Totley, Lydgate, Horsleygate, Cordwell, Millthorpe, Moorhall, Oxton Rakes, Newgate, Barlow, and Unstone

Several new villages and hamlets visited today.

I travelled to the old brickworks on Baslow Road just past Totley and then walked back down to Gillfield Wood. I chose to take the high level footpath which goes to the picnic site, which seems to be a lovely spot with nice views, even though it's not very far from the road.

I then turned south and headed for Storth House; I soon came to a footpath diversion. I think I ended up walking nearly half a mile out of my way but the route was clearly marked and well maintained...and I did get to walk right through the large private garden of a expensive country house - and there were a lot of marsh marigolds to enjoy. 

The path actually came out at Fanshawe Gate, a few hundred yards further east. I picked up my intended route by walking down the road and then across the fields to Lydgate, just a collection of half a dozen farms and houses.

It was an easy, steady descent to Horsleygate, where the footpath goes right through the caravan park, right past the windows of some of the static caravans in fact. It was still quite early and I spotted one woman wearing only a skimpy nightie; she wasn't bothered...and neither was I.  

I couldn't locate the footpath to Millthorpe and so ended up at the next hamlet, Cordwell. I did mean that because I needed to walk along the road I did get to see a lot more of Millthorpe. I ate my sandwiches sitting on one of the seats next to the commemorative stone for a young pilot who died when his aircraft crashed nearby.

The next section of the walk was across fields and then up a byway through woods until I reached Moorhall. The map I was using to navigate was printed out last year when I first planned to do this walk; I'd circled a location in Hollin Wood as being something that might be interesting to look at. I can't remember what it was, and didn't see anything anyway.

The weather improved for a few minutes allowing me to take several photographs - here's the best one.

Oxton Rake is just a collection of expensive houses with large, well-maintained gardens - the route of the footpath here carefully wends its way around the properties...ensuring the privacy of the residents at all times.

Newgate was the final village of the day with 'gate' in its name; there's nothing to see there.

Barlow is a large village; the church is quite pretty although it has been extensively renovated since the eighteenth century.

This was the final horse I saw today; there are a lot along this route...I think I passed a couple of stud farms or equestrian centres.

By this time I was expecting an easy conclusion to the walk, just going through Cobnar Wood and the trading estate to reach the main road where I could catch a bus back to Sheffield. I got lost in the wood and then took the long way out of the trading estate; it being a Saturday there was no-one around to ask.

Fox House, Totley Bents, Mickley, Bradway, Beauchief Abbey, and Millhouses

There was a very good start to the day; I'd not walked for more than a few hundred yards when I noticed a couple of very impressive stags on the horizon, but not too far away. I'm not a very good wildlife photographer though; this was the best shot I could get.

At first only their antlers were visible, and as they both moved I though it was a couple of bare trees swaying in the breeze.

I continued walking across Totley Moor, it's fairly flat, just a gentle slope down to the track which leads to Totley Bents. At one point, just over to my right, I could see a fenced-ff derelict redbrick building, probably something to do with the construction of Totley Tunnel. A bit later I saw the first of two airshafts, built on top of an artificial mound.

Although it isn't visible in the photograph, a train must have recently passed through the tunnel because a small amount of smoke was rising from the shaft.

I found a comfortable, and sheltered spot, to sit down for a few minutes; the view would have been really nice if it wasn't so cloudy and misty. A couple of young men, in their early twenties, who seemed to be prepared for any imaginable emergency or contingency stopped and chatted to me for a few seconds; the larger of the two told me that in good visibility you can see Bolsover Castle from this location.

The track down to Totley Bents is quite steep in places, this is where my hiking pole was useful for the first time; helping to support me. Totley Bents is only a collection of maybe a dozen houses; in one of the gardens I noticed a wrought iron dinosaur skeleton.

I climbed up to the Baslow road,it was very muddy in places, and walked over to the bus terminus where the next section of footpath began; the walk through Gillfield Wood. As I was walking through the wood the sun started to break through the clouds, and a few minutes later when I was walking along country lanes or grasslands I had some lovely views of Totley, and the rest of Sheffield, behind me. I stopped a few times to take pictures.

The climb up to Mickley wasn't too strenuous; yet again my hiking pole was very useful.

From Mickley I walked down the road to Bradway and eventually found Beauchief Abbey, not before getting lost in some woods at the top of an escarpment where there were stunning views towards the moors. In a couple of places seats had been placed.

There is some very pleasant managed countryside in the area where Beauchief Abbey is; the sun was at just the right angle for getting a well-lit photograph of the abbey.

I was hoping to finish today at the café in Millhouses Park but ended up on the wrong side of the railway, walking through some woodland. In this area of woodland I came across a bit of a mystery, some sort of ruins that at first I thought must have been put there for children to play on as some sort of adventure playground...until I saw some more of these ruins totally overgrown. They look like the remains of some mostly-buried lost city; the only parts visible being the tops of pyramids...which look like gigantic pieces of Toblerone chocolate six or eight foot tall.

Being right next to the railway line I'm assuming that's what the answer is to this mystery.

Finally I walked down to the main road and caught the bus.

Today was the first time I'd used my hiking pole for a walk in the Peak District. Overall I'd say it was worthwhile taking it; it was most useful when climbing over stiles, especially the final step down, which can be quite a distance at times. It was also helpful when walking up, or down, steep slopes -  supporting me, helping with my balance, or helping me get up the hills; it is spring-loaded. So...I'll be taking it with me on every walk; I imagine it'll also come in handy when walking across stepping stones...something I have a particular problem with.

Blacka Moor, Totley, Holmesfield Common, Horseleygate, and Baslow.

I got off the bus just before the National Park boundary sign and walked down through Blacka Plantation. I had soon escaped from the noise of the quite busy road and was among dappled light, birdsong and the sound of a babbling brook on a pleasantly warm and windless day in early Spring.

Once I'd cleared this wooded stretch I was walking along undulating tracks and country lanes with panoramic views eastwards towards Totley and various other suburbs of Sheffield.

I actually walked past some outlying farms and houses which are probably part of Totley, possibly a location marked as 'Totley Bents' on the map.

A few minutes later I reached the road that goes to Owler Bar, walked along it for a while and then soon took the footpath which goes around the back of the bus terminus/turnaround  and through Gillfield Wood, I think it's called. Along this section I noticed a couple of benches with names carved into them, and the lettering 'Community 10,000' - it probably refers to a community arts project of some sort; although I can't find any mention of it online.

I ended up walking further east than I had intended; my path wasn't clearly marked, and I arrived at a small car park reserved for wheelchair users at one of the entrances to Holmesfield Park Wood. I soon spotted the fingerpost sign for a footpath which went along the edge of the wood all the way to Holmesfield Common.

I then took the country lane which leads to the hamlet of Horseleygate, taking a bit of a detour down into a small valley and back up through a very tidy mobile homes site in order to avoid walking along a stretch of metalled road.

I then took a short, steep footpath down to the Millthorpe road, crossed it,  and continued down into a very pleasant grassy dale where many yellow, buttercup-like flowers were in bloom.

A short dead-straight stretch of a track called Car Road was next, and then a footpath alongside a stream, gradually walking uphill until I reached bracken moorland and the road quite near to the car park for Shillito Wood.

I walked along the road which leads to the main Baslow road, took a path across more open moorland, crossed another country lane and walked along the track which passes by Wellington's Monument and eventually becomes Bar Road which descends steeply down into Baslow Nether End; where I bought the best ice cream I've tasted in  many years - lemon curd flavour...and I could certainly taste the sharpness of the lemon. It was produced by a local company: Bradwell's of Bradwell.