Chesterfield Round Walk Chesterfield Round Walk – Introduction 2 of 37

For a century the countryside surrounding Chesterfield couldn't have been more different. The western side, out towards the Peak District, has long been a beautiful landscape of rolling green hills and narrow wooded valleys watered by streams flowing down from the moors – whereas the eastern side could only be described as industrial.

Today the collieries have been reclaimed, their tips and lagoons converted into pleasant country parks, the railways that served them into walking and cycling trails. Many of these areas have now matured, obliterating all traces of their more grimy past.

The following route is a 34 mile circular walk exploring the varied countryside just beyond the suburban fringes of Chesterfield. The town can often be visible from vantage points, particularly on the higher ground to the west and east.

There are six convenient sections between points served by public transport and with parking opportunities. It can therefore be explored leisurely either as a series of linear walks using buses, out and back walks from a car, or as part of circular walks of your own devising, using OS Explorer Map 269 (Chesterfield & Alfreton)

It can even be walked in a day, as is the case in the Chesterfield Area Walking Festival each May – or over a weekend.

The route is described in a clockwise direction, though comprehensively way-marked in both directions. With the aid of grants a number of new stiles, gates and footbridges have been erected, footpaths cleared and improved, and information boards placed at viewpoints along the way. Appropriate footwear is recommended as some popular paths and bridleways can remain muddy all year round.

This has been substantially based on the official guide to the Chesterfield Round Walk, researched and written on behalf of the Chesterfield & NE Ramblers in 2005 by Rob Haslam, author of Walking South Yorkshire and the Sheffield Greenway. The Oak Leaf Graphics Round Walk leaflet with the route directions, together with line drawings by John Morris, is still available on request, although some ancillary information such as bus arrangements has changed in some cases.

Many thanks to all the original project team – Dennis & Beryl Ransby, Geoff Bell, Gavin Johns, and Sheila McCree – and to all those Ramblers members who have supported and maintained the route in the intervening years.

The maps on these pages have been based on rowmaps The underlying maps are provided by Ordnance Survey OpenSpace © Crown copyright and database rights 2012 Ordnance Survey.

The coloured lines that have been superimposed on this map show rights of way. solid red line: footpath; solid fuchsia line: bridleway; solid green line: restricted byway; solid blue line: byway open to all traffic. The Round Walk route is shown as Chesterfield Round Walk 3 of 37

Unstone to Brimington Clear footpaths and tracks across gently 6 miles undulating, mainly arable, farmland

Highlights : Stubbing Wood and the Chesterfield Canal Parking : Crow Lane or Church St. Buses to and from Unstone: Traveline Chesterfield Round Walk 4 of 37

Cross over the B6057 (Main Road) in Unstone and follow Crow Lane.

Once across the River Drone, bear right along the signposted driveway.

Bear right in front of Siscar House and follow the drive with the central grass verge to Ramshaw Lodge. Take the path to the left of the entrance, cross the footbridge, and ascend through a gap in an old railway embankment to a kissing gate in the hedge.

Turn left along a short section of enclosed path, leading to the access road to Woodsmithies Farm, which you follow uphill to Lane.

Turn right and in 300 yards reach the Miners Arms.

Cross Windmill Lane and enter the drive of the house opposite, immediately bearing right along the path between fence and hedge. Continue up the narrow field with a large hay barn on your right.

Pass through two metal kissing gates and turn left at the T junction. Follow the bridleway round to the right and carry on alongside the southern boundary of Stubbing Wood.

Turn left at the road and then bear right in 100 yards towards West Handley. Chesterfield Round Walk 5 of 37

As you approach the hamlet take the second of two footpaths on the right, past a large stone barn. Go through the gap and along a short grassy track.

Bear right in front of the field gate, between fence and hedge, and maintain an easterly course alongside the hedge on your right. Where the hedge ends, take the right-hand path to the signpost in the hedge ahead.

Now go straight across the middle of the next field, down into the dip and ascend to the right along the clear narrow path climbing to the top of the field. Pass through the wide gap and follow the hedge on your left over the brow of the hill to the main Eckington to Chesterfield road.

Take the Staveley road opposite, leaving it at the sharp left-hand bend to continue past the post box along a farm road.

Beyond the buildings the enclosed track becomes a splendid green lane, descending gently for half a mile in a southerly direction. Cross a couple of tiny streams and climb between fences to Parkhouse Farm. Chesterfield Round Walk 6 of 37

Opposite the attractive farmhouse turn left along the track to Whittington Road.

Turn left and descend to the bottom of the hill.

The Barrow Hill Engine Roundhouse Shed is along the road to your left.

Turn sharp right before the bend along the lane past the Handleywood Farm complex. This roughly surfaced track heads west over the hill towards New Whittington.

Follow Staveley Road for 100 yards to a bend, and turn left at the Trans Pennine Trail signpost to pass under the railway.

In 200 yards you cross the River Rother, soon to reach the Chesterfield Canal Chesterfield Round Walk 7 of 37

Cross the new bridge and ascend Bilby Lane.

Shortly after it becomes walled on both sides, leave it left along a wide fenced track.

Go through double wooden gates and stay alongside the fence on your left to reach a wide gap, through which immediately turn right and follow the fenced hedge on your right, heading south-west, with the square tower of Brimington Church on the skyline ahead.

Cross a stile and turn left along an enclosed path through the allotments. Turn right at the end past a 'No Tipping' sign, following the tiny stream to the road.

Cross over and ascend Damon Drive, veering right at the top, and then left up the steps before the playground. Continue ahead along Chapel Street past the post office, bearing left behind the pub and past the toilets to the main road. Bus services to Chesterfield run through Brimington. Chesterfield Round Walk 8 of 37

Brimington to Heath There are country lanes and hard tracks amidst the 7 miles green fields in the central section of this stretch, but also some of the finest woodland paths in the county

Highlights : West Wood and Sutton Scarsdale Hall Parking: off the main road in Brimington Buses to and from Brimington: Traveline East Midlands Chesterfield Round Walk 9 of 37

Chesterfield Round Walk 10 of 37

Turn left towards Staveley along the main road for 300 yards until the footway on the right ends. Branch right for 75 yards to the end and turn right into the field at the footpath sign.

A pleasant grassy footpath heads south, following the line of trees on your right. It passes a cunningly disguised radio transmitter and dips down to a footbridge.

Continue ahead up the slope to a stile leading into recently planted woodland. There is a good view of the palatial Ringwood Hall, now a hotel, from here.

Where the path forks, ascend right to a stile. After a few yards bear right again. You should now be walking parallel with the fence above you on the right through woodland.

Emerging into a wilderness of bracken you keep along this path, now with a steep drop on your left.

The path curves down left into the valley bottom before swinging right around the perimeter of an overgrown pond.

You soon reach a substantial footbridge leading into the ancient Westwood.

The climb is at first steep, but levels out when you meet and turn right along a good track.

After 100 yards veer right at the fork. As you merge into the next track pause to look back over your left shoulder at the two wood-carved sentinel figures.

Continue downhill to cross a wide footbridge. This smoothly laid track, which for a while follows a deeply cut stream bed, brings you out of the wood at Lodge Farm.

Brimington Westwood Chesterfield Round Walk 11 of 37

Chesterfield Round Walk 12 of 37

Take the signposted footpath left into untamed pasture, crossing a gap in the hedge into a somewhat more manicured field. Veer left to the bottom corner, cross the footbridge, and ascend steeply for about 20 yards to a T junction.

Turn left and curve up to the right for a few yards. When you see the power lines through the gap ahead, look for a clear path off to the right.

C ol um n 123 Follow this out of the wood, across a narrow field and between the houses to a cul-de-sac, where you turn left.

Descend the steps, ignore the path going left, and continue alongside the wooden boundary fences. The way becomes narrow and enclosed, but hopefully kept clear of encroaching vegetation.

At the end turn left along a track to a stile beneath a pylon and go right alongside the tree-lined hedge.

Two fields later you are channelled between fences to emerge into the car park of the White Hart at Calow, which is on the main Chesterfield to Bolsover road (A632). There is a bus service to both towns from here.

Chesterfield Round Walk The White Hart is also the start and finish point for the walk as part of the annual Chesterfield Area Walking Festival A fast paced walk providing a taster for every type of walking around our town, with fine views of Chesterfield’s ‘Crooked Spire’. Climbing hills and taking to the trails, we’ll cover all sorts of terrain. Completely encircling the town, participants are free to do all or part of the walk. 34 miles Strenuous White Hart Pub Car Park, Top Road, Calow, Chesterfield. S44 5TE SK 417 710 7 am- 7 pm Free (Donations will be gratefully accepted on behalf of local Rescue Services) 11+ stiles Chesterfield & Ramblers Chesterfield Round Walk 13 of 37

Cross the road and take the track opposite, passing to the left of yet another Lodge Farm.

Climb the stile beside the gate and walk up the field with the hedge on your left. Towards the end the track wanders across to the right hand boundary and emerges on to a road opposite a red brick house.

Turn left, then immediately right along Back Lane, a pleasant quiet country road bounded by hedges.

Turn left at the T junction and cross the main road to the stile opposite. Follow the fence on your left over two more stiles to join a metalled road leading into Sutton Springs Wood.

Stay on the main thoroughfare, bearing left, then right past the woodlands. You leave the surfaced road at a left hand bend, just beyond a bridleway signpost, and maintain your south-easterly route heading along the track of the house, Little Green.

Cross open fields with wide views, turning right at the first junction and left at the second on the surfaced track, Rock Lane, which leads to the hamlet of Sutton Scarsdale. Chesterfield Round Walk 14 of 37

Cross the road and enter the farmyard, following the concrete track left of the farm buildings.

The first thing you see on leaving the farm behind is the in the distance. The second is the magnificent ruins of Sutton Scarsdale Hall , close by, but barred by its moat- like boundary wall.

A grassy track heads due east away from the Hall.

Turn right onto Mill Hill / Palterton Lane and just after it re-enters Sutton Scarsdale take the footpath left, signposted Heath Village.

Chesterfield Round Walk 15 of 37

Cross the footbridge and aim for the narrow gap in the hedge beneath the third electricity pole.

You can see the spire of Heath Church poking above the trees on the skyline.

Cross a farm track and approach the wood. The path sticks to the inside boundary of the wood, following the overhead wires. Emerging at a stile, cross a track and continue with the hedge on your left.

The Elm Tree pub nestles on the hillside ahead.

Continue towards the church until you are forced left against a fence.

Cross the bridge spanning the dual carriageway (A617) and follow the track into Heath village.

Chesterfield Round Walk 16 of 37

Heath to North Wingfield Most of this short section follows former 3.5 miles railway lines through country park landscapes reclaimed from old colliery sites. Time has proved a great healer. The old tips are now cloaked with woodland and dense scrub, the lagoons fringed with reeds, the grass-lined tracks easy on the feet

Highlights : Williamthorpe Ponds and Five Pits Trail Parking: by All Saints Church. Buses to and from Heath: Traveline East Midlands Chesterfield Round Walk 17 of 37

Despite its proximity to the motorway and the constant hum of traffic, Heath is still an exceptionally pretty stone-built village. It is also currently scheduled to have the HS2 rail line as well as the M1. Walk south from the Church along its single street and turn right along the green path signposted 'Five Pits Trail.'

Cross the stile and follow the hedge on your left through three fields to a road. Go straight over and continue, soon to enter the attractive scrubland of Williamthorpe Ponds, once a colliery. When you reach a couple of seats and a signpost, turn right along the Five Pits Trail, classed as a Guardian Best Bike Ride

There is a fleeting glimpse of the Crooked Spire in the distance before you descend the slope and turn left over the bridge, where you will find an information board. Climb the hill to a seat where you will have a good view over the Ponds.

For a while you are accompanied by the hum from modern factory units. Fork left at another notice board and pass beneath Chesterfield Road. Chesterfield Round Walk 18 of 37

Beyond Wolfie Pond and its picnic table, pass under the power lines and continue ahead, leaving the Five Pits Trail, which branches off to the right towards Country Park

Bear left at the road and turn right along Deincourt Crescent. Buses travel this road between Chesterfield and .

After 100 yards turn right to join a dismantled railway, now a green lane descending to Station Road, with a bus stop to Chesterfield. Chesterfield Round Walk 19 of 37

North Wingfield to Stone Edge A great stretch through green fields and 6 miles natural woodland with superb views in the latter stages

Highlight : Hardwick Wood. Parking: on Station Lane or Ankerbold Road. Buses to and from North Wingfield: Traveline East Midlands

Walk along Station Road, cross the Midland mainline, and take the footpath left opposite Ankerbold Road.

This sturdy path follows the railway fence all the way to an opencast site, where you turn sharp right.

Follow the enclosed surfaced footway, passing a pond on your left, from where the path begins to climb. Turn off left into the field just as the path levels out and follow the hedge on your right. The way curves round to the right, through double gates and on to the main road.

Turn right for a few yards, then left into fields at the side of Hilltop Farm. Chesterfield Round Walk 20 of 37

Walk up the middle of the pasture to a stile near the far right-hand corner. Veer right a few yards to the next stile and cut off the corner to a stile in the fence. Follow the path through rough pasture and between houses to Harewood Crescent, and turn left.

After 50 yards turn right at a small electricity sub-station. Bear right with the main path and walk through the centre of this narrow strip of woodland with houses visible on either side to Ashover Road.

Cross over and follow the green lane opposite to a stile, re-entering the wood. Follow the waymark straight ahead through the middle of the wood to a stile at the far end.

Turn left and then right alongside the fence. Stick with the field boundary when the fence turns left across to a stile in the left-hand corner in front of a small barn.

Immediately turn left through a metal bridlegate (with stile) and follow the tree-lined bridleway, crossing a small stream.

Carry straight on alongside a wooden fence at the path junction, ignoring the stile left and the wide track right.

When the path narrows between fences, cross the stile on the left into the field and walk around the perimeter of Hardwick Wood. Chesterfield Round Walk 21 of 37

After 200 yards the path enters the wood and descends steeply to cross a stream. Climbing the other side you follow a wire fence on your right to a squeezer leading back into pasture. You now climb steadily through several fields outside the boundary of the wood.

At the summit cross the squeezer into the wood and continue with the wall on your left. Keep right of the hollows, heading more into the heart of the wood. Chesterfield Round Walk 22 of 37

In 200 yards you reach a country lane, along which turn left. Descend the hill past Bole Hill Farm and take a track off to the right. Follow this to the gates of the Manor past the pond to the stile.

Continue to another stile and alongside the hedge on your right. Bear right, still with the hedge, to a stile and turn left along the farm track, from where there is a superb panoramic view over Chesterfield, encompassing much of the country covered by the Round Walk.

Follow the track to Birkin Lane, turn left and in 100 yards enter the farm on the right.

Go through the squeezer on your left to another gate and alongside the wall through two more squeezers and gateways. Chesterfield Round Walk 23 of 37

Cross the middle of the next field to a squeezer in the wall ahead. Keep on the same line to the next gateway and immediately veer right off the obvious line to a rough step-over stile in the wall. The next squeezer is by the short wooden fence. Continue to the left-hand corner and follow the fence on your left to the farm. The route through it and around the next farm is clearly and extensively waymarked in both directions. Pass through the farmyard and bear right to a metal gate to the right of the barn facing you. Continue alongside the wall on your left, and when this bends away head for the stile to the right of the gate in the wall ahead. As you reach the second farm, take the stile left and ascend to the next waymark post. Turn right alongside the pig field, across the farm drive and down to your right into an enclosed path with a board walk. Standing on the short broad walk in the next field, look for the yellow waymark on the stone stile 100 yards ahead. Climb this and make your way to the main Matlock road at Stone Edge. Chesterfield Round Walk 24 of 37

Cross into the green track opposite, on towards the Peak Edge Hotel (Red Lion), which is reached via the car park.

Chesterfield Round Walk 25 of 37

Stone Edge to Barlow Commonside 8.25 miles

A longish section that can be broken for refreshment at Holymoorside and Pratt Hall, which both have pubs

Highlights : The Hipper Valley and Linacre Reservoirs

Buses to and from Stone Edge: Traveline East Midlands Chesterfield Round Walk 26 of 37

Turn left out of the Red Lion and walk along the grass verge of the main road for 300 yards. Pass the track leading to Stanedge Golf Club and turn right at the next footpath sign 100 yards on. Keep straight on at the fork in the track and descend to Stonehay Farm. Enter the yard and veer to the right along an inviting green path, which soon becomes a stony path descending through woodland, accompanied by a stream on your left. Cross the stream on stepping stones and continue alongside the wall on your right.

Just beyond the grand ruins of a water pumping station you cross the River Hipper by footbridge and turn right along the track to the road. Chesterfield Round Walk 27 of 37

Turn right, then left after 30 yards on a clear path climbing through the bracken and birch scrub, with a steep drop to your right.

A magnificent view of Chesterfield opens up, framed by the wooded slopes of the Hipper Valley.

Take the higher path at the fork and continue along the moorland rim before entering an enclosed way, overlooking the village of Holymoorside.

Unless heading for the village, which has shops, pubs, and a bus service, turn left up Loads Road for 100 yards, then right at the stile.

The path follows a strip of woodland to a stile, crosses to another squeezer, and climbs through gorse, rising gently to reach a wall on your left. Join the concrete driveway and pass through the gate ahead, to the left of the three mills.

Cross the river at a second gate and head for a third, situated next to the stone barn.

Turn right in front of the house and ascend the track. Chesterfield Round Walk 28 of 37

Cross the step-over stile in the left hand corner before the farmyard.

This short path by-passes the farm buildings to reach another corner stile.

Now follow the prominent waymark posts due north across the pasture and enter an area of grassy woodland. Bear right alongside the holly bushes to locate the next post. The way is clearer now, across a dip, bearing right through more holly trees to a stile. Follow the hedge on your right into woodland, immediately branching left off the main path past two large flat stones on a north easterly direction heading down through the trees. Ignore the path dipping sharp left. Cross the footbridge at the bottom, pass the dual electricity poles and continue downstream through the fringe of woodland.

Entering a field, ignore the squeezer on the right, and instead double back alongside the right hand field boundary. As you turn the corner you will see a wooden stile ahead. Ascend through scrub to a gate leading into a narrow and precipitous V-shaped wooden valley, after which you cross a field to reach a driveway.

Turn right, then left to reach the A619 Chesterfield to Baslow road. Chesterfield Round Walk 29 of 37

Cross with care and descend steps to enter the field opposite. Walk down the field to another wooden stile and onwards past a solitary oak to the stile just beyond. Veer left following the boundary down to a gap in the fence.

Cross the stone footbridge and climb the field, veering right between patches of gorse, and up through a narrow gap to a stile beside a short stretch of wall.

Bear left alongside the hedge to a metal gate and proceed along the rutted track to Frith Hall.

Turn left between the house and outbuildings to a gate, and follow the track for nearly half a mile.

Turn right at the junction into the farmyard, following the surfaced road through the complex of pre-fabricated buildings and out along a landscaped drive, along which you will find another information board.

Pass the entrances to Birch Croft and Busky Fields, keeping by the wall to reach the road. Chesterfield Round Walk 30 of 37

Cross over to Holly Cottage and into fields. Follow the low wall on your right, cross two stiles, then go right in 30 yards over another stile, down the middle of the field to a stile in the bottom corner.

Follow the wall on your right. Fifty yards into the second field pass through the wide gaps and head down the wall-side to the wood, noting the view left across Linacre Reservoir

Descend to the picnic tables and cross the dam. Go through the gap and left up the wide steps, at the top of which fork right along a rutted track.

Ascend steeply to a wooden stile leading out of the wood and into fields.

Veer left up the pasture to the far corner, where there is a painted squeezer stile.

Ascend past the post to another squeezer and on to meet a lane at a footpath sign.

Turn left along the lane for 50 yards to a footpath sign on the right.

For the Gate Inn continue along the lane and follow the main road for 200 yards. Chesterfield Round Walk 31 of 37

Enter the drive and immediately turn right as signposted, down past the chicken coop to a stile, and on to the bottom right hand corner of the field.

Turn left along the road and look out for the squeezer stile beside a metal gate, just past Sycamore Farm. Turn right and walk down the field edge, over the stile in the corner, and continue alongside the ditch on your right.

Cross the squeezer by the gate and head for the solitary tree, keeping to the spine of the field to the far north eastern corner. Ascend the steps beyond the stream and head up towards the barn, bearing right alongside the hedge to a corner stile.

Follow the path across the middle of the field with Newgate Farm straight ahead and join the grassy track running alongside the hedge on your right. Walk between the fenced off area and the cattle shed, then leave the farm track and climb alongside the wall a few feet to a squeezer behind a tree. Chesterfield Round Walk 32 of 37

Continue along the road for 100 yards before turning left as signposted up steps between houses. Bear left beneath both sets of overhead wires, aiming for the large tree.

Cross the squeezer and follow the wall on your right. An extensive panorama soon unfolds. Climb the stone stile in the corner and turn right along a grassy farm track that winds down through arable fields towards Barlow.

Leave the track before a metal gate and bear left with the North Chesterfield Way alongside the fence on your right. Continue around the headland following the hedge. The path meets the road at the end of the row of terraced houses. Chesterfield Round Walk 33 of 37

Planes & poppies at Barlow Chesterfield Round Walk 34 of 37

Barlow Commonside to Unstone A short delightful walk that can easily be 3 miles extended by exploring the many footpaths through the valley of Barlow Brook and around Monk Wood

Highlights : Barlow Brook and Monk Wood. Parking: outside the Methodist Church in Barlow Commonside. Buses to and from Barlow: Traveline East Midlands

Chesterfield Round Walk 35 of 37

Turn sharp right down Keepers Lane just past the Methodist Church and follow it to the old bridge spanning Barlow Brook. Note the fishing ponds down below on the left. Cross the bridge and head downstream a short distance to a footbridge, beyond which climb away from the river on a graded path initially following the wire fence on your left.

Turn right after the stile at the top of the slope, then left after the next stile alongside the hedge, which curves round gently to the right to a hidden stile in the corner. With the hedge now on your right continue to Monk Wood. Follow the clear path into the heart of the wood, across a plank footbridge and left alongside a gully. You now begin a steady climb.

Turn left upon meeting a track. Immediately after passing a a short fence on your left, take the path right leading to the footbridge crossing the Dronfield by-pass. At the bottom of the corkscrew we pick up another waymarked companion, the Dronfield 2000 Millennium Rotary Walk. Chesterfield Round Walk 36 of 37

Turn right at the first main cross track, then left after 50 yards through a tunnel of holly, and continue to climb this splendid sunken way. When you reach the end of the wood branch right to a stile into open pasture.

Follow the fence on your right towards the farm ahead, veering left near the end to the wooden stile at the end of the wall. The Rotary Walk stiles and waymarks make the next section easy to navigate, as you cross the brow of the hill and Unstone comes into view, backed by the long wooded ridge of Glasshouse Hill.

Cross in front of Ouzle Bank Cottage and veer left past the seat, maintaining height alongside the fence on your right. There are superb views of Chesterfield from here.

Turn left at the large arable field, then right, walking all of 200 yards from seat to seat to join a descending grassy farmtrack. Leave this as it begins to swing left, pass to the right of the solitary tree to the waymark post beside a tree in the thin boundary hedge in front. Chesterfield Round Walk 37 of 37

Descend the pasture to a gate and cross the metal footbridge over the railway. Bear left with the fence, then right down the driveway to the main road, emerging opposite Crow Lane.

The bus stop for Chesterfield is along the road to your right.

For more information on the Chesterfield area visitchesterfield.info

Version 2.4 (April 2020) Ramblers Charity & Wales No: 1093577