DISCOVER
DERBY
Presented by the www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk website
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DISCOVER |
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DERBY |
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Presented by the www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk website |
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SPONDON WALK THE WALK This is a most enjoyable walk with expansive views over open countryside, passing through the attractive village of Ockbrook. After leaving the village, the walk climbs gently up to Hopwood Nook, before returning across the fields, past the site of a windmill, which is on private land. Ockbrook is the home of a Moravian settlement, a product of the 18th century, with its delightful terrace of red brick Georgian buildings and strikingly attractive church. The Moravian Church was founded in 1457, in Bohemia, and was based on simplicity in life and worship. In 1750, a Congregation of the Moravian Church was established in Ockbrook and after over coming many obstacles, mainly due to local opposition, two years later a church was opened. During the latter part of the 18th century, the village was the centre of the Moravian Church in England. The Moravians were hard working, highly disciplined people with strict rules. They attended to the basic medical needs of the community, built schools and opened a shop as well as administering to the spiritual needs of the community. The latter section of the walk takes you along a wide Bridleway back to Spondon.
WALK DETAILS Length: 4.25 miles. Start/Finish: Spondon Library (Alternatively the car park at the Public Recreation Ground on the Ilkeston Road.) Location: Off the A52 Derby to Nottingham road. Terrain: An easy, flat walk for the most part on well defined paths.
THE ROUTE 1. Leave the centre of Spondon, and walk along the A6096 towards Ilkeston, turn right at a Public Recreation Ground. 2. Keep the Recreation Ground Car Park on your right and walk along a rough track, where the path forks follow the sign for Ockbrook. Continue in the same direction along an obvious path to the outskirts of Ockbrook. 3. On reaching a triangular shaped field with houses in front of you, take the path forking to the right and walk down an access road. 4. Turn left at the bottom, then sharp right opposite the Cross Keys Inn and walk down Bare Lane. At a ‘T’ junction go to the left up The Riddings. 5. Watch out for a footpath sign on the right hand side of the road (to the left of house Number 84) and walk along a surfaced access road past Hopwell Nook. 6. Go over a stile and continue along the track until you are about half way between Hopwell Nook and an area of woodland in front of you. Here you turn right, as indicated by the yellow marker on an electricity pole. 7. Walk down the field at an angle of 45 degrees heading towards a small tree, but before reaching the tree the path swings off to the right heading towards a small plantation of trees. 8. Cross a stile and footbridge into another field, then head diagonally to a stile in the far corner. 9. Continue over the next two fields with the hedge close on your left, before going over a stile on the left in the second field. 10. Follow the path round the next field to the bottom left hand corner, where you cross a stile and walk down a track that brings you out on Cole Lane. 11. Turn right and after passing All Saints Church, go left up New Street. Turn right into Flood Street and at a footpath sign, by Ockbrook Garden Store, turn left and maintain the same direction to a ‘T’ junction opposite a Ockbrook School sign. 12. Turn left down the road for about 75 yards, until it starts to bend. Here you go in the opposite direction up a rough track that soon swings to the left. 13. When the track divides take the lower of two paths along a Bridleway. 14. Continue straight ahead along an obvious track towards Spondon. Where the track divides keep to the right. 15. At a ‘T’ junction of tracks turn left along the same route you used earlier, and from this point, you will be able to retrace your steps back to the start of the walk. MORE IMAGES &
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DERBY
A city of considerable character, surrounded by attractive countryside. With the Peak District National Park, the second most visited National Park in the world, only a few miles to the north and the National Forest only a short distance away to the south.
Located near the centre of the country, Derby has excellent communications and is well served by road, rail and air.
PLACES OF SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE AREA Erewash Museum (Tel. 01159 071141) artefacts that cover a period of over 10,000 years are displayed in this splendid little museum. Displays are changed regularly and every effort is made to ensure children as well as adults enjoy their visit. Contact for opening details. Shipley Country Park (Tel. 01773 719961) contains over 600 acres of attractive parkland with lakes, woodlands and miles of footpaths and bridleways. There is a Visitor Centre with a countryside gift shop and cafe. Elvaston Castle Country Park (Tel. 01332 571342) the first Country Park to be opened in Britain. Set in 200 acres of parkland with an ornamental lake, extensive gardens, stony grottoes, rock archways and many other interesting features. Open daily. REFRESHMENT STOPS The Malt Shovel (Tel. 01332 674203) a lovely old pub with a great deal of character, it stands on the site where the fire that devastated Spondon in 1340 originated This has led to the claim being made that it is the oldest site of any public house within Derby. The present inn has been rebuilt twice, parts of which date back to 1680. The pub is open at lunch times and in the evenings and all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Meals available lunch times only. The Bottle Kiln (Tel. 0115 9329442) an art gallery, craft and gift shops, tea rooms and a beautiful Japanese Garden await at this restored site at West Hallam. Open all day Tuesday to Sunday throughout the year from 10am. Open Mondays in December only.
THE DISCOVER DERBYSHIRE AND THE PEAK DISTRICT GUIDE
Provides a wide range of features on towns and villages with heritage trails and detailed countryside walks, through some of the most scenically attractive countryside in the UK.
The site is expanding to include many other features of interest to the local person and visitor alike. Why not bookmark this site for future reference. 1. To return to the main site click the link below. 2. To return to the contents page of the main website click the link below.
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ABOUT THIS SITE This non-commercial website is based on Discover Derbyshire Supplements published by the Derby Evening Telegraph. The site, my first, commenced in December 2003, and is expanding quite rapidly. Every month an illustrated Newsletter is published giving details of: What's New, What's Coming and What's On.
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