Wednesday Wandering: Hartington

February 5, 2020.

HARTINGTON, HARRIS CLOSE, SHEEN, THE PACK HORSE INN AT CROWDECOTE, THE DOVE VALLEY, PILSBURY CASTLE, SPRINK HOLIDAY COTTAGES AND THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT HARTINGTON

Distance: 8 miles.

Difficulty: Easy but outward mud made progress slow.

Weather: Mild and sunny with good visibility.

Walkers: Micky Barrett, Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Tip, Dean Taylor and George Whaites.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison and Lawrie Fairman.

Apologies: Peter Beal (returning from La Palma hols), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Julian Ross (Antipodean hols), Graham Stone (away for month)

Leader: Rooney. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Main square at Hartington, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 10.04am. Finishing time: 2.26pm.

Another sunny winter's morning greeted us as 12 walkers assembled in various parking spaces between the Devonshire Arms and the Charles Cotton pubs in Hartington. This time the sunshine stayed with us throughout our walk, burning off the misty conditions we had experienced on our way to the start.

Jock shepherded his flock expertly, often from the rear, clearly copying the technique of his collie Tip as he guided us impeccably on our return journey from Hartington to Crowdecote. On the outward leg the recent months of heavy rain had created muddy conditions and we had to take great care on the downhill sections. Even so we became The Dirty Dozen. As luck would have it, Jock was the only faller and he quickly rose unscathed. He explained that he had been having plenty of falling practice during the last three walks.

When we reached our first watering hole, The Pack Horse Inn at Crowdecote, we discovered that it had been taken over by a new landlord from Latvia. He gave us a warm welcome and endeared himself further when John Jones, celebrating his recent 72^nd birthday with a round of drinks, was informed that his own pint was on the house. We wish John many happy returns and hope the Latvian landlord can make a success of this excellent traditional British country pub.

On the return leg of our journey along the picturesque Dove Valley we passed Pilsbury Castle – a somewhat glorified title for what is little more than a mound of earth on a limestone outcrop. It does however have an interesting history, of which more later.

From the Charles Cotton side of the main road we turned left into a lane and soon turned right through a wooden gate into a field to head towards Sheen (3mins). This was the start of a muddy route which took us through a gap stile, two wooden gates and across a wooden footbridge (13mins). Another wooden gate brought us to a farm track where we turned right (17mins) and went over a wooden stile following a sign for Harris Close (18mins)

We crossed a stone step stile to enter a wood (22mins), went through a wooden gate (35mins) and over a stone step stile (37mins). This took us through a farmyard to a lane where we turned right (46mins). After passing a sign pointing left to Ridge End (67mins) we turned right over the next stone step stile (68mins) into a field, turning diagonally left to reach a wooden gate (71mins). Turning left along a track we soon stopped for pies and port (72mins)

Continuing downhill through slippery conditions we crossed a wooden stile (81mins) to reach a farm track. At a yellow arrow we turned left uphill and crossed a wooden stile (88mins). We then crossed a series of wooden stiles and footbridges to emerge on a track to the left of a farmhouse (106mins)

A left turn brought us to a main road with a nearby bridge over the River Dove which separated us in Derbyshire from the adjoining county of Staffordshire. We turned right and immediately came to The Pack Horse Inn on our right (109mins). There was a choice of lagers plus a cask bitter called Away With Fairies, a mild called Grave Digger's ale and an excellent winter ale named Three Star Jumper, all of which were enjoyed at the birthday boy's expense.

Suitably refreshed we retraced out footsteps by turning left and heading back to the farmhouse, this time going through the farmyard (114mins) and following the footpath on the left bank of The Dove. After pausing for lunch (126mins) we proceeded with the river on our right, passing Pilsbury Castle on our right with the river beyond it.

Archaeologists inform us this was once an Iron Age fortification before being used by the Normans. They built a motte-and-bailey castle on the site, occupying an area of high ground 175 yards by 150 yards overlooking the river. The land around it was given to Henry de Ferrers by William The Conqueror and was part of his brutal campaign of “harrying the north” to crush their resistance.

Henry built two similar castles at Tutbury and Duffield with timber defences, ditches and extra flanking earthworks. Pilsbury Castle may have been abandoned when Hartington grew in importance as the village of Pilsbury became depopulated.

We continued along the footpath, following a sign for Hartington (146mins), through a metal gate (165mins) and Sprink Holiday Cottages (169mins) before reaching a sign announcing Hartington (193mins) as we entered the village outskirts.

On reaching our cars and de-booting (198mins) we called in The Devonshire Arms where the Pedigree cask bitter was an eye-watering £4 a pint.

Meanwhile the alternative walkers, Colin and Lawrie, had set off from Charlesworth to climb Cown Edge before returning to The George and Dragon for the second week running to consume pints of Landlord bitter. They are now regarded as regulars.

Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the car park of The Boar's Head Hotel at Higher Poynton, which we have the permission of Simon the landlord to use. Our plans is to walk alongside the Macclesfield Canal in the direction of Bollington before crossing it and heading for Sponds Hill, turning left to Bowstones, through Lyme Park and inspecting the refurbishment of The White Horse at Disley around 12.15pm

After knocking the froth off a couple we will return to Lyme Park then leave it and follow The Ladybrook Trail to return to the Macclesfield Canal for final refreshment at The Boar's Head at about 2.15pm.

Happy wandering !

Pictures by Alan Hart