LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked in Mayfield Road, Ashbourne near St Oswald Church then walked to the bus station in King Edward Street. There I caught the 'swift' bus to Rocester and alighted on Ashbourne Road opposite the car repair garage. From the bus stop I walked south to Mill Street and turned left towards Rocester Bridge, then turned left before the bridge at JCB Academy onto a minor road 'West View' at the very start/finish of the Limestone Way. I passed St Michael's Church on the left then dog-legged left and right along a passage, past Dove First School and Church Lychgate, to Dove Lane, followed a finger post direction ahead to passage and open field. Here I crossed a stile and followed the dog walkers' track to the road. At March 2016 the footpath ahead was blocked by a high temporary constructor's fence at the boundary to possibly Ryecroft Middle School extension. With no way through and no signs I scratched my head and studied the map closely. I walked back towards the stile and where the adjacent fence was I scaled the fence into the field to the east and headed to the north edge of the field but I found no exit. Returning south on the east edge of the field I found a gap up to the north east of the field, through a gate to the north south footpath past the east side of 'Doveflats' buildings. Then I climbed over a couple of stiles to a lane leading to a main road. I continued across the road and through a gate to return to the Limestone Way footpath again. Straight ahead up the hill I passed 'Barrowhill' buildings on the left, to the stile in the far top right hand side corner by Dalesgap buildings. I crossed the main road B5030 again where a farmer pointed me in the right direction, diagonally down hill to the left towards the River Dove. Steady ascent but being careful to ensure the correct route was taken by checking the footpath signs for the Limestone Way, making special note of the forward arrow direction for clues to find the next stile. It was easy walking along the western bank of the River Dove with a high possibility of passing at least one dog walker. I stopped at Lower Ellastone Road bridge for refreshments because the view was peaceful and beautiful, especially as there was a dipper bird hunting for food on the river bed. It was a short walk along Dove Street, B5033, to the lane on the right just before the first cottage off Lower Ellastone. I walked down lane where I saw two donkeys and two llamas. I continued along rough lane to a small wood surrounding Martin's pond. Here I turned sharp left to follow a faint track around to the right until I reached a stile on the right before main road B5032. Then I turned half right across a field past a noisy dog to a stile onto the road. I turned right up the road for a short distance to a finger post on the left for a path following Northwood Brook up a valley. With a brook to my left I followed a faint path across numerous fields, slowly gaining height to 'The Hutts Farm', where an old lorry chassis was (and might still be) perched on a cargo ship container and an elaborate pair of Wendy houses made me wish I was 65 years younger. Good views opened to the left over the wooded Rangemoor Brook and Ordley Brook. A short descent down a farm road to a gate with 'his' and 'her' stiles. The boys was over left stile and girls right stile. Onwards to a further ascent across more fields past Far Wood and Golds Wood towards Dydon Buildings. Here the path turned away from the valley to a dog legged farm road between Dydon Buildings and Ashfield Farm. I continued to cross paths where the Limestone Way turned left, but I continued ahead to the top of 'Hollow Lane'. I could not find the entrance to the lane, can you? As a hail storm started I skirted to the left to a path descending steeply to the bottom of Hollow Lane, following a long and narrow field. As I reached the bottom of the field I thought I had spotted a stone stand for mounting a horse, but behind it was a pool of water, was it a spring? Then, on further inspection I noticed a wooden door, perhaps an old well. I was mystified, any more ideas? I passed through a gate to Middle Mayfield Village Hall and Mayfield Cottage on the right. I took the footpath opposite the farm, at the finger post, to cut the corner to Ashbourne Road B5032. Then I turned left along the road to Mayfield. At the time a beautiful sight of thousands of daffodils all lining the road and footpath, all the way into Mayfield, it was gorgeous. It was a long trudge into Ashbourne along the footpath via Hanging Bridge, A52, and Mayfield Road to the car, parked near St Oswald Church. The end of a magic day's walking along the Limestone Way. As ever unfinished work to hopefully finish the Way in future.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk, - Start: at Rocester. Finish: at Ashbourne