March Walk
Following Heather’s retiring lunch 12 walkers set off later than usual for a walk from Calver village. After so many storms in the previous weeks it was refreshing to be out in the sunshine.
After leaving the village we walked passed Calver Mill to cross a field with its own pond (flooded) to walk on the path alongside of the river Derwent.
After crossing the road we saw a number of colourful canoes on the next stretch of the river.
At the other side of the path there was lying water giving a swamp like feel to the environment. Green leafy shoots could be seen coming up in the water, were they bulrushes or iris? This area is also home to great crested newts.
Once we got to Froggatt village we crossed the ancient packhorse bridge before turning to walk on the other side of the river.
Along the way back to Calver we saw signs that spring is on its way with snowdrops, crocus, daffodils and forsythia all in flower. A number of robins sang for us.
We left the road to cross a field to get back onto the river path. This gave us a good view of Calver weir which many commented we had not seen look so spectacular with so much water spilling over. The weir is Grade II listed and was constructer in the nineteenth century.
As we left the river bank we noticed across the road Siddall Well, this gave a number of us chance to wash boots and wellies.
We walked the other side of Calver Mill on the way back. There have been a number of buildings on the site but the one we see today was built in 1804 and at one point employed 200 people in the cotton mill. In the 1970’s the building was used as one of the locations for the Colditz programme on the BBC. Today it is divided up into flats.
We were soon back in Calver village and back to our cars.