Ashford in the Water

ASHFORD IN THE WATER, MONSAL HEAD, MONSAL DALE, DEEP DALE, SHELDON (COCK AND PULLET), ASHFORD IN THE WATER (BULL’S HEAD)

Distance: 7.32 miles, Average Walking Speed 2.49 mph, Max. Elevation 1177.88ft, Elevation Gain 1302.09ft.

Difficulty: Easy except for one very uppy bit found by Laurie.

Weather: Dry with warm sun, little cloud later.

A Walkers: Nigel Crank, Tom Cunliffe, Laurie Fairman, John Laverick, Jock Rooney with Tips, Chris Corps and Fergus, and George Whaites, Colin Davison.

B walkers: See report included in this diary.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Peter Beal, George Dearsley (w*#king), Julian Ross (decorating which is like w*#king), Alan hart (Cruise to Madeira)

Leader: Corps with a challenge from Fairman. Diarist: Laverick.

Starting point: Ashford in the Water at Sheepwash Bridge, White Peak, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 09.59hrs. Finishing time: 14.14hrs.

Congratulations go to Jock who forgot his jacket and joined the long list of Wanderers who over a period of time have managed to forget essentials like walking boots, walking sticks, rucksacks, lunches, the walk route etc. etc. So despite Jock living the closest to the starting point he was the last to arrive as he returned home for his jacket delaying the 09:45hrs start. The Wanderers of course forgave him due to the fact that most of them have been late and forgotten things.

The first part of this walk and many others are available on the following web site http://derbyshire-peakdistrict-co-uk.leia.parcomweb.net/

Ashford in the Water

Famous for its well dressing which has persisted since ancient times. About 150 years ago the present dressings were introduced by pressing petals and berries into a clay base. Up to 5 wells are dressed for Trinity Sunday and left for a week for all to see.  The name Ashford comes from the Saxon ‘Aescforda’ where the Old Portway forded the river, and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book with a reference to ‘plumbariae’ or places where lead was mined.

Sheepwash Bridge is a medieval packhorse bridge; sheep wash refers to the practice of washing the sheep by making them swim across the river.

I digress…….

In bright sunshine the group set out heading away from the shelter at Sheep Wash Bridge heading up Fennel street until the roundabout signed for ‘Wardlow and Monsal Head’. proceeding straight on up Vicarage Lane.

The meeting point, tree in full Autumn colour.

Within a few yards take the footpath on your left up a short flight of steps. Follow the path to the right behind a row houses to a stile.

Walk across the field guided by the marker post to the far right hand corner and go over a stile onto a farm track.

Go to the left up the track until it enters a field, when you immediately turn left up a slope, keeping close to the wall on your left.

After crossing the stile in the top corner of the field, turn sharp right keeping close to the stone wall and go through the next stile onto another farm track.

Continue along the well signed track, shortly to follow the edge of the steeply sided valley round to the right, to climb a short flight of steps to Monsal Head Hotel car park where seats were available for Pie Time at 10:53hrs after 2.25 miles. For 10 whole minutes we were able to eat and admire the views of the Monsal Viaduct down the dales before Tom’s eternal cry of “Right come on lads you’ve had long enough” broke our relaxed mood at 11:03hrs.

Autumn colours

Pie Time

The Wanderer’s Pie Time. Could this be the first Wanderer’s picture Mr Davidson has not managed to get in?

Library picture of Monsal Dale Viaduct

Monsal Viaduct

Built in 1867 by the Midland Railway it was used up to 1968. It has now been declared of architectural and historic interest. However John Ruskin the 19^th century English author and art critic was less pleased about the railway and declared “ You enterprised a railroad through the valley; you blasted its rocks away, heaped thousands of tons of shale into its lovely stream. The valley is gone and the Gods with it, and now every fool in Buxton can be at Bakewell in half an hour and every fool in Bakewell at Buxton; which you think a lucrative process of exchange – you Fools everywhere”.

 Library picture of Monsal Dale Viaduct.

Sorry I Digressed again…………

It appears there are another set of magic pants apart from Harty’s; Chris Corps put his on during Pie Time declaring it was going to rain at 13:00hrs…… he was wrong not a drop fell during the whole duration of the walk. Between the two of them we should be able to throw away our waterproofs.

On leaving the car park seating go back through the gate turning left to a fork on the right, take this path down a flight of steps to Monsal Dale and the viaduct, turning left at a gate by the end of some farm buildings, coming out at a weir on the river Wye in Monsal Dale.

Turn left downstream for a short distance to cross a footbridge and turn left to follow the path close to the River Wye for just over a mile passing a signpost signing White Lodge to to reach the A6.

Fergus helping Chris across the watery path to the stile.

Across the road to White Lodge Car Park, enter the car park about 20 yards into the car park turn right up a path leading to Deep Dale.

Follow the well defined path up passing a sign post signing Taddington to the right, stay left on the main path.

Continue climbing up to a point where the path splits, one path to the left which will take you through Great Shacklow Wood and one to the right which heads up through Deep Dale.

It was at this point Mr Fairman made a bid to try and wrestle back his Walk Leader position by deciding to turn left towards the wood rather than follow the planned route through Deep Dale. Obediently we all followed, except Jock who had the good sense to take the Deep Dale route, steeper and steeper the path became until we reached a gate into Great Shacklow Wood. At this point we turned sharp right to be faced with an almost vertical climbing path (the diarist may be exaggerating a little at this point) which was very difficult to climb due to the recent rains and leaf fall which made the path very slippy.

Shacklow Woods

By the time the Wanderers had reached the top of the slope Mr Corps was re-instated as walk leader in case Mr Fairman got a further urges to find more climbs.

At the top of the slope go through a gate and continue up a slight slope across the field at an angle until the field wall is encountered. Turn left so that the wall is on your right side as you walk.

Go over next stile turning left walking along the edge of the field with the wall to your right. Continue to next stile straight on over field. Continue to gate/stile on to a track, signposted Sheldon, turn left along the track.

Follow the track which becomes a path negotiating the various stiles and gates encountered. The paths are well marked.

Eventually a stile is encountered that meets a track. At this track turn right, to the left is a barrier that shows private property.

Continue down this track past a T junction, go straight on, passing a small church on the left until the track meets a road running through Sheldon.

At this point a right turn should be taken if like the Wanderers your objective is the Cock and Pullet Inn.

The pub was reached at 12:25hrs after 5.29 miles. The pub was also the highest elevation of 1177.88 ft for the walk. The ale was in excellent form, Blacksheep, Taylors and Doombar all on offer between £2.70 and £2.90 per pint. Jock and Tips rejoined us at this point arriving at 13:04 hrs having been the only Wanderer to have actually completed the planned route.

After a suitable amount of time, 46 mins, having a refresher or two, plus of course time for Tom to consume his habitual large butty and chips, left the pub and turned right onto the road.

Proceed down the road until the end of the village to a path on the left just past Lower Farm also on the left. The Diarist noticed that one of the barns is guarded by a stuffed cockerel………… any guess why????

Continue down this path keeping left where the path splits to Little Shacklow Wood. Follow the path down into the wood continuing down to the site of an old quarry where lunch was partaken by those who had not already eaten all their food at pie time.

Down through Little Shacklow Wood.

After lunch continued down a slight slope along the well marked path. This is where Mr Fairman after falling on his rear end discovered that walking sticks work better if they are not in one hand rather than two and you are not eating an apple while walking down a slippy slope.

Note for the future Mr Fairman: only women can multi-task.

Follow the path until it meets the river, turn right and follow the path along the riverbank to the Sheldon Road where you turn left.

                                                              Note the level of the river, then look at the next picture!

Why would you want to bath in fast deep muddy water?

After a short distance turn right along the A6 and then left at Sheepwash Bridge into Ashford.

After de-booting most of the Wanders headed the Bull’s Head to enjoy a swift pint before heading home. Apologies but the Diarist failed to note the available ales or prices in this establishment and promises to try harder next time.

Tony Job; B walk 30/10/13:

Walkers: Ken, Geoff, Tony, Wally and Terry. No apologies.

 09.44 am  394 bus from Rising Sun to Marple Bridge.

Walked up towards Roman Lakes, stopping to view the archaeological excavations of the water wheel pit for Samuel Oldknow's mill. Continued past Roman Lakes to Roman Bridge, noting Railtrack works leading to the railway viaduct. After elevenses, crossed bridge and climbed up to the PF Canal, where we walked Southish until thirst got the better of us, and we took refreshment at The White Lion. 4.8 miles so far. Storm brewery's bitter £3.00 a pint. This pub never seems to have taken off since an expensive refurbishment - only one other drinker there, so we got the 199 outside, and continued at The Soldier Dick, where business was much better. So was the price and the beer, £2.70 a pint for Ruddles. A further 2 miles to this point.

An early finish enabled us to get the 15.09 199 bus back to Hazel Grove.

Next week’s walk will start at 09:30 hrs from the lay by at Trentabank Reservoir not far from the Leather Smithy, the walk will include Shuttlinghoe. Half way refresher at the Hanging Gate and end pint at the Leather Smithy.