DERBYSHIRE DALES HOLIDAY SEPTEMBER 2018 Stoke Lodge Rambling Club Full details of all aspects of the holiday ALAN GARNER SECRET HILLS WALKING October 2017– DRAFT ONE 1 INTRODUCTION The following proposal gives details of a walking holiday, specifically arranged for Stoke Lodge Rambling Club. Whilst care has been taken to include all aspects of the holiday, the proposal remains in draft form , with potential to be revised. This draft will be used as the basis of agreement between your walking group, Secret Hills Walking and the Willersley Castle hotel , Cromford Derbyshire, the host hotel. DATE OF WALKING HOLIDAY The date set is Friday September 28 2018. Three nights stay. Friday/Saturday and Sunday. Should clients wish to stay on then this can be arranged NUMBERS ON THE HOLIDAY It is anticipated that there will be approximately the following Between 30 and 45 DETAILS OF ACCOMMODATION The holiday will use the Willersley Castle Hotel as its base. www.christianguild.co.uk/willersley At the time of writing, the hotel have provisionally reserved 30 rooms for your group, at no financial commitment. One room – single, complimentary, and the SLT arrangement is to charge all and use the ‘free’ room money for disbursements. An individual room extras bill will be set up at the start – for bar bills, extra at meals, wine etc. DETAILS OF MEALS Breakfast and dinner will be provided in a room to be agreed, for privacy. Evening dinner is three courses plus coffee. There are several choices of starters, main courses and sweets, including a vegetarian option. Sample menus are available Lunch – is packed. An order will be taken during dinner each evening, and the lunches will be distributed after breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. 2 The public rooms of the hotel will be available to you. Secure Car parking is at the back and side of the hotel. THE WALKS Secret Hills Walking will organise walks as follows: If you arrive in time and want to have a two and half hour walk late Friday afternoon – say 2.00pm to 4.30pm - There will be three walks arranged each day – two full days walk and a half day stroll and sightseeing walk. Walk one will be 10- 11 miles, Walk two will be 6 - 7 miles. Walk three will be 3-5 miles, and will be followed by a visit to a local attraction. In addition Secret Hills Walking will plan an additional extra two miles as a loop to extend the walk for those able to do it. Grades On walks one and two walking is moderate, some climbing and descents, but all within the moderate walking description. Walk three will be mainly on flat ground with some slight ups and downs. Suggested walks Long walks Both from the hotel Friday afternoon Walk one- 4.25 miles From front of hotel, take the hotel path into Matlock Bath alongside the river Derwent. Cross on river bridge.Turn left and along road before taking footpath through houses to Heights of Abraham. Near Ember Farm, turn left and down Harp Edge to Cromford Village. Past duck pond and turn right to Bell Inn , turn left to Moorside. Take one of two left hand paths that lead to near Carrwood Farm and join High Peak trail to High Peak junction. Join canal tow path and back to Cromford Wharf for tea. Back to hotel from Cromford Wharf. Walk two- 2.5 miles Walk from hotel to Cromford Wharf and join the canal towpath south to High Peak Junction. Return along the tow path and swing right into Cromford Meadows and follow river path back to Cromford Wharf for tea and then to hotel. Saturday Coach travel to Youlgrave – all walks. 12 miles – allow 25 minutes. Walk one- 11.5 miles 3 Into Bradford Dale and follow river westwards, pick up Lime stone Way and past Lomberdale Hall. To Calling Low, then into Cales Dale, out of Cales Dale and to One Ash Grange Farm. Still following the Limestone Way to Monyash. From the village – down road to entrance to Lathkill Dale, follow dale down to junction with Cales Dale. Carry on through the Lathkill Dale National Nature Reserve and Palmerston Wood to Lathkill Lodge. Turn left into Over Haddon and Lathkill Dale hotel. Over fields. looking down into the dale, to Conkesbury bridge. Continue down the dale to Alport, then switch to Bradford Dale and then up into Youlgrave for transport back. Walk two- 7 miles From Youlgrave, into Bradford Dale and follow dale to Alport. Into Lathkill Dale and follow past Raper Lodge to Conkersbury bridge, Over fields to Lathkill Dale hotel, then Over Haddon and back into the Lathkill dale. Walk along dale through the Lathkill Dale National Nature. Out of valley and onto moor and across several fields back to Youlgrave via Moor Lane then follow Limestone Way back into Youlgrave. Walk three – 4.25 miles From Youlgrave, into Bradford Dale and follow dale to Alport. Into Lathkill Dale and follow past Raper Lodge to Conkersbury bridge, Over fields to Lathkill Dale hotel, then Over Haddon and back into the Lathkill dale. Walk along dale back to Conkesbury bridge, then to Raper lodge. Take right hand track at Raper Lodge back into Youlgrave. Lunch in Youlgrave, coach travel to Haddon Hall, allow 1.5 hours at Haddon Hall / or Bakewell. Coach back to Youlgrave to pick up other walkers. Sunday – Option one Coach Travel to Beeley, then Chatsworth House, then Calver for Curber village – 15 miles- allow 35 minutes Walk one – 10.5 miles Starting at Curber, we walk onto Curber Edge, then along the Curber and Froggatt edges to the Longshaw estate. Down Padley Gorge to Nether Padley, Grindleford station. Into the Derwent Valley and follow river to Froggatt, then cross over river at Froggatt Bridge. Onto Calver, then Bubnell along Derwent Valley Way and back into Baslow. From Baslow we walk into the Chatsworth Estate and to our coach at Chatsworth House where we meet the other groups. Walk two -6.5 miles Starts at Chatsworth House car park. Walk into Edensor village then the route follows river Derwent past Calton Lees to Beeley. Ascend along Beeley Brook and Hall Bank Plantation to edge of Beeley Moor. Cross Chatsworth moor and into Chatsworth Park. To Swiss Lake, then Emporer Lake then to Hunting Lodge via Chatsworth Water course system. To Dobb Edge and then walk back through Chatsworth Park land to Chatsworth House. Chance to view Chatsworth House, or its gardens, the Stables retail offer. 4 Walk three- 4 miles Starts at Beeley. Walk along river to Calton Lees, then continue along river to Edensor Village. Then into Chatsworth House grounds, walk to Hunting Tower, then Emporer Lake, Swiss Lake and back to Chatsworth House . Chance to view Chatsworth House, or its gardens, the Stables retail offer. Sunday – Option 2 All walkers travel to Monsal Dale – White Park car park. Walk one- 10 miles Monsal Dale/ Old rail line at Monsal Head/Cressbrook/Cressbrook Dale/Litton/Tideswell /Tideswell Dale/Millers Dale/Monsal Head for coach pick up Walk two - 6.5 miles Monsal Dale/Monsal Trail/Cressbrook/ Monsal Head/ tunnel/Monsal trail/ Ashford in the Water/River Wye path to Bakewell Walk three- 4 miles Bakewell/Monsal Trail to Hassop station/bridle path back to Bakewell. Spend time in Bakewell- church /town /museums/river side walk Sunday – Option 3 From hotel Walk one- 10 miles Cromford Meadows/Cromford Canal/High Peak trail/Steeple Grange/Middleton/Via Gellia/Bonsall/Limestone Way to Matlock Bridge/Matlock/Starkholmes /back to hotel Walk two – from hotel- 7 miles Hearthstone Farm/Riber Hall and Castle/Tansley/Lumsdale/Matlock Green/Derwent Valley path/Matlock Bath/Hotel Walk three – 4.25 miles Hotel/ Matlock Bath/ Derwent Valley path/Matlock Bridge/Peak Valley Railway to Rowsley/visit Caldwells Mill for tea/Train back to Matlock station/retrun walk along Derwent Valley back to hotel NOTE : Secret Hills Walking will arrange a shorter walk on Monday morning for anyone wishing to continue walking until lunch time. This to be by request of the group. Wet Weather Hopefully not – but the following will apply. We will arrange a shorter walk if it is felt that the weather is poor in the morning, and if the weather closes in during our walk. We reserve the right to strongly advise on weather matters, but the view of the group will be taken at all times. We have alternative afternoon walks planned if the weather is not conducive to walking in the morning. 5 Equipment needed on the walks Walking boots or stout walking shoes are obligatory on the walks as terrain can be stony, and there is a Health and Safety risk unless approved walking footwear is worn. Wet weather gear, a fleece or similar warm garment, walking pole and flask if you prefer a warm drink to water. We always advise that you carry 1.5 litres of water. Personal Accident Cover We strongly advise that each member of the party is covered by Personal Accident Cover. Evening entertainment On this walking break, the following evening entertainment will be provided by Secret Hills Walking. Friday evening – Secret Hills Walking will arrange for a local speaker who will talk about the local area, its history etc. A fee of £50 is charged by the speaker Other evenings- Secret Hills leaders can provide additional entertainment – quizzes etc as needed – but we realise that the group do traditionally provide entertainment through their members. Financial Arrangements A summary of the costs is appended and agreed between the group and Secret Hills Walking The nightly charge for this holiday is £99 Three nightly charge is £297 The above group rate covers Accommodation – en suite room – double/twin (An extra single supplement will be payable where applicable) Free place Breakfast Evening Dinner.- three course plus coffee/tea Packed lunch Use of swimming pool and hotel leisure facilities Services of Secret Hills Walking guides Administration – arrangements for the hotel and liason between Stoke Lodge group leader and Secret Hills Walking.