We had no alternative but to walk alongside the road for a short distance, but taking the wide A6013 Causeway across a finger of the reservoir we walked on the wide joint cycle/walkway to the car park at Heather Dean where the Derwent Valley Heritage Way officially starts. The route from here was not alongside the road but in a woodland ride that runs parallel to it with glimpses through the trees to the lake. The drama of the dam, with water on one side and the valley far below on the other, came suddenly into view. Even more dramatically, the route now takes us across it.
Taking care to look both ways we crossed the busy road onto the dam. The dam was reinforced between September 1998 and December 1999 using 400,000 tonnes of sandstone from Win Hill. The work was suspended in the spring to avoid disturbing nesting herons and goshawks and, once the work was complete the gash in Win Hill was restored. As part of the renovation scheme a permissive path, now used by the Derwent Valley Heritage Way was created across the top of the dam. What a suitable way to celebrate the beginning of the official walk!
At the end of the time we took an obvious track branching off to the right, the Thornhill Trail, which is the line of the old railway built to bring the stone that built the dam. The woodland has grown since then and on can no longer see the hamlet known of Yorkshire Bridge, built to re-house the residents of the villages drowned by the dam.
We passed by the village of Thornhill down to a large building with the inscription “Derwent Valley Water Board” which was once their headquarters. It is now converted into sheltered accommodation by the Quaker community, its dour external appearance belying the warmth of the residences within.
Passing under the Sheffield to Manchester railway we cross over the Hathersage-Castleton road and over the quaint bridge at Shatton. We stopped to play Pooh Sticks in the sparkling clear water of the Derwent tributary
The route now changes character as we amble alongside the River Derwent on its southern bank, part of an intimate floodplain overlooked by the wooded slopes of the moors on either side. Within a mile the meandering river cuts into the steep edge of the plain we crossed a babbling brook on a rickety bridge and scrambled up over a small escarpment before dropping down again to the ancient steppingstones that linked the Smelting Hill behind Offerton with Ridgeway Side beside Brookfield Manor. Two of the stepping stones had been washed under the water, so no one was crossing. But just downstream we watched a gillie teaching flyfishing to a lady. Both, stood in the centre of the stream, were too engaged in their sport to notice us pausing to watch
We meandered with the river along the floodplain past the impressive Nether Hall on the far side. It is the site of one of the six halls of Hathersage built shortly after the Norman Conquest.
Up along another bluff through Goose Neck Wood, we crossed a pasture to Leadmill Bridge and the popular Plough Inn for a lunch of 6 delicious cheeses washed down with Abbeydale Ale.
An alternative venue for lunch, just a couple of hundred yards up the road Is the David Mellor’s cutlery factory. Beautifully designed and built, on the base of the old gas works – hence its circular design – the quality matches that of the cutlery within. Even if you have no need of any, it is worth looking at those on display like mini sculptures in a museum, which lends the stylish wholesome café a fresh and unique character
Leadmill Bridge, originally known as Hazel footbridge, was built in the 18th century for the use of packhorse trains. It had its original archers widened both up and down stream in 1928. We looked out for dippers and grey wagtails, as suggested in the guide book, but saw none.
We followed the north eastern bank of the river from the bridge, dodging some large carved stones stranded in the grass by the track. They may appear to be the remains some Roman villa but in fact they were salvaged from a large steel plant in South Yorkshire.
After a mile we entered Coppice Wood, part of the National Trust’s Longshore Estate, where the river cuts its route through a steep sided valley between Millstone edge and Eyam Moor. We walk between the river and a small floodplain, with the steep slopes of Sheriff Wood opposite, as we make our way toward Grindleford.
Not entering Grindleford we continue on the east bank over a boggy stretch into horse hay coppice. We took care to follow the route at this point, as a previous time we mistakenly walked along the access track to the sewage farm. The path is surfaced in places with gritstone sets but then weaves among moss covered boulders and deciduous trees until we squeezed through a style to cross the fields, with a smaller stone track almost covered by the lush pasture, towards Spooner Lane into Froggatt
Froggatt is a pretty village with old stone houses, often extended an altered with much cared for gardens has an intimate character sheltered from the weather, though more recent development has spread up the steep hillside toward Froggatt Edge to take maximum advantage of the late afternoon sunshine. We paused at the stone bridge at the bottom of the village to enjoy the secluded views both up and down stream. We wanered on, now back on the West Bank through the larch trees. Instead of seeing coots, moorhens and tufted ducks we came across a pair of young maidens who had just emerge in their wetsuits from free swimming in the river above the weir. Just before the weir,the way becomes swampy amongst the alder is as we cross over Stoke Brook to New Bridge. The ‘S’ shaped weir is difficult to see through the trees, even though it is 3.5 metres high. But we walk alongside the resulting Goit (or leet) that fed the Mill wheel at Calver.
Just before carver we pass a curious barn whose upper floor was used as a school house and chapel for the children of millworkers. Carver Mill, an impressive building (used as a screen sets for Colditz, is an 1805 replacement of an 18th-century cotton mill destroyed by fire, now converted into apartments.
As our legs are definitely tiring, we pause at the Eating House Cafe alongside the old Carver Bridge, for a cream tea. The drizzle we had been walking through turned into rain, so we donned our waterproof gear to continue, navigating our way via the one way system through the gift shop before setting on our way.
South of Carver the valley widens out again and we follow the west side of the floodplain away from the traffic on the main road. The rain became heavier and as we splashed along the now muddy path through the woodland our ears were regaled with the incessant pattering of the rain on the leaves of the trees. Reaching Bramley Lane we fair marched into Bubnell, an unspoiled elongated hamlet. But with our heads down we unfortunately took little notice of it, nor the suburban development across the river, fortunately softened by riverside trees.
We cross into Bridge End, he oldest part of the village, by the old bridge. The bridge was built in 1603 and retains a tiny watchman’s guardhouse, reputedly used to prevent the entry of undesirables into the village. Just across the river is St Mary’s church, with a clock face commemorating a Diamond Jubilee. The legend VICTORIA 1897 is used in place of the numerals.
We follow the old road up the hill into Over End, and then back down to Never End, the newer part of Baslow which grew up at the edge of Chatsworth Park during the 19th century when hotels were built to accommodate the parks visitors. We passed by one of these, the Cavendish Hotel to the triangular green beyond to stay at the Devonshire Arms. The Cavendish Hotel is beautifully located on slightly higher ground with views to the south west looking down the valley and with attractive grounds. The cuisine there is excellent and if you’re planning to stay more than one night definitely worth the money to avail yourself of their facilities. However, as it was the days end with the heavens still open, and we were to be up promptly in the morning, the more homely, though still smart, Devonshire Arms suited us very well. Showered and dry, we were able to relax and enjoy Welsh Rarebit Mushrooms followed by Osso Bucco and some more of Abbeydale’s Ales.
