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11 a WALK in LATHKILL DALE Together in Prayer

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11 a WALK in LATHKILL DALE Together in Prayer our sandwiches overlooking the village green, the only sound A WALK IN LATHKILL DALE being the excited children in the school playground. Recently on a lovely September day, my wife and I Our return journey was via the lane and across fields to One decided to try a slightly longer walk than we usually do Ash Grange, now boasting a horse riding area as well as the these days. We opted for Lathkill Dale, one of our sleeping barn. We also noticed the ancient pig pens had favourites for more than fifty years. We decided to park at undergone some repair. I wondered if they could be Over Haddon and walk to Monyash and back. When I was converted to guest sleeping quarters as many farms now driving I often parked down the road to Lathkill Lodge but branch out into the tourist industry. Of course I am wrong - my wife opted to stay in the car park at a cost of £4 - still this would not be new because the Grange was an outpost for cheaper than a seat in the "Gods" at the Lyceum. As we the monks of Roche Abbey. I am always puzzled why they passed my former parking spot, now reserved for vehicles needed to go so far afield at a time before so many houses with disabled stickers, I was reminded of probably the last occupied the land. time I drove there. We took our friends Sandy and Jenny The drop down from the farm into Cales Dale does not get from Crieff for a walk in the dale. There was a superb any easier with advancing years. Part of this ancient pathway motorcycle already parked there and Sandy had to is undergoing some archaeological and restoration work. As examine and admire it. At this point the owner returned my wife read the little notice alongside about the monks and asked Sandy if he'd like to drive it. "My word yes" going down to "wash their feet" she wondered how they said Sandy. We were relieved it wasn't a genuine offer as coped on such a rough path in sandals. She hadn't got her Sandy was then in his nineties! Later that week we took specs on and should have read "to wash their sheep". On across Cales Dale and up the steep path on the opposite them to the theatre in Chesterfield, having booked by bank, easier than it used to be now steps have been made. telephone. When I collected the tickets at the box office After a rest at the top, on to Calling Low. When we first came the young lady wanted proof of our eligibility for the this way the public path was in front of the house and through cheaper OAP rate, so Sandy had to show himself! the farmyard where drinks could be purchased. Then on to As we sat off along the concessionary path up the dale my Back Lane, down to Conksbury, though we soon left it to wife saw that the notice about the charge on the Thursday of cross the fields to Meadow Place Grange. This place always Easter week still stands at one penny ("old" money). Do seemed to have a very messy muddy entrance from this walkers on that day have to carry such coinage? There was direction. It is one of the many places we think it would be more water in the river than normal in late summer so we great to see it a couple of hundred years ago. In such a huge wondered if it would be coming out of the hill higher up the place we have rarely seen more than one person whereas dale. Before that we had a look at the remains of the aqueduct formerly it must have been a hive of activity. As we trudge which fed the Mandale Mine. The remains, now much less through the farm I saw lots of metal girders around some of than we first knew them, seem smaller each time we pass. the walls -the type used on dangerous road curves. It set me The next point of interest for us was the remains of Bateman's musing. Had they been bought second hand? Had they been House, now made accessible by a bridge across the river. I bent to shape in situ? Were they going to introduce bull first became aware of this spot in the 1940's, before we were fighting as a tourist attraction? Too fanciful of course but it married. We stayed for a week at Manor Farm in Over kept me going as the legs wearied. Onward down to the ford Haddon and walked each day. On this occasion as we passed across the Lathkill where we watched a dog enjoying himself the ruins, an attractive young lady who had been sunbathing in the river after his evening walk. Finally the climb up to the there, got up and walked down to the river. The attraction for car after some seven hours away. A lovely day but thank a young chap like me was that she was absolutely naked and goodness we hadn't attempted the similar walk we used to do, didn't try to hide it. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to linger! parking at Alport, walking via Conksbury Bridge to Lathkill On this present visit the interest was of a different kind. A Lodge and, after the walk we did today to Back Lane, then mineshaft underneath the house has been provided with a returning through Bradford Dale instead of Meadow Place safety fence and a substantial ladder to descend underground. Grange. Unfortunately, when I went down, it was too dark to see Oh to be younger again! much. Apparently the shaft under the house had housed a Don Ashford revolutionary new type of pumping engine to remove water from the mine. The roar of rushing water down the shaft was ample evidence of the problems the miners faced. Together in Prayer As we continued up the dale we came to the waterfall, much Women’s World Day of Prayer is this year organised by the more impressive than usual. Because there was so much Women of Poland. It occurs on the first Friday of March water it came over in one huge cascade instead of the usual every year and will celebrated all over the world. In Totley it four or five smaller streams. We didn't see the usual dippers will be led be Dr.Marion Jepson at Totley Rise Methodist (birds!) perhaps because we became interested in two Church, Friday 4 th March 10:00. children, just old enough to start walking. They were in the All welcome – refreshments served. charge of two young ladies, presumably their mothers. What Rosemary Belbin 236 3027 fascinated us was how they had reached this isolated spot so far from easy access. Then on past the medieval sheep wash to the Lathkill Head cave where, as anticipated, the river issued forth in quantity. Solution to Counting Camels. Having left here we then had to tackle the extremely rocky For those who didn't spot it, the fractions allocated part of the dale to get to Monyash. It was sad to see, as we to the three sons only account for seventeen exited the dale, a notice on the new toilet block that it had been vandalised. City habits spread to the country. In spite of eighteenths of the estate. Perhaps the other the above comment, Monyash was as quiet as usual as we ate eighteenth was for the harem! Don Ashford 11 .
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