DISCOVER DERBYSHIRE

AND THE

PEAK DISTRICT

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BOLSOVER WALK

THE WALK

An invigorating walk through attractive open countryside, between Bolsover Castle and Sutton Scarsdale Hall, which are the two most prominent landmarks in this part of North East Derbyshire.

 

The route descends steeply from the Castle to New Bolsover, built during the 1890s as a ‘Model’ mining village; it has undergone a major refurbishment in recent years.

 

For a short distance, the Stockley Trail is followed, before you cross the Millennium Bridge and head towards the M1 Motorway. The motorway is crossed twice, ‘over’ on the outward journey and ‘under’ on the return. 

 

Sutton Scarsdale Hall, once one of Derbyshire’s finest houses now lies in ruins. The house was built for the first Lord Scarsdale, who is supposed to have been the model for the old peer in Hogarth’s ‘The Rake’s Progress’. A later owner was thought to have been the person that Sir Clifford Chatterley in D H Lawrence’s novel ‘Lady Chatterley’ was modelled on.

 

Sutton Mill Farm is the birthplace of Peter Fidler, the famous North American pioneer. Near the farm is the Peter Fidler Reserve, where a stone cairn commemorates his life and achievements in Canada.   

 

 WALK DETAILS

 Length:  6 miles.

Start /finish:  Public Car Park near to Bolsover Castle.

Location:  On A632 in North East Derbyshire.

Terrain:  Some moderate ascents and descents at Bolsover and Sutton Scarsdale. Can be very wet underfoot.

THE ROUTE

{Note a visitor to this site reports a section of the path has been blocked - this has been referred to the County Council - further information is awaited.}

1.    Facing Bolsover Castle gates walk to the left, then go to the right down Castle Lane and after a short distance turn right along a tarmac path by a footpath sign.

 

2.      Follow the path along to reach an open field, turn to the left and keeping close to the hedge walk to the bottom of the field.

 

3.      Turn left onto an enclosed track and follow it down, through two stiles, to New Bolsover Model Village.

 

4.      Continue in the same direction, keeping the houses on your left, to reach Villas Road.

 

5.     Turn left and follow the road along keeping straight on, where it bends sharply to the left, along a rough track passing under an access sign for ‘Carr Vale Flash.’

 

6.     After a few yards turn right and walk down another track, where the path bends to the right, opposite a car parking area, take a sharp left turn along the Stockley Trail.

 

7.     Continue on the trail until you reach an intersection of paths at the end of an area of scrub woodland where you turn right, signed for Sutton Scarsdale Hall.

 

8.      After crossing the Millennium Bridge, carry straight on, skirting round Carr Vale Flash Reservoir to a stile on the opposite side of the field.

 

9.      Go diagonally to the left across a wide field to what used to be the end of the field, close to a line of electricity poles.

 

10.    Continue in the same direction, with the ruins of Lodge Farm on your right to reach the former farm access road, where you turn left and walk to Palterton Lane. 

 

11.  Turn right over the motorway bridge and walk up the lane, going to the right at a footpath sign located just below a house on same side of the road.

 

12.  Walk along a rutted track that takes you in front of Sutton Scarsdale Hall and behind a row of houses to a minor road. Here you turn left along the road and then left again to visit the ruins of the hall.

 

13.  Retrace your steps and check the Information Board by the roadside to ensure you follow the diverted route. Follow the track behind the hall and take the second farm road on your left. This runs down the field at an angle of about 45 degrees to the right, before bending to the left and then to the right again, heading to a stile about 40 yards in from the bottom left hand corner of the field.

 

14.   Turn left and follow the path through a series of small fields, close to the edge of the motorway, and then turn right along a farm track under the M1.

 

15.   Keeping the hedge on the left continue along the track to cross the fence by a gate in the corner of the field. Maintain the same direction in the next field until you reach a stile by a gate.

 

16.   Go over the stile and cross the field angling very slightly to the right to cross a stile on the opposite side.

 

17.   Go over what used to be an old railway line and in the next field head diagonally to the right towards Mill Farm, but just before entering the farmyard cross a stile on the right.

 

18.   Turn right along the surfaced path and then take the second gravelled path on the left that you reach. Follow it up a slope and down the other side onto the Stockley Trail.

 

19.   Go to the right along the trail and then left to rejoin the path that you followed at the beginning of the walk. From this point, you will be able to re-trace your steps back to the start.

 

 

 

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PLACES OF SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE AREA

Bolsover Castle, (Tel. 01246 822844) an award winning attraction that provides a romantic example of a Cavalier’s pleasure palace. Under the control of English Heritage, there is a shop a spacious café. For further information website: www.english-heritage.org.uk

Hardwick Hall (Tel 01246 850430) one of the greatest Elizabethan houses, which survives almost unchanged. It holds one of the best collections of tapestries in Europe, in the impressive Long Gallery. Please telephone for details or visit website

Creswell Crags (Tel 01909 720378) world famous archaeological site with limestone gorge, caves and a lake. Home of Neanderthal hunters, 40,000 years ago. Please telephone for details or visit website


REFRESHMENTS

The Hudson Bay Beerhouse, originally built by Peter Fidler the famous North American pioneer and surveyor for his mother, it has now been converted into a very modern and tasteful public house. Seating available outside with excellent views. Food lunchtime and evenings (tel 01246 828300).  

 Bolsover Castle Tearooms combined with the shop, provide a pleasant area to relax and take tea and light refreshment. Seating available outside. Opening times are the same as for the Castle (tel 01246 822844).


 

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Provides a wide range of features  with heritage trails and detailed countryside walks, through some of the most scenically attractive countryside in the UK.

 

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BOLSOVER FEATURE

Approaching the town along the Chesterfield Road, the skyline is dominated by the impressive looking Bolsover Castle. William Peveril built the first castle on the site after being given the land by William the Conqueror.

Bolsover was one of the first towns in Derbyshire to have a market charter, but once the traditional trades of buckle making and clay pipe manufacture faded, the town began to decline. The turning point came in 1891, when Emerson Bainbridge founded the Bolsover Colliery Company. He sank a pit to the west of the town and built a model village called New Bolsover to house colliery workers and their families.

Bolsover Feature


 

All details on this page were correct at the time of publication, but changes may be made without notification.