Calver Slough Baslow RFM Blue Line Walking with my brother

Calver Slough Baslow 

RFM Blue Line 

Walking with my brother

25/10/24

The journey over to the start point was dark and foggy, not very pleasant. Peter and I agreed that we would stick closer to home for the rest of this year's winter walks.

We parked in exactly the same place as last week and set off down the hill through this decidely beautiful little Derbyshire gem of a village. Each building seems to hold so much history and interest. The fog was not as bad as over the hills but looked set in for the day. The lampost stone seating area erected early last century is from another age. 

After a slight detour around the village, as our interest in the buildings had dragged us off course, we climbed the hill through the leaf strewn woods of Hare Knoll. 

The views crossing Hare Knoll were shrouded in fog so we had to be satisfied by good views of the cows. We discussed the differences between Jersey and Guernsey cows. A theme of this walk was definitely the abundance of cows on the route.

Dropping off the Knoll into New Bridge we found some residents preparing for Halloween, they were very quiet and not very friendly.

This building next to the river and close to the bridge peaked our interest.  What could it have been built for? It was too far from the road to be a toll and too small to be a riverside pub. Who knows?

The river down from the bridge was very sluggish and wide which we understood when we spotted the weir in the distance. Perhaps there had been a mill here.

The route followed the river along this stretch and was very pleasant as were the properties backing on to the path. We passed a couple with a big ginger curly haired dog which barked at us. The lady explained she was being a bit territorial. Rosy the dog couldn't resist saying hello once we were talking and we parted friends.

Just before we reached the road and left the river, we came across this rather decent tree house in an adjoining garden. The gardens were all boundered with the same high wire fence which after much discussion we agreed was to keep out the deer.

We left the bankside just before the beautiful Froggatt Bridge and followed the road for a short while.

The path at Foggatt climbed quickly between the trees up to the next road.

After a short distance following the road we entered Bee Wood. This was a beautiful wood with many rocks and old trees. The woodland spirits surely exist here, if anywhere, and one little devil seems to have left his mark on one of the many boulders.

The trail to Warren Lodge at Curbar was pretty enough but still very foggy. We passed a lady with a very friendly dog called Hayley.

The path emerged onto a minor road and we followed it around and down a little way.

We thought out path went through the field with this horse in it. We would not have entered because the horse was extremely active and a little frightening, it was very big. Luckily the horse was behind a fence.

A highlight of the walk.

 About 300 yards along this path are the Cundy Graves. The Great Plague came to Curbar in the 17th century, although 30 years prior to the more famous Eyam Plague. The Cundy family were from nearby Grislowfield Farm and perished in 1632. It is not known who buried the family but Thomas and Ada Cundy together with their children Olive, Nellie and young Thomas each have a slab carved with their initials. 

From Peak District Online

We saw several of these plinths or caps along the route and this one had a plaque but I am sorry to say we are flumaxed as to what they are. Googling it has not produced anything.

We reached the top of our walk, below Baslow Edge which we could not see, and paused for a bun and coffee. The view was foggy but the boulders were brilliant to sit on.

The fields down towards Baslow were full of cows but luckily they were pretty chilled though we did detour around a few groups to avoid upsetting them.

We came across a pair of huge mushrooms, Peter is stood next to one of them. The walk down into Baslow should have been scenic but....

The lane into Baslow was very quiet and quite steep. We passed a couple with a very excited border collie. We warned them of the cows in the fields but they were not going that way. The conversation developed into a discussion regarding the increase in aggression in modern cows. Peter suggested it was because new breeds were not as placid as the traditional cows. He is probably right.

We took the very quiet Gorsebank Lane towards Gorse Bank Farm. Near the farm we had to duck into a field gateway to let a tractor pass which looked like it was driven by a 10 year old.

At the farm we saw the same tractor being parked, a teenage boy emerged and walked off. I shouted him to tell him he had left the tractor's lights on and we were treated to a teenage shrug. He did thank us as he returned to turn off the lights.

Walking through the farm onto the lane out of the farm we realised that a flock of sheep were being moved along the lane by a farmer and his dogs. We moved out of the way near a gate to watch as the sheep were moved towards us. When they reached us they all ran in front of us into a holding area and we continued our walk. Magic.

Leaving the lane we crossed more fields of sheep and cows and even some small highland cattle. This one was very close to us and was a joy to see.

We had to cross the corner of the next field near the tree where 3 horses were watching us. As we approached the stile the horses obligingly turned and walked across the field away from us.

Going across the fields and up the old stone path to Lane Farm we passed a couple of well clothed horses. 

On the lane through Curbar we came across and old telephone box converted into a rudimentary

information centre.

Down the hill towards the river some of the trees were in full autumn colour. 

Crossing the river Derwent back into Calver the renovated Calver Mill sits pretty next to the river.

A fantastic walk through the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.