The first winter snow disappeared when Storm Bert washed it away, making low lying paths a bit flooded. So, for this walk, Nellie and I headed to high ground and a romp of about 4 miles around Padley.
I parked roadside in the layby near the Grouse Inn above Froggatt from where we crossed a couple of fields, heading for Hay Wood. Here we turned right on a glorious footpath through oak, beech and silver birch trees whose leaves now lay soggy and compressed after the sudden covering of snow had converted them from crisp and dry to mulch. Emerging close to a rocky knoll I had to stop awhile and drink in the wondrous views that stretched both up and down the Derwent Valley before me.
It was a bit of a trip hazard totter as we descended Tumbling Hill, emerging onto Tegness Road where we turned right and walked to the junction, admiring as we went some of the large villas and detached houses that were constructed here about the time the Sheffield to Manchester railway line arrived, as this suddenly became the perfect commuter belt for anyone working in the city who had a bob or two.
Nellie and I now made our way down to Grindleford Station with its famous ‘brief encounter’ café and the entrance to Totley Tunnel alongside. Stretching for 6230 yards, this was the second longest tunnel in the UK at the time of its construction. The line opened to goods trains in 1893 with a passenger service following through here in 1894.
A small group of trainspotters were positioned on the bridge and I was tempted to ask if some special rolling stock was about to pass through, but decided instead to continue walking rather than stand in the cold.
We headed to just before the narrow road bridge that passes over Burbage Brook where water was plummeting down off the moors, dashing headlong over huge boulders and rocks. Here we went through a gap in the wall to enter woodland by the National Trust sign for Padley Gorge. For a while Nellie and I picked our way over moss covered rocks and mud until we came across a wide and easy to walk path that ascended Yarncliff Woods.
After emerging by the side of the B6521 we carefully crossed over the road then headed up a narrow footpath opposite which skirted around the edge of the disused Yarncliff Quarry, now popular with climbers, but recorded as having been worked for gritstone and grinding stones since medieval times.
The path took us back onto high ground where we were able to enter the Longshaw Estate which is a glorious place to walk with paths and tracks heading off in all directions. The Duke of Rutland acquired the estate in 1855 and built Longshaw Lodge to host shooting parties. The estate was then sold in 1927 to Sheffield Corporation. In 1928 the now famous Ethel Haythornthwaite, a Peak District National Park pioneer, spearheaded an urgent appeal to the public to raise funds and buy the 747-acre estate to avoid the threat of development. Longshaw Estate was then given to the National Trust in 1931.
We made our way to a path passing to the right of what is described on the O.S. map as being Sheffield Plantation. Then at a crossroads we turned right to follow a signpost for the Grouse Inn.
Along this track my eyes were drawn to the right to observe distant summit hills. However, we had timed it perfectly to watch a couple of farmers with a quad and a dog, rounding up sheep. They then loaded them up onto a triple-deck transporter ready to be taken to pastures new. Nellie was twitching and pulling at the side of me. You might think she was excited at the prospect of being able to join in, her herding instincts kicking in from somewhere within her kelpie genes. Not a chance! She was actually pulling in the opposite direction, eager to get past because she was frightened by the sight of so many sheep close by. The only herding Nellie ever does is when she tries to round me up and make me walk faster!!
Sally Mosley
FOOTNOTE BY NELLIE: You might think I’m just a country bumpkin kind of dog, but actually I love to go to town as well. Last week mum and me went shopping together to buy some Christmas presents. We came home with carrier bags full of stuff that was nearly all for me. Mum bought some yummy treats, a new toy and a flashing glow-in-the-dark collar to make sure I can be seen walking around at night. I bought dog chew selection boxes for some of my friends with the pocket money mum pays me for writing this little blog every fortnight. She is in charge of the purse strings though because I don’t actually have any pockets! Ho Ho Ho xxx
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