Introduction
High pressure is controlling the weather this week, so I was confident of a pleasant, dry day in the Peak District today.
It turned out to be quite cloudy with occasional sunny intervals, excellent walking weather.
If you don’t like woodland, don’t go here, because this walk was woodland all the way, gorgeous in autumn, and just a pleasant riverside stretch to finish.
Grindleford is over towards the eastern side of the Peak District (less than 10 miles from the centre of Sheffield) and it’s an hour’s drive from Cheadle Hulme.
The walk is 6.8 miles with 1240 feet of ascent.
It took 3 hours 45 minutes to complete.
The walk is brilliant for dog walking – no stiles, very few livestock, and no roads.
I walked in an anticlockwise direction.
The walk straddles the two OS Explorer maps for the Peak District, OL1 and OL24.
There is easy free roadside parking in the village, postcode S32 2JN, What 3 Words //petulant.pats.learn
Grindleford To Yarncliff Wood
I crossed the River Derwent by the road bridge, and turned right to cross a field full of weedy seed plants.
A boring picture perhaps, but there are at least five goldfinches hidden here! They were loving it.
Beyond the field I entered the first wood, Horse Hay Coppice.The path is constructed of beautiful, bold cobbles, though they are quite uneven.
I turned left up the bank, and away from the river flood plain.
The path up here was quite muddy in parts, but easily passable.
It’s a lovely place, where you can stop, listen and look for the birds to flit around the undergrowth.
I reached the smallish open area in the wood, where some cattle were grazing harmlessly and took in the view to the valley below.
It was here that I came across the amazing toadstool! There were others too.
This is old woodland and some trees had lost branches and appeared quite sculptural.
The views just kept improving with stunning displays of colour in the trees!
Bolehill Wood To Oxhay Wood
I crossed the B6521 and made my way down to the babbling brook at Bole. It’ss very pretty!
Just above the brook is a sign, must be something intriguing ahead.
Sadly, I must have missed it, as nothing appeared that I could describe as surprising. I did come across this interesting rock formation, but it was hardly a view or a surprise.
The woods continued as before, but perhaps a little drier underfoot!
I was now on the top edge , and at the high point of the walk. A rock climber was just completing his ascent of the edge as I arrived.
I had been in the lee of the easterly breeze, and it was suddenly quite chilly, so I was pleased to drop back down below the edge. I took my lunch and continued down to Oxhay wood. It was very pleasant as the sun broke through.
here were no other people around, and I was lucky to see a great spotted woodpecker moving through the canopy before a break in the trees gave another great view over Greenwood Farm to the valley below.
Rough Wood, Coppice Wood, And The River Derwent
When planning this walk, I thought I would be taking the last couple of miles in fields along the riverbank. I hadn’t appreciated that in fact I would remain in two more wonderful woods before the final half mile or so.
These woods are similar to those that have gone before, and all are delightful.
There is a beautiful point where there is a spectacular view back up to the rocky edge where I’d watched the climber an hour or so earlier.
I emerged from Coppice Wood to enjoy the gorgeous River Derwent, so reminiscent of the Goyt nearer to home, including the signature bird, the dipper, plus about 100 mandarin ducks and a lone fly fisherman.
Then, just as I arrived back at my car, I spotted the surprise view in the adjacent garden….. yes, an unexpected giraffe!
As I said in my Introduction, this is very much a woodland walk. A fantastic one!
And Finally….
This is from a new album of covers that I’ve been listening to. The artist is Meshell Ndegeocello, the album is Synonym, and this is his version of I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) accompanied by Cynthia Eviro.
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