Mid-shires Way (Part 2)

14-17th April 2008

Introduction

Our annual trek up the centre of England, a journey that should take us eventually to John O’Groats, was an attempt to link the Macmillan Way with the start of the Pennine Way. We had noticed last year that the Mid-shires Way had coincided with the Macmillan Way several times in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire before finally going off on its own from a point near Market Harborough. So this year we returned to that point where the two Ways had finally separated and then followed the Mid-shires Way across the remaining lowlands of central England. Accommodation was not easily come by and I had several attempts at setting up a five day walk to Buxton before abandoning those plans and reverting to a four day schedule which left us just short of our original goal. However, as this year our walk would end near home, we could always ring for a rescue mission whenever we got tired or fed-up on the last day.

Monday 14th April 2008: To Market, To Market

Lodge Farm, Sutton Bassett, 10.06am
Gaddesby, arr. 5.15pm

So it was back on the train for a second year running. The routine of changing at Nuneaton and Leicester was not new to us as we had used this itinerary to get home from Oakham last year. The trains worked like clockwork and we came out of Market Harborough Station bang on schedule. The first taxi knew exactly where we wanted to go and had no problems in taking us right up into the yard of Lodge Farm, just underneath our starting point. It was cool and dry as we scampered up to the five-way finger post which is where the Mid-shires and Macmillan Ways separate. In 15 minutes we were back through Lodge Farm and on our way north. Black clouds began to gather and for the rest of the day we had showers of cold rain and hail. There was a lot of road walking early on but we found a sheltered spot down by a stream for a quick lunch. It was too cold for a long rest even in a spell of sunshine.

The quality of the walking and the landscape surprised us. There were lovely sections of grassy walking along high ridges with great views. We got our first glimpse to a huge Power Station. Little did we think that this sight would dominate our entire walk. We reached Ashby Folville before 4.30pm, too early to ring for a pick-up. So, in a heavy shower, we marched on towards Gaddesby. I then made an elementary error, using the guide book to identify the exit road from Ashby without consulting Mike and the map. However we soon rectified my error and used a pleasant footpath to get back on route to the Gaddesby road. When the rain stopped, I took out my mobile and found, much to Mike’s amusement, I could not get a signal. Mike’s network came to the rescue and I was able to contact Mrs Parker at Dairy Farm and arrange to be picked up. She arrived with her grandson and took us three miles back to Great Dalby and a comfortable room. The pub, the Royal Oak, made us an ample meal of Steak and Kidney Pie and Spotted Dick, washed down by well-kept Abbott Ale from Green King.

Total distance: 24 miles
Moving Time: 7 hrs

We stayed at Dairy Farm, 8 Burrough End, Great Dalby, Leics., LE14 2EW
This is three miles off route but a pick-up can be arranged.

Tuesday 15th April 2008; Have you seen the panther?

Gaddesby: dep. 8.31am
Willoughby on the Wold: arr. 12.30pm
Willoughby on the Wold: dep. 12.50pm
Kegworth: arr. 5.00pm

They were scraping the ice off the car windscreens when we got up. It had been a very cold night. ‘Have you seen much wildlife?’ asked our landlady as she drove us back to Gaddesby after breakfast, ‘Have you seen the panther?’ Well, that got us up to speed on an absolutely glorious but cold morning. There was not a cloud in the sky as we traversed easy ground through Hoby and Shoby (definitely Danes around here!). The student of the map had spotted an attractively looking alternative from Grimston via Old Dalby, attractive because of its off-road and direct nature and also because the village was known to have a shop. The tracks through the estate did not let us down and we were directed to the shop by a local resident. It is a rare sight indeed to see a local post office/shop in these small Midland villages.

Armed with sandwiches and drinks, we climbed steeply out of the village back onto route. The forecast bad weather could be seen gathering in the distance. But we were still in sunshine on the delightful ridge to the next road. Then followed a dreary road section to Willoughby on the Wold, punctuated briefly by a gathering of AA vans at the hotel on the A46. Mike had been warned that the pub in the village was closed. What we did not expect was a bare empty space where the pub had once stood. This was not just closure, this was annihilation. We found a bench next to the Garden of Remembrance in the graveyard and, in the last of the sunshine, we ate our butties. In the first of the rain, we took the alternative route along the stream to Wysall. The field over to Bunny Old Wood were not too heavy with clay. Again we diverted from the guidebook route to miss the road section down into Bunny. It was here that the worst section and weather of the entire trip began.

My spirits dropped as we fought rain and winds along a very busy road. So desperate was I to get off this wretched road that I suggested a short cut across a field to get to the track to East Leake. What an awful decision! After ten minutes of torture, I was six inches taller and two stone heavier from the clay on my shoes. The track on the other side was not much of an improvement as we scrambled through rutted mud and brambles to reach the top of a hill. Eventually though it flattened out, widened and dried and East Leake was there below us. It was school finishing time as we arrived and we were accompanied by the entire youth population of the town for the next half-mile. A pleasant ridge took us over to West Leake where we were faced with the prospect of a four mile road section. The rain kept on, the road was busy and impossible to get off. But eventually we came to the River Soar and turned up the far bank to take a short cut to the town centre. A local lad directed us to our pub and we arrived wet and tired in the bar of the hostelry. Our room was on the very top floor and our last climb took us to a delightful room with two beds, one a four-poster. I hardly gave Mike a choice as I dived into the covers for a well earned rest. At least we only had to make it downstairs to enjoy a wholesome meal, fish and chips and treacle sponge, and some great Real Ale. Beers included Grainstorm ‘Pride of Scotgate’ 4.3% from the Oakham brewery where we had finished last year’s trip.

We stayed at the Red Lion Hotel, 24 High Street, Kegworth, Derbyshire, DE74 2DA

Total distance: 26 miles
Moving time: 8 hrs 20m


Wednesday 16th April 2008: ‘Bridge Closed’, you must be joking!

Kegworth: dep. 8.50am
Locko Park: arr. 1.15pm
Locko Park: dep. 1.30pm
Chevin Green: arr. 5.30pm

Our navigation problems started early. Every door in the pub was locked and barred. There was no-one around and we wandered around the bar looking for an escape route. Finally Mike tried the kitchens and store room and found an open door into the rear car park. We were on our way on a cold and misty morning. Our first visit was to the local bakery to buy our supplies for the day and then we crossed the A6 and found Long Lane, our exit route from Kegworth. The power station, first seen two days ago, dominated the landscape. We again tried an alternative to the guidebook’s choice of a 2 mile road walk. We set out over fields to the west which were not too muddy but had the disadvantage of a major road crossing. The traffic was so heavy that it was not to difficult to persuade two vehicles to stop for a moment and let us across. The boat marina was the biggest I had every seen, certainly for canal boats. The route went complete round it by road, bringing us to a bridge over the Trent where our route dropped onto the tow-path. A ‘path closure’ sign caught our eye, something about a bridge being closed until the end of the year. Have faced worse problems than that, we pressed on passed another ‘Bridge Closed’ sign. When we arrived at the point at which the Trent and Mersey canal split from the river, our towpath bridge was not just impassable or under repair, it wasn’t there and looked as though it hadn’t been there for years and would never be there again. We had no alternative at this stage other than to follow the Trent around a long loop to the south and cross it at Cavendish Bridge in Shardlow. Mike was entranced by the old toll prices, especially the distinction between friendly and alien soldiers.

A short road walk brought us back to the canal and onto route again. A dreary section of flat land took us over the Derwent and into Draycott. Here the guidebook diagrams were inaccurate, showing the large mill on the wrong side of the exit road. The map was consulted and we found our way forward over some ploughed and heavy fields. This section brought us to Risley where the route took an amazing turn for the better. After the industrial places we had been passing in the Trent Valley, the village was pleasant and, as we climbed out of the town, we came into some lovely countryside, big rolling hills and valleys all gently cultivated. Woodland dominated the tops of the ridges and we had some great walking over and down to Dale Abbey. It was staggering to think that the outskirts of Derby were so close by as we walked through such idyllic countryside. The sun was shining now and, even though it was still cold, we sat briefly under a tree in a field near Locko Park to eat the sandwiches that we had bought earlier. The afternoon section maintained the high quality of walking, following high ground and ancient walled tracks. Another of my navigational diversions was corrected at Morley where the map again proved to be far more valuable than the guidebook. Breadsall Priory golf course made delightful walking; we even saw a party of walkers, a first for the trip. The day ended with two big climbs, first over a ridge to Duffield and then out across Duffield golf club and onto a spectacular ridge above Belper. Passing a huge stone wall, we eventually came to the end of the track and looked down on Chevin Green. I rang our farm just to check exactly which our destination was and we set off down the field to our B&B. Carl, our host, was very kind. He made us a cup to tea and then drove us to a really good pub. He even came out for us after our meal and saved us an extra few miles which would have too much after such a tough and long day.

We stayed at Chevin Green Farm, Chevin Road, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 2UN Tel: 01773 822328. We ate in the Hanging Gate on the Ashbourne – Belper road. I tried a lamb curry and a chocolate brownie. The Timothy Taylor’s Landlords was really well kept.

Total distance (GPS): 25.45 miles
Total ascent: 2713 ft
Moving time: 8hrs 22m 30s
Average pace: 19m 43s per mile
Total descent: 2576 ft


Thursday 17th April 2008: Inclined to take the High Peak Trail

Chevin Green: dep. 8.50am
Middleton Top: arr. 12.00pm
Middleton Top: dep. 12.20pm
Royal Oak at Sparklow: arr. 4.30pm

We asked for an 8am breakfast, earlier than the usual 8.30am brochure time. Carl showed us a short cut up his fields to get back onto the path and we were quickly up and over the ridge and on our slippery way down to Blackbrook. Then Longwalls Lane took us on another long and ancient walled way, similar to the last ridge. These old routes across the high ground were really superb as view over Belper and Crich opened out. Looking back we could still make out Radcliffe-on-Soar Power Station. We had seen it on all four days of our walk.

We passed through some lovely green and pleasant valleys and passed lovely old farm houses. There was no impression of the nearby industrial development of the Derwent Valley. A long lane passed some caravans took us to the High Peak Trail which we joined about one third of the way up Sheep Pasture Incline. It had been a very cold morning with a bitter easterly wind but we began to warm up as we started to climb. Some school kids were abseiling off rocks near the Black Rock Centre. The sun came out and it got warmer still as we climbed the Middleton Incline to the visitors’ centre where we had tea from a machine. We then started off on our long traverse of the High Peak Trail.

We had a quick stop out of the wind at some picnic tables near Longcliffe and then marched on to Friden and Parsley Hay. Here we had mugs of tea from the kiosk and sat for a few moments whilst I rang Jill and arranged a rendezvous in 40 minutes time. We arrived at the Royal Oak at Sparklow just minutes before Jill so were soon being whisked back home where a family gathering welcomed us; David had called in for a meal and Rachel and Charlotte were home. Felicity came over to pick up Mike and another great trip had come to a happy conclusion. Bring on the Pennine Way!

Total distance (GPS): 23.10 miles
Average speed: 3.3 mph
Total ascent: 2463 ft
Moving time: 6 hrs 56m 12s
Average pace: 18m 00s per mile
Total descent: 1646 ft