Distance approximately 6 miles
This walk includes a lovely stretch of canal path and a fabulous woodland walk which is a bit tricky as there are several different routes through the woods, ending with a stroll through parkland to Alderwasley Hall.
Start the walk near to Alderwasley Hall which can be used as an easy landmark, but first you may wish to read a little about the areas history.
Alderwasley Hall was mainly built in the 18th century and was the home of the Hurt family for many generations but is now a private school. The earliest holders of land hereabouts were the Le Fawnes, however there is no longer any trace of their ancestral home. When the Lowe family acquired the Alderwasley Estate in 1471 a Tudor house was built, but this was mainly demolished and rebuilt by the present Regency structure. Thomas Lowe built St Margaret’s Chapel during the reign of Henry VIII but Francis Hurt built the new church around 1850. Two manors were united by the Lowe family and a memorial to Anthony Lowe can be found in Wirksworth church.
In 1690 the Lowe Estate was transferred to the Hurt family of Dovedale by the marriage of Nicholas Hurt of Casterne to Elizabeth Lowe of Alderwasley. The Hurt family were ardent Royalists in the Civil War, with one member being killed at the battle of Gainsborough in 1643. They established an iron forge in the valley below in 1764 and a blast furnace at Morley Park near Heage in 1776. The vast Alderwasley Estate comprising of some 3,500 acres contains numerous ornamental trees and lakes.
The renowned Francis Hurt built a tower on Crich Stand in 1851 replacing the earlier structure of 1788, but which itself has now been replaced. In 1920 the Alderwasley Estate was broken up and the house then sold in 1930. The Hurt family retired back to Casterne Hall and for 44 years a preparatory school for Belmont was run at Alderwasley by the Benedictine Order. In 1974 the grade II listed Alderwasley Hall was taken over by the Honormead group of schools.
Alderwasley is also reputed to have been the site of an ancient battle. Killcroft Field opposite the school being named after the event, and this could also be an alternative explanation for nearby Bury Hill.
Now to begin the walk – From the entrance to Alderwasley Hall and Church walk up to the junction and then take the time for a slight detour to visit the little Chapel dedicated to St Margaret which is just up the road and on your right. At one time the private chapel and burial site of the Hurt family, it was sold to the parish of Wirksworth in 1980 and is now the village hall. If you enter the graveyard you will see that many of the graves have the same family names, and if you go through a gap in the wall you can find the Hurt family graves. Above the door of the chapel is a tablet of marble or white stone which is now protected by glass and depicts the arms of the Lowe family. There is also an unusual hood mould above the doorway and stone heads or gargoyles.
Return to the junction and turn left, walking along the lane from Alderwasley from where there are wonderful views towards Crich Stand. You will suddenly descend rapidly to the valley bottom where after crossing the A6 WITH EXTREME CARE you go over the river bridge and past the Derwent Arms then turn left up the hill and walk the short distance to the canal.
Go on to the canal path to the right of the road and proceed to follow this to Ambergate. This stretch of disused canal is a Nature Reserve and contains many forms of flora and fauna with an exceptional display of wild flowers in late spring.
For the next two miles or so the canal, railway, road and river all fight for possession of the valley bottom. Often they are so close together that only a wall separates them.
Just before Ambergate you will pass some cottages on the right with a bridge just beyond them. Go to the right of the bridge and onto the lane which takes you down to the main A6. WITH EXTREME CARE cross over the road to the pavement opposite, then turn left and walk towards the road junction.
Ambergate evolved around 1817 when an Act of Parliament granted permission ‘for making and maintaining a Turnpike Road from the Town of Cromford to the Town of Belper; and for making a Branch of Road from and out of said road near the River Amber to join the Turnpike Road at Bullbridge’. A tollgate was set up at the intersection and a hamlet developed around this which became known as Ambergate. The road actually opened in 1820 that was said to be ideal for carriages and later became part of the direct mail road between Manchester and London.
See the viaduct carrying the railway line over the road. Close to this and standing on an elevated position is Ambergate Station which was built in a triangular shape. One side served the Sheffield line, a second the old Manchester line, whilst the third was for a connecting line where trains crossed over.
Walk past the hotel building and continue to the Church of St Anne’s which was built between 1890-1. Turn right and walk towards the long, low bridge that not only spans the river Derwent and the mill sluice beyond, but you can also see where the river Amber combines its waters.
After crossing the bridge turn right and follow the track towards Oak Hurst. You will see that there are a series of concessionary footpaths marked with posts. Ignore these as they do not guide you on the intended route but they can be found on many paths throughout the woods.
After about a quarter of a mile you will come to a house on the left with a garage, turn right at this point and walk down the path towards the mills. You will pass old buildings before dropping down to a vast complex of sheds and warehouses with the right of way running straight through. This was at one time a very important wire works but until 1870 there was just a group of 3-4 huts here known as The Forge, together with a primitive wooden bridge which combined to form an old ironworks. There were many such works around Belper and the neighbouring area at that time. A waterwheel was used back then to drive the primitive machinery.
Walk straight through the works and past a clearing beyond. If you follow the well defined path you should come to a wooden barrier which restricts access for vehicles into the woods. Go around this and walk for about 100 yards or so until you come to a path heading off left which is indicated by a rusting green ‘public footpath’ sign.
Turn left and follow this path up through the woods where you can see silver birch, beech, oak and yew trees. The ground is quite stony and could possibly have been paved at one time with gritstone cobbles. Vast areas of Shining Cliff woods are owned by the National Trust and consequently preserved. At one time they formed part of the ancient Forest of Duffield Frith which stretched from Duffield near Derby to Wirksworth.
This old hunting forest was presented to the National Trust by Alderman J G Graves of Sheffield, and access to the woodland is now freely available. In 1285 the manor of Shining Cliff was granted to William Le Fawne, Earl of Leicester who was mentioned earlier. An ancient rhyme recorded this event:
“I and mine
Give Thee and Thine
Milneshay and Shining Cliff
Whilst grass is green and berries ryffe”
It is said that at one time the woods here contained a massive and very ancient yew tree which had a hollowed out trunk so vast that it was not unlike a small cavern and that a man who worked as a charcoal burner and his family once lived in it.
Eventually you should emerge at the top of the wood into parkland where deer roam behind the high fences of the Alderwasley Estate. Follow the track straight ahead and through a further gate until you eventually join up with another path leading through the park. You must then turn right and walk past the war memorial to return to the start of the walk at Alderwasley Hall.