Robin
Hood - Birchen Edge - Three Ships - Nelsons Monument
- Wellingtons Monument - Eagle Stone - Baslow Edge
- Curbar Gap - Curbar Edge - Froggat Edge - Froggatt
Bridge - River Derwent - Calver Marshes Wildlife
Reserve - Calver - Curbar - Below Baslow Edge - Wellingtons
Monument - Jack Flat - Below Gardoms Edge - Three
Men - Robin Hood
The
walk today started from the Robin Hood Inn on the
A619 two miles east of Baslow. The weather forecast
was promising but started and ended in cloud. From
the car park I walked a few metres down the road
before taking the path on the left up and on to Birchen
Edge.
The walk today started from the Robin
Hood Inn on the A619 two miles east of Baslow. The
weather forecast was promising but started and ended
in cloud. From the car park I walked a few metres
down the road before taking the path on the left
up and on to Birchen Edge. After a short distance
I arrived at Nelson’s Monument. The gritstone monument
consists of a column with a ball on top. It was erected
in 1810 by a local businessman in honour of Lord
Nelson. Near to Nelsons Monument were the Three Ships
which are three large stone boulders bearing the
names of Nelson's ships (Victory, Defiance and Royal
Sovereign).
Continuing
along the ridge I reached Birchen Edge (310m) triangulation
pillar (S2154).
After a short
break I left Birchen Edge and descended down across
moorland to the A621 Sheffield road. I then took
Clodhall Lane for a short distance before taking
the track/permissive path to Wellingtons Monument.
There were several Highland Cattle around here.
Wellingtons Monument erected in 1866 is dedicated
to the Duke
of Wellington to celebrate his victory at the battle
of Waterloo in 1815. It was erected by Doctor Wrench
who was a local man. Close by to the monument and
standing next to a moorland path is the Eagle Stone.
This is a great weathered rock of gritstone and
legend has it that it was once a test of
manhood for young
men living in nearby villages who had to climb
the rock before they could marry.
Leaving
the Eagle Stone I walked along Baslow Edge to Curbar
Gap. The views across to the
west and
north were great. I then walked along Curbar
Edge as far
as Froggatt Edge and then descended down through
woodland to the A625. There were quite a few
rock climbers on Curbar and Froggatt Edges.
The path
then continued across a field and woodland down
to Froggatt
Bridge. Here I joined the path alongside the
River Derwent as far as New Bridge. Just
before the bridge
is a very interesting nature reserve. From the
bridge I continued walking alongside the River
Derwent and
“The Goit” to Calver Marshes Wildlife Reserve,
Stocking Farm, Calver Mill and the village craft
centre.
It was
getting
quite warm
in the sun at this point. I crossed the Baslow
road
and ascended up the minor road opposite by the
side of the church to Curbar village. After the
village
I sat down on a bench to look back down into
the valley where I had been not long ago.
My return
leg of the walk followed the path below Baslow
Edge.
It was now starting to get cloudy again. After
passing some more Highland Cattle and below Wellingtons
Monument
this time I continued past Jack Flat, crossed
the main A621 Sheffield road, walked beneath
Gardoms
Edge, by the “Three Men” rocky outcrop, and across
moorland back to the A619 and the
Robin Hood pub. This walk was almost 11 miles
but had lots of varying
and lovely scenery.
|
