Stavely Renshaw Chesterfield Canal RFM Blue line Cuckoo Way

 

Stavely Renshaw 

Chesterfield Canal 

RFM Blue Line 

Cuckoo Way

06/06/25

The weather this week has been changeable to say the least. I was well prepared with my raincoat and ready for a steady TPT (Trans Pennine Trail) and canal side walk. I know this is a built up area and things are not always the same on the map as on the ground and boy was that true today. I had ........ I'll explain as I go through the photos.

The first set back was that the car park next to the canal wasn't open, I was too early. So I parked in the same spot I parked in on Monday on Troughbrook Road. That's an additional 1/2 mile or so.

Here we are at Katy's cafe next to the canal at Hollingwood, empty. 

I walked a short distance up Works Road, (what a name for a road). and turned left onto a footpath hopefully through an old industrial site. Much of the floor and in floor railways were still on the site. I started to wonder what had been the function of the site whilst hoping it wasn't dangerous. I suppose it would have been fenced off if it was. I passed a reassuringly friendly dog walker.

My way was blocked by a security fence so I had to back track and join Works Road instead of the short cut over the derelict site.

The bridge under the railway at Barrow Hill was dark and ..well...industrial. 

This part of the walk was a little bit run down.

I crossed the same railway I had just walked under and came across this old red brick building. Not sure what its function was but being near the railway maybe it was related. I felt like I was travelling back in time.

The walk from here to Hall Lane, Stavely was through an industrial zone that had been reconquered by nature. I tried to get to the old railway line at Hall Lane but I was thwarted several times and ended up retracing my steps more than once. The problem was compounded by my going the wrong way. 

At least I got to see this pond and reed bed. There were plenty of birds around but I was walking not bird watching. Also I was not getting anywhere fast.

This is the old rail line I was trying to get to but it is not accessible and has security fencing barring entry. It looked ok on the map. Maybe this is the line they intend to use to extend the Sheffield Supertram. Its just a guess. So this was another alteration to route. I had to join the canal at Stavely and walk a short distance to the start of the Northward TPT.

The canal was actually quite nice but there was a lot of work going on and the paths were moved to accommodate this extending the walk even further. 

The TPT is like a superhighway for walkers and I was very soon bowling along at easily 3.5 or even 4 miles per hour. I was being passed by many bikes, some electric (well at least it gets them out), walkers, runners and several electric wheelchairs. I really enjoyed the fact that so many people were using this route. Most people had a cheery word except a few cyclists who earphones engaged just ignore you. Knobheads.

I couldn't resist taking photos of these Long-Tail-Tits as they are normal high in the trees and hard to photograph but these were below me as I was on the old rail embankment.

When I could see through the trees the views were quite good.

Finally after what seemed an age on this dead straight section I got to the bridge at Renishaw.

The Church at Spinkhill was poking up through the woods.

I reached the point where the map said I would join Spinkhill Lane. The problem was the embankment was about 30 foot higher than the road and there was no way down. The banking was wooded and steep and it looked like a barbed wire fence at the bottom. So no option but to go back to the bridge at Renishaw. Another alteration to the plan.

I retraced my steps and got to the canal bridge next to the disused railway bridge at Renishaw The canal itself was just about non-existent

I followed the route of the canal for about a mile through the woods parallel to the TPT. There was plenty of canal infrastructure there but it looked like the canal itself had been backfilled. Leaving the woods the canal headed away from the TPT.

The further I went along the less the route looked like a canal. I met a kindred spirit doing the cuckoo way in individual walks just like I have been doing. We had a good chat and I left him with reassurance that he was on the right path.

There were actually quite a few poppies along the way.

This part of the canal has been turned into a wheat field but you can still make out where the canal ran.

The river went through some woods and crossed over the River Doe Lea, yes I also have never heard of it.

Going back into Stavely the route and shape of the old canal was easier to follow.

The emergence of some canal architecture was reassuring. I could see the bridge of the TPT ahead and another security fence. Luckily the route was still passable.

At this point a real canal re-emerges and the new centre at Stavely Lower Basin as it is not quite finished gave me another detour.

They are literally putting the finishing touches to the site but I probably will not return to se it operating.

This is a beautiful length of canal and even the very low bridge was cool. I had to bend double to get under it.

The pylons which are an ever present companion on this walk can be ignored when such a pleasant sight is there to entertain and replenish you.

I returned to the start at Hollingwood and with sore feet was very pleased to see my red car waiting for me. This had been a longer and more complicated walk than planned but I still enjoyed it. I only have 1 more walk to fully complete the Cuckoo Way.

9.5   miles

250   feet ascent

250    feet descent

3:05   hours mins walking time

3.1     mph