WALKING GROUP
“If you pick ‘em up, O Lord, I’ll put ‘em down.”
(Prayer of the Tired Walker).
Our usual group showed up for the first walk of 2014 with the addition of Mary, a friend of Julie Franks and we hope she will join us again.
We parked outside the school in the village of Barlborough and set off on the Chaffinch Route with a brisk, cold wind in our faces. After walking across the bridge over the M1, we turned into the first of four very muddy fields with the sound of distant heavy traffic ringing in our ears. On reaching a small wood in the dale we were sheltered and feeling a bit warmer before trekking through another water-logged field and passing some deserted allotments. We carefully crossed a busy main road then had a gently ascent towards Spinkhill, with the Church of the Immaculate Conception, rising above the school. The church was built by Joseph Hansom, the designer of the Hansom cab. As we wandered through the village we spotted ‘Clock Cottage’ which had a stone clock, three feet in diameter, set into the wall. Although not in working order, the time was shown as 2 o’clock, which just happened to correspond with our watches. Another home was spied with the name of ‘Sea View’ making us wonder – why?
Two more very muddy fields later, we arrived at a tunnel under the M1 and were met with an expanse of water which had to be walked through slowly and carefully, unless you were lucky enough to be wearing wellingtons. Even though we had negotiated a variety of stiles and slippery conditions underfoot, and were splattered with mud, no one had fallen down and we arrived at the cars in good spirits, just as the rain came down.
The next 5 mile walk will be on Sunday 2nd February, from Holmesfield and led by Colin Hand. Please meet, as usual, at the church gates at 12 noon with a packed lunch. Cars will then be sorted out. Everyone welcome.