Walk Diary                Sunday 5 February 2012               Weather, 2⁰ C. Sunny

Lower Hartshay      Depart 10.05 am             8 miles           Leader: Sheila Bamford

Bright sunshine glistening on the pristine snow, we just knew it was going to be a good day as we five who were able to get to the starting point made our way towards Pentrich. We crossed the A610 with ease, in fact, I think we could have had a tea party there and not get run over, so light was the traffic. Strangely enough, all the paths on which we walked, bar one, bore the marks of walkers before us, more than like early morning dog walkers and at least their tracks made good path-finders. We walked through Pentrich in the middle of the road, taking time to observe the character and age of some of the buildings in the main street, again surprising that we had been through here many times before, only this morning, really seeing for the first time how beautiful this little, historic village is.

We walked the diagonal path across the top of the hills behind ConeyGrey Farm, looking out towards the silhouette of Crich Stand, stark and erect on the distant horizon. We turned and walked towards Swanwick, meeting children and parents with sleds and all the paraphernalia of winter sports heading for the steep-sided hill we had just left. Later, as we sat for our first break, we could hear their excited squeals as they commenced their exhilarating rides. Plenty of Robins to be seen today - is it that they know there may be the odd crumb whenever humans are around or do we disturb the undergrowth enough for them to be able to forage? Another treat we saw, close to and from a distance, Fieldfares, a sure sign of wintry weather, although we needed no signs for that, with around five inches of snow around our feet for most of the walk.

We slithered around the outskirts of Swanwick, to eventually arrive at Hayes Conference Centre and, passing around to the south side, met yet more children, both young and old, enjoying the snow. We left them to their games and ventured down to a narrow gauge rail line, shortly after passing the Brittain Pit, where the Western Upcast Colliery Headstocks and Winding Gear can be seen, situated in the grounds of the Brittain pit farm, part of the Midland Railway Centre attractions. We passed through Jubilee Woods and took the track beside Butterley Park, keeping an eye on the police helicopter as it came into land at its base nearby. We ate our lunch at the Midland Railway Centre, comfortably seated at some picnic benches after clearing one of the benches of snow.

Onward now to Ripley taking the path around the southern extremity of the reservoir, little did we realise that, at this very point beneath our feet was the Butterley Tunnel, which carries the Cromford Canal for nearly three thousand yards, re-emerging near to Newlands Inn station - a magnificent piece of engineering, first opened to traffic in 1794. We then passed under the now busy and noisy A38, taking the left hand path back to our starting point along the former tow path of the canal; this normally muddy stretch now a treat to walk along. A peaceful path, where time seems to have stood still, a few birds taking flight at our advance, disappearing into the vapour rising from the canal. An airy place, steeped in history, one can almost smell the heavy horse and hear the bargee as they went about their business. Soon we came to those steep steps, ascended and descended before walking the final stretch of canal back to the Old Bridge Inn. Just glad I was able to join the group today and perhaps a little sorry for those who, through the vagaries of the weather, had missed such a charming day out.