s, shows Mr Bowler, the last working resident lock- keeper of Aqueduct Cottage, off to fetch water. In later years the cottage became derelict and was nearing collapse. Restoration In 2005, local villagers, having set up Lea Wood Trust, bought the woodland including Aqueduct Cottage. Then, in 2012, the Trust gifted the land to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and the wood became a Nature Reserve. A business plan for the restoration of the cottage, hosted by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and with a fifty per cent (£35,000) contribution by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was drawn up and agreed in 2017. Further donations have been received and a “Buy a Brick” campaign, to which Derbyshire Dales Ramblers Group contributed, has been very successful. However, the restoration would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and hard work of the volunteers. It had been hoped to complete the restoration by the Summer of 2020 to coincide with the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of birth of Florence Nightingale but, as with many projects, Covid-19 has delayed the project. When completed Aqueduct Cottage will be used as a gateway to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Lea Wood Nature Reserve, an education centre for schools and community groups and a cafe. I have known Aqueduct Cottage for many years and would recommend a visit to ponder its past and appreciate its tranquil setting as a window into a more simple world.

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Mansfield & Pinxton Railway Walks The Mansfield & Pinxton, on the Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire border, is England’s oldest continuously running commercial railway, which has just celebrated its 200th anniversary (1819-2019). See a News clip at: https://www.itv.com/news/central/2019-04-13/oldest-running-railway-in-england- turns-200-years-old-in-mansfield. Over the past 18 months the project has developed three new walks, close to the route of the railway. The railway is eight miles long but the actual route for walkers is probably closer to ten miles, which is why they have split the route into three manageable walks, one of which can also be used as a circular route. They have produced a 40 page, A5 Guide, which guides you along the route and is interspersed with 49 heritage sites and many associated photographs. In fact, the booklet is also appreciated for its local history. Walking maps are included, as well as local bus route maps. In conjunction with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, who are sponsoring the project, a limited number of booklets are available free of charge. This could be useful to our walks leaders, but also to anyone interested in the walks. To obtain one, please email [email protected].

New Members It is always a pleasure to welcome new members. In this issue we welcome the following to the Derbyshire Dales Group of Ramblers and hope they will enjoy the range of walks we have to offer. Tracey and Martin Bailey David Jenkinson Susan Russell Joshua Branson Claire McGinty Peter Twells Heather Brown Alexandra Merryweather Alan Whitaker Mr and Mrs A Green Lesley Platt Joanna Wood Susan Green Anthony Power

Near Alderwasley: Sheep are better than we are at social distancing? Pat Stephens

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Val Clark Val was a Tuesday walker from Crich who died recently from Motor Neurone Disease. From Di Fretwell: Val was a really active walker and she went on Holiday Club walking holidays nearly every year. It was on her last Holiday Club a few years ago that she realised that there was something wrong because she could not keep up with the others as she usually could. When she returned home she underwent months of tests before MND was diagnosed. She was able to be in her own home with carers until the day she died, but was taken to the hospice because she could not breathe unassisted any more. Val died a few hours later with her family around her. From Anette Love: There were only two occasions when Val and I weren’t in full accord on the 100 kilometre final section of the Camino de Santiago in September 2016. Val was showing symptoms and something was wrong, but she hadn’t had the MND diagnosis (indeed wouldn’t have gone if we’d known) but when on a particularly long and hot day we happened to sit in front of a cafe, next to a taxi rank eating ice-cream, a little idea popped into my head ‘let’s get a taxi for the final bit of the day’ I said, but Val was having none of it. The second time was when we’d reached Santiago, having been in the Cathedral for the amazing service and taken our boots off, we went to collect our certificates. But the queue was huge and I was for the easy option - let’s leave it and go find an ice-cream. But again Val was having none of it. The shell I was given hangs in my bathroom and the memory of an amazing Pilgrimage with a special person who We followed didn’t believe in easy options will be with the shells for Cathedral at end of the me always. 100 km Pilgrimage

Footprints January 2021 Page 9 of 12 Footpaths Martin Bennett (Footpaths Secretary) ‘Once a highway, always a highway’. After 1st January 2026 this will no longer be the case that a footpath or bridleway can be claimed using documentary and historical evidence. The Ramblers Jack Cornish led a campaign from Central Office on launching the next steps of Lost Ways. Jack was interviewed on BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme and was covered in at least two of the national newspapers. There are an estimated 78,000 kilometres of potential routes. Volunteers are sought to note, explore and register lost ways. Looking at a local Ordnance Survey map and seeing which 1 km grid squares have few or no rights of way can be a good start to see if there are any paths that could be claimed. These can include routes that are already walked, though are not recorded on the Definitive Map, nor as adopted highways. Unless formally recorded, these routes, used on a daily basis, for example tracks, alleys, ginnels, etc, could be lost after 2026. The Ramblers website has details of how to volunteer. Ramblers are working closely with the British Horse Society (BHS), who have already done a considerable amount of research and work on claiming routes. There is a well-illustrated and informative book Restoring the Record for anyone interested in finding out more about the process for making a claim. The Open Spaces Society (OSS) have produced a useful guide to the role of parishes preparing the Definitive Map. We are, at the time of writing, into a second lockdown. This time, the parish path wardens are able to continue monitoring and reporting on the Derbyshire Dales RoW network. Path wardens cover 65 of the 110 parishes in the district. I have previously emphasised, without the fantastic contribution of the path wardens, I could not begin to cover the 1,700 kilometres of paths. Stiles deteriorate, signposts rot, vegetation can take over and occasionally paths can be obstructed. I would like to give my special thanks to Katey Twyford who has been covering a parish with a large number of Rights of Ways and to Malcolm Fordyce who has covered his parish for the past 21 years. Public Rights of Way (PRoW) continue to work mostly from home, but are out and about promptly following up footpath issues. A new footpath signpost has gone up at the start of Callow FP 3 off Callow Lane and a new footbridge installed over very poor steppingstones on Wirksworth FP 93 at the district border with Amber Valley. Diversion Orders and consultations have continued to come through, though lesser in number. The majority are straightforward diversions or upgrades from a footpath to a bridleway. Likewise, planning applications where a RoW may be affected are uncontroversial for the Callow Lane FP 3 Wirksworth FP 93 most part.

Footprints January 2021 Page 10 of 12 Area footpath (RDRoWC) Committee meetings are presently conducted over Zoom. Issues covered include possible legal action over obstructed RoWs, delays in putting paths back into use after ploughing and cropping and path maintenance. Peak and Northern Footpaths Society representatives attend and their contribution is valuable. Reports for any RoW issue can be made directly to PRoW via the website: https://maps.derbyshire.gov.uk/connect/analyst/mobile/#/main?mapcfg=Ordnance_Survey_Maps I would be happy to receive copies of any reports. Photos are always especially useful. Alternatively, please contact me below over any RoW queries or issues. Parishes that have recently acquired a new parish path warden have seen the paths improved, so if you live or walk regularly in a parish without a path warden and would be interested in the role please contact me. Rights of Way: Restoring the Record - Sarah Buckley and Phil Wadey, Bucks and Wadey Publishing https://www.oss.org.uk/need-to-know-more/information-hub/parish-role-in- preparing-the-definitive-map/?mc_cid=398a0127da&mc_eid=d7a2919bfa Please contact me: Tel. 01629 820142 or 07875 311910, email: [email protected].

Area Representative for Area Committee Report The Area Committee meetings continue to be cancelled during lockdown. I attended a shortened General Council AGM by Zoom in September. The chair Kate Ashbrook gave an overview of the organisation and the treasurer reported that the financial situation was good. Meetings for the Peak District Local Access Forum (PDLAF) have resumed over Zoom. The PDLAF is an advisory, though statutory body, with its aim to advise the PDNP. The Right of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) was considered, a wide-ranging discussion was had on the positives and some challenges from visitors to the national park post lockdown and a campaign to extend the right to roam was on the agenda. Access and Green Lanes subgroups report to the forum. Parishes currently without wardens Abney & Abney Grange Harthill Offcote & Underwood Alkmonton Hartington Middle Quarter Offerton Birchover Hartington Nether Quarter Osmaston Blackwell in the Peak Hartington Town Quarter Sheldon Boylestone Hazlebadge Snelston Chelmorton Highlow Somersal Herbert Cubley Hungry Bentley South Darley Doveridge Kniveton Sudbury Eaton and Alsop Little Hucklow Taddington Edlaston and Wyaston Litton Tideswell Fenny Bentley Longford Tissington & Lea Hall Flagg Marston Montgomery Thorpe Foolow Matlock Bath Wardlow Great Hucklow Matlock Town Wheston Grindlow Norbury and Roston Yeldersley

Footprints January 2021 Page 11 of 12 Group Walking Environment Officer The above position has become vacant on our Committee. The role involves looking at planning and environmental issues as they relate to the walking infrastructure in our Group's territory. You will be working closely with the Group's Access Officer and Footpath Secretary to ensure that the countryside is accessible to the public and that the special qualities of such places are preserved and enhanced. This is an opportunity for you to combine your passion for walking with taking positive steps to help preserve and protect the natural beauty of the countryside. A more detailed outline of the Role is available on the Ramblers website: https://www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer-zone/support-and-development/volunteer- toolkits-alphabetically-sorted/group-role-descriptions.aspx Then click on Group Walking Environment Officer - Download If you are interested or would like more information please contact the Group Secretary, Marie Clark, at [email protected].

Next Edition Last date for copy for the next edition: 15 March 2021. Please contact: Martin Phillips (Editor): Tel: 01773 829180 / 07743 370968 [email protected] Walking and travel related articles are always welcome; anything from a few lines up to a page or two, A5 size. And preferably with photo’s if appropriate. It would be helpful, although not essential, if pictures are separate from a text file. In addition, you can just send any pictures of walks or our local countryside, with a brief caption of where it is. See website for further information on how to contribute.

www.derbyshiredalesramblers.org.uk

You are receiving this communication because we believe that it would be of interest to you as a member. If you would rather not receive similar information in future, please let us know. You can email [email protected], change your preferences online at www.ramblers.org.uk or call 020 3961 3232. Note that requests must be made directly to Ramblers (Central Office), and not to Derbyshire Dales Group.

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