Wednesday 4th February
Walk Leader, Report & Photos: Mel H
Walk Report
Using a diverted route, due to a damaged foot bridge, the Wednesday medium car group set out on an 8.5 mile walk from Heath Church accompanied by two visitors and not forgetting pipa and mini. Skirting the motorway junction, using the underpasses, a short steady descent led the group past the historic mining villages of Doe Lea and Bramley Vale to reach Hollingworth Wood. Here among the course grasses, left exposed as a result of extensive tree felling, small patches of rapidly melting snow adorned the edges of the footpath through Hucknall Wood. Following a brief discussions of the name Ault Hucknall the group took a leisurely coffee break in the Church cemetery. Across then to the Grange to enter Hardwick Park at Broadoak Hill and thence the steady descent via Blingsby Gate to Millers Pond. After skirting the pond a short stop was made at the visitors centre before continuing on to the ancient farming hamlet of Astwith for lunch. Following lunch a short section of road and field edge walking led to a section of the five pits trail. The trail was then used to skirt around the village of Holmewood and join with a short section of the Chesterfield Round walk for the return Heath.
