Peak District Away Day

Another away day with Richard from Aspire Nordic Walking.

PLEASE READ THE WALK DESCRIPTION BEFORE BOOKING ON

“Poles to Pemberley”

Join us for the second collaboration walk between Aspire and Sherwood Nordic Walking. This time we will be taking in the breathtaking sights, sounds and autumnal smells of the literary Pemberley Estate of Mr & Mrs Darcy.

Our walk will start in the picturesque village of Baslow. Parking is available in the large Derbyshire Dales District Car Park at Nether End, located behind the village green as you arrive from Chesterfield.  The postcode for the car park is DE45 1SR. Please note that parking is payable by cash or paybyphone app only.  You cannot pay for parking by contactless/debit card. All day parking is £6.20 so car sharing is suggested wherever possible.

We will commence the walk with a warm up on the village green (known as Goose Green) before a gentle start through the oldest part of the village and past a charming row of historic thatched cottages which lead us to the lush rolling grassland of the Pemberley Estate. Keeping our eyes peeled for the beautiful herds of red and fallow deer which populate the estate and after a glimpse of the Golden Gates we will gradually gain height as we make our way across the wider estate grounds towards Stand Wood and the first of many spectacular views. Hopefully there will be no sighting of the ghost of Mrs Riley as we follow the moderate incline through the woods to the Hunting Tower and Emperor Lake beyond. A gradual switchback descent will bring us via the estate’s aqueduct to the stables, games larder and Queen Mary’s Bower to cross the 18th Century Paine’s bridge and admire the stunning view back to the Palace of the Peak.

With our legs now well warmed up, we will stride out across the wider estate grounds once again.  We will then gradually climb again through ancient woodland with further chances of glimpsing the more elusive red deer on our way past Russian Cottage.  From here we will commence our gradual descent to the pretty village of Edensor and its collection of estate cottages and St Peter’s Church.  Refreshments will be sought at the Edensor Tea Cottage before we wend our way back to Nether End via the course of the River Derwent and the quintessentially English, Chatsworth Cricket Club to the revolving Cannon gate where we entered the estate.

The walk is set to take place at the end of September. The ground is generally solid and even underfoot, however there are a few uneven and off-camber sections on the walk which will be highlighted as we progress. Whilst we can often see some wonderful dry weather in September, it is more prone to rain and one or two areas of the walk can become muddy/slippery under foot.  Please choose appropriate footwear for the conditions and bring a waterproof.

The walk will be approximately 13km in length with circa 300 metres of ascent across the whole walk. The inclines are generally moderate in nature but a good level of fitness is required for this walk.  There will be ample opportunity to stop and admire the many wonderful vistas of the various parts of the estate. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability for you please discuss with Tracy.

If you want to have a coffee, use the facilities, before the start of the walk please arrive in good time, 9.30am ish, as the walk warm up will commence at 10am prompt.

Distance: 13km / 8 miles

Pace: Moderate

Ascent: 300 metres (much more than we usually do!)

LATE CANCELLATION POLICY: Sherwood Nordic Walking has a late cancellation policy whereby we require 48 hours’ notice for cancelling away day or ‘special’ walk bookings. No refunds can be issued as this is a collaboration walk and there are minimum numbers required to cover the cost.

Thank you,

Tracy Hall

07891932782