September Walk – Hardwick Hall & Estate
The walk was an easy–going walk on trails and across fields through the Hardwick Estate.
We started from Ault Hucknall Church, a beautiful church in a rural setting and followed a trail between two fields. It was breezy but pleasantly warm. In the valley below we could hear the constant hum from the M1 motorway.
We skirted the area of Broadoak Hill and down to the Millers pond where we found some picnic tables and had a leisurely lunch. Dragon flies of iridescent blue and swallows flying high above, reminded us it was still summer. There were a few anglers along the perimeter of the pond along with ducks and geese who had decided to come onto dry land for a while but they were outnumbered by the water fowl still on the pond. Children were playing ball games and a few families were having a barbeque.
After our picnic lunch, we continued our walk to the Row Pond which had numerous white water lilies floating on the surface. As we went along the bottom of the valley we could see elderberries and hawthorn berries which were black and red respectively to catch the eye of any passing birds.
As we left the valley we had a steep ascent up to the Hall, which gave us the excuse to stop and look back and enjoy the view. Once at the top of the hill we faced the magnificent Hardwick Hall – which really is more glass than wall – a display of wealth by Bess of Hardwick, the second richest woman in Elizabethan England after the Queen. The Hall was built from locally quarried stone and timber from the local woods.
It was a pleasant scene with woods and trails beyond. Now on the flat we went past the new Visitors Centre, into the wood and along a trail, out of the warmth and into the shade.
Once out of the wood we were on a lane between arable fields most of which had been harvested. At Norwood Lodge we followed the footpath and walked through a field of barley which was yet to be cut and then into a small wood where we encountered some mud as a result of the overnight rain. We trod carefully as we approached the footpath over the stream. Eventually we joined up with the Rowthorne Trail which led us gently back across the field to our starting point at the church. We all enjoyed this late summer walk. Eric & Helen
Next month’s walk on Sunday 2nd October is of 5 miles and will be led by Evelyn Lowe from Wormhill towards Millers Dale and skirting Monk’s Dale. New walkers are welcome, please meet at the church gates at 12 noon with a packed lunch, transport will be sorted out and we will be on our way!