Darfield
RFM Blue Line
walking with Peter
13/12/24
This was to be a simple circular walk around Darfield taking in Wombwell Ings. We expected to see plenty of dog walkers. The weather was dull, misty, cool but not cold and windless.
We started at the parking spot near Darfield Church the same place as last week. The first stage was to retrace our steps of last week's walk through the gloom past the church towards the Dearne and on to the A635 Doncaster Road.
Turning left up the small hill we crossed the road and stopped at the wall to look over the route to come across the muddy fields.
A couple of small birds flittered around in the trees, we speculated as to what they were and the photo confirms they were blue tits.
The path took us along the edge of Middlewood Park and the boundary estate walls looked like it had seen better days.
We crossed some huge fields with winter cereals planted but luckily the paths were hard not muddy. The gloomy weather made it hard to work out what was what in the distance but 3 windmills and a couple of factories identified the new road to Grimethorpe.
We reached the tiny village called Edderthorpe which I confess before this walk I had never heard of it. It was unremarkable.
The lane out of Edderthorpe was pretty enough and there were many small birds but no dog walkers.
More big fields but no walkers. We crossed the A635 and headed towards the school at the bottom of Low Valley.
This school is the nearest we got to Wombwell before turning back towards Darfield. We passed a lady with a very friendly dog called Daisy. The first and only dog walker we were to pass today.
The walk past the industrial estate towards the B6096 was unpleasant but necessary to get us back into a more interesting area.
After passing the old council depot, now an indusrial estate where I use to work years ago, we headed back towards Darfield Church via Wombwell Ings,
After passing this lake and next to the adjoining lake we stopped at the hide for a coffee.There were 3 older men bird watching. They had scopes and good binoculars and were more than friendly. We discussed bird watching for a while (I explained I was new to the pastime) and then one said they had seen a water pipit. I said I had never seen one or even heard of one.
Imagine
my joy when the guy with the scope invited me to look through the lens at the
pipit. This is a rare visitor to the Uk and only about 200 birds return every winter and I have seen it.
Looking over the banking of the ings towards Darfield through the pervasive gloom.
Back to the church for the last time as the Darfield walks are now complete. The 2 walks were massively more enjoyable than I expected.
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Distance
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6.22
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miles
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Duration
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2.26
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hours
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Avg. Speed
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2.54
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mph
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Total Ascent
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305
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ft
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Steps
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14,034
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This was a very easy 6 mile walk but I am afraid most of the 305ft ascent was from the Ings back up to the church at the end of the walk.
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