Grindleford Eyam Moor and the Derwent Walking with Lacey RFM Blue Line

 Grindleford Eyam Moor and the Derwent

Walking with Lacey

RFM Blue Line

19/06/24

The walk began in Grindleford.

A traditional stone built village with busier than expected roads but parking was relatively easy to find. As soon as we got out of the car and started to put on our hiking gear we encountered a lovely old lady emerging from the house outside of which we were parked. She had a very elderly big brown curly haired dog which I think was a lagotto romagnolo. I asked her if it was ok for us to park outside her house for a few hours and she was happy as she parked round the back. We got talking and found out the gorgeous dog was called Brown Bear the same name as my hamster but a bit bigger. We stroked the dog who was really friendly but had to stop when she told us that Bear would fall asleep and fall over if we kept stroking him. 

The route from Grindleford immediately started climbing first up a very slippery path and then up the Sir William Hill road which was straight as an arrow and very steep, perhaps it was roman. Consequently we soon gained height and got a view across the valley towards Nether Padley.

Lacey spotted a deer feeding in a field next to the road and took this photo. We managed to watch it for a while until....

We reached the turning onto Eyam moor and I recountered the tale, as I could remember it, of the village of Eyam's self isolation during the black death.

Crossing the moor we came to the Wet Witherns stone circle as shown in these 3 photos. This is a Bronze Age embanked stone circle mostly covered in vegetation and although its history is impressive on the ground it is a little underwhelming.

On the top of Eyam moor Lacey took this wonderfull picture of what I think is a lark but I am open to be corrected. I must admit that I did not even see the bird so well done Lacey.

There were views down the valley towards the church at Hathersage and up the valley towards Bamford Edge and Win Hill. The overcast weather was warm enough and there was no sign of rain.

We dropped down the hill, through the bracken and foxgloves passing a number of distinctive calling birds which I think were Wheatears. To be honest if it wasn't for the call they would just have been little brown birds. The lane was barely passable by one car and we did have to stand on the verge to let one pass. With views of the distant Bamford Edge we arrived at the drive for Hog Hall surely a name from Wind In The Willows or was that Toad Hall. 

At the lane to Tor Farm we found a perfect stone bench, for elevenses, with views over Highlow Wood and towards Hathersage. The well-maintained lane was much appreciated so well done Tor Farm. Not sure on the derivation of the name Highlow as it looks confusing. However as I know Low is a name for a hill perhaps it just means high hill.

We left the meadows below Tor Farm and entered Highlow Wood. Tall conifers some thretening to fall on the path were a welcome change of scenery but the very muddy paths were not. We saw another small deer here but it just immediately scampered out of view.

We climbed through the sheep pasture to Highlow Hall. A lovely old building with a few barns and cottages adjacent.

Then it was down the steep lanes and tracks to Offerton Hall.

We encountered a friendly walker who showed us a pair sleeping pigs over the wall. Lacey got a good shot of one of the snoozers. The rest of his group soon joined us and we exchanged banter. They seemed a very happy lot and I would have said most were much older than me. Come on you ramblers.

 We spotted a small bird in the distance that I thought was a bullfinch but Lacey's clear photo from over a hundred yards clearly shows it was a redstart, a bird I have never seen before.

At the bottom of the hill we turned right along the near bank of the Derwent towards the stepping stones that we were intending to cross. Once we got to the middle of the river on the slippery stepping stones, however, we decided to turn back as the gap where one stone had moved was too wide to cross safely and the river too deep to risk a soaking. I had seen, when mapping the route, that this might be an issue and realised that the walk could be completed on either bank, we would just miss walking into and out of Hathersage, so save it for another day. The golden rule of rambling for me is always be safe rather than sorry, we are walkers not climbers, pot holers, or swimmers. 

After a long walk along the bank side some of it muddy and up and down but most of it flat and grassy we reached the Leadmill Bridge. In the wooded area of the bankside we were held up by a group of young kids and adults not sure if it was teachers and pupils or mums and kids but it was slightly annoying that we had to ask to be allowed to pass them on the narrow path. Once they agreed to let us pass the kids were great, showing us where to go to avoid a tree blockage. A little consideration for other walkers though would be appreciated after all we would and do definitely give others consideration.

A lot more walking, in better weather as the sun was making an appearance, along the Derwent Valley Heritage Way eventually brought us back to our start point in Grindleford past many meadows and some shade loving resting sheep.

The last few miles along the riverside was about half the length of the walk but was actually pretty uneventful however it was flat and easy walking.

Distance	10.2	miles
Duration	5	hours
Avg. Speed	2	mph
Total Ascent	1472	ft
Steps	25,784