Up and Down Dale in Ladygrove

A very warm sunny day today. so we headed into Derbyshire to make the most of it.  I had details for a walk around Darley Dale - a place which we usually just drive quickly through on the way from Matlock to Bakewell.  

The Darley Yew

Before setting off we took the opportunity to call into St. Helen's churchyard in the old part of the village, to have a look a the famous "Darley Yew".  This is a hoary veteran of a tree said to be 2000 years old, opposite the church porch.  From its massive 33 foot girth it's easy to believe that it might have been already growing here when the Romans arrived.  Stout metal railing protect the arboricultural curiosity, and inside the fence are a series of memorial stones commemorating famous battles. 

The church, though 14th century, evidently replaces an earlier structure, as there bits and pieces of what looks like Norman stonecarving, such as the wolf like creature inside the porch.  There are even said to be some Saxon stones inside the church, but we were unable to check this as the door was firmly locked.  Two women decorating the porch with flowers for a wedding said there had been recent vandalism.  The churchyard was peaceful and shady, with gravestones dating back to 1645.

Our footpath took us over some fields , along the reedy bank of a stream, where Meadowsweet was in full flower, and past the cricket club where a practise was in progress and a marquee suggested that the church weddingn guests might not have far to go to the reception.  We passed the Square and Compass pub near Darley Bridge, and the camping field opposite which was absolutely rammed full of tents and caravans.

Thence our path led through a field of rather pooey Friesian cows and across a footbridge until we emerged onto the busy A6.  We sweltered along the road for a while until reaching the next path, through the grounds of what used to be St Elphin's School.  It is now an upmarket retirement complex, and a huge amount of construction work seemed to be in progress.  With all the scaffolding and Herras fencing here, it made you feel a bit sorry for those who had already bought appartments in "phase one".  They seemed unlikely to be enjoying a quiet retirement.

Old Spring & Well near Hackney

It was very hot by now and the slope seemed to get steeper all the time.  Thankfully, someone had placed a bench near the top of the hill, so we rested a while and enjoyed the fabulous view over distant Stanton Moor before turning left on a bumpy tarmac lane below some 1930's bungalows.

Eventually the lane turned to a track, and we passed an old spring and trough on our right, before heading downwards into woodland.  It was annoying to lose all the height we had just gained, because it suggested that there would be more hillsides to slog up later, but at least it was cool and shady.  It was clearly a damp place at most times of year, as thick green moss covered the walls and tree trunks. 

At the bottom of the dale was a converted stone mill, and a right hand turn onto a stony path which rose gradually through the pretty wooded valley of Ladygrove.  A brook babbles down the dale.  There are a series of dams along the valley, named Nancy Dam, Fancy Dam and Potter Dam. 

By Nancy Dam

The path runs close to Nancy Dam, but slowly pulls away from the water afterwards, running ever higher up the wooded slopes.  With the trees thickly covered in leaves, we could hear the water below, but only catch occasinal glimpses of it.  A number of tiny streamlets crossed the path, making it muddy in places, and small waterfalls burst out of the mossy rocks on either side. 

At the end of the path was a much larger waterfall, which gushed noisily out of a rocky gully.  After taking a few pictures we had to scramble up a very steep slope to where the footpath comtinued above. 

Syndnope Hall in the distance

The route took us on through a couple of fields, and past Syndnope Hall, a grey stone pile on our right, up a narrow snicket at the bottom of Syndnope Farm garden, and up onto the road, where a large unfriendly looking dog snarled on the other side of the iron gate.  After 50 yards or so we were directed up a lane where a typed sign advertised "Teddy Bear's Picnic".  Sadly, we could see no sign of gambolling furry toys.  The walk directions told us to turn left and follow a farm track for half a mile. 

It proved a very stoney half mile, on the kind of track where you have to watch your step cerfully to avoid a twisted ankle.  On the way down we stopped to smile at an old "Guide Stoup" - one of the gritstone way markers erected in Derbyshire in the 1700's, to guide travellers.  It featured a pointing hand and the legend "Chasterfeld Rode".  Stonemasons in Chesterfield obviously weren't good at spelling.

Guide Stoup from 1700's

 

Out on the steep B road pointing down into Two Dales, we had a brief wander around trying and failing to find a shortcut through a field.  In the end we gave up and took the road instead.  Two Dales proved to be more interested that I expected.  There was a cute looking and very tiny pub with the date stone 1775, and a number of old stone cottages mixed in with the modern housing. 



Mmmmm!

 It didn't seem long before we were back down on the A6.  Crossing the busy road we took a sidetrip into the grounds of the Whitworth Institute, a large stone edifice built by (I believe) a wealthy Edwardian businessman, who made his money producing parts for rifles.  I had driven past this for years without realising that at its rear is a large and attractive public park.  We bought ice creams from the village shop and sat on a park bench to eat them, before retracing our steps down the lane. 

Passing the Peak Rail station, we paused to snap a steam train noislily "letting off steam" before heading off in the direction of Matlock, before retracing our steps up the lane to St Helen's Church.