Walking Group
For the first walk of 2015 we decided to go eco-friendly by starting and finishing our walk at Church, instead of driving to the starting point. The weather was dry and frosty as we met outside Church before going into the Parish Room to eat our sandwiches before starting our walk.
Seven of us set out, along St John’s Road and Littlemoor before walking up by the side of the Nags Head; the pub’s cellars date back to the 13th century. On our right we passed Eyre Chapel, standing on the highest point of Newbold Village, and at the meeting point of four ancient trackways the Abbot of Welbeck may have converted an existing building in the mid 1200’s. The chapel took its name from the Eyre family who bought the manor of Newbold in 1570. On our left we passed the Barnett Observatory. When it was built in 1960 it housed the largest amateur telescope in Europe and is currently the 9th largest amateur telescope in the United Kingdom. The Chesterfield Astronomical Society meets there every Friday evening.
Continuing on our way between playing fields and through housing estates we finally dropped down to join the Holme Brook and picked up our eighth walker, Mary. Crossing under Loundsley Green Road we entered Holmebrook Valley Park. The 130 acre park was originally open fields reclaimed from an opencast site and was opened by Frank Dobson MP in April 1995.
We walked through the park before leaving at its west end, continuing to Hall Farm and passing Cutthorpe Hall, once the home of the Heathcote family after they purchased it in 1614. Joining Green Lane we reached the village of Cutthorpe.
We turned right, walking through the linear village of Cutthorpe, down Main Road passing the Old Manor House, said to have been built by the first mayor of Chesterfield, Ralph Clarke, in 1625 and the Three Merry Lads, a one-time coaching house.
Soon we left the main road, turning right down Brockwell Lane to return to Holmebrook Valley Park. As we reached the sports pavilions we spent a few minutes watching a flying display of radio controlled model aircraft.
Leaving the Park we walked through the housing estate to reach Newbold Road, then cut through an older housing estate to reach Littlemoor once again. Retracing our steps down St John’s Road we returned to Church.
Our reward at the end of our two hour walk was to be invited to the home of Bob and Ruth Cable where we enjoyed delicious bowls of home-made soup, accompanied by freshly baked bread and cheese scones and mince pies.
Why not join us for future walks?
They take place on the first Sunday of the month, meeting outside Church at 12:00noon. Transport can be arranged to take you to the starting point of a 4 – 5 mile walk where we usually eat our packed lunch before starting.
It’s a great way to get exercise and socialise at the same time.
Stephen Franks
The February walk takes place on Sunday 1st and will be led by Eric and Helen around the Tapton area. Everyone is welcome.