Ashbourne - Down'ards Walk
Answer: Larry has a book he sent away for, about two anytime challenge walks based on Ashbourne that commemorate the Shrovetide Football Game that takes place in the town every year when two teams, the Up’ards and the Down’ards, demonstrate their skill, strength and foolhardiness chasing a misshapen football in and around the town; with Larry and me were Mick and Peter, who like me were up at some unusually early hour – well it was for me - to do the Down’ards Walk. This is the shortest, being just 11 miles.
The walk should really start from Ashbourne, but as it was market day the town was likely to be busy and parking – particularly free parking, which Mick is very keen on – was likely to be at a premium. So as we neared Ashbourne a decision was made to park in one of the villages that the walk goes through.
Larry had overlaid the route on the OS Map for the area, and had also brought with him the book with the extremely detailed route information, so the chances of taking wrong turns were minimised.
Now there is a set procedure on almost every walk we do. One of us comes up with an interesting walk and Larry will get maps sorted out. Often at this point I’ve had nothing at all to do with the walk. The day arrives, we get to the start of the walk, boots and rucksacks are put on, and then someone thrusts a map into my hand and I’m being asked which way to go. So was it my fault that when we reached the village duck pond, when I was trying to take a photo, that I gave the wrong directions?
Map details of walk click
here
However, on the plus
side we noted that there were, along the way,
little round markers to show the route.
Although, as we have found on previous walks, the
very time you are not sure of the way the markers
become none existent which is the very time such
information is needed.
Osmaston to Clifton
– Distance 3.75 miles
This part of the route initially goes through
Osmaston Park. It’s a bit up and down but
it’s easy walking although in parts it was very
muddy. Just after 9.30 a.m. we reached
Wyaston, which we had passed through an hour or so
earlier when we were looking for a parking spot. It
looked a very pleasant little village but we were
all more interested in the views north of the
southern extremities of the White Peak which was
living up to its name as it was covered by a layer
of snow.
We were making good
time as now most of the walking immediately north
west of Wyaston was along a very pleasant mud free
country lane, until the Ashbourne to Lichfield Road
(A515) was reached. Once over this, having
passed through some scrubby woodland the leading
walkers, Mick and Peter, continued westwards when
the route was actually north. So having
examined the map and admonished Larry (again) for
not bringing the route details with him we went
northwards. Paths here were not very obvious
and as I was now the one with the map in my hand I
too got admonished for leading our merry group too
far east of north, but all was forgiven as we found
the route, lost it again – the route marker was
hidden behind a fallen tree - wished we had the
route details and navigated through a field of cows
before reaching Clifton.
It was now 11 o’clock,
so we took advantage of a lych-gate, complete with
seating, outside the village cemetery to enjoy hot
drinks and food. Unfortunately failing
batteries prevented me taking a picture of our
picnic spot. ‘Decided I must buy some when we
reach Ashbourne.
Clifton to Ashbourne – Distance 1.75
miles.
Leaving Clifton we passed the Down’ards “Goal” of
the Shrove Tuesday Ball Game before heading towards
Doles Farm over a large very windswept,
field. Once past the farm we entered another
windswept field – it was a bit chilly - and it was
a relief to reach the shelter of the outskirts of
Ashbourne, when the sun came out and the
temperature went up a few degrees. Much
better.
The market was reached and we spent 10 or 15 minutes having a wander round and I was able to purchase some batteries and take a photo of Mick, Peter and Larry before we started the next leg of our hike.
Having now read the full details of the walk, I realise that the proper start finish point is in the Shawcroft Car Park, located behind the buildings to the south of the Market, and I suppose we should have visited this location to have done the circuit according to the “book”. But I’m not going to be too concerned about that.
Ashbourne to
the A517 south of Sturston Hall – Distance 2 miles
Leaving Ashbourne our route was
initially north east along pavements before, having
passed Parkside School and Boothby Meadows School,
we turned right, crossing playing fields before
going eastwards for about a mile. I estimated that
it should take us about 20 minutes and the map
indicated we would go through 12 fields. But
as so often happens you start talking, forget about
the time and stop counting fields, and about where
I thought we should turn south to Sturston Mill the
signs had vanished. Although a sign for the
Up’ards Walk was spotted, which could have made
things even more confusing, we saw to our right
(south) what we presumed to be Sturston Mill so we
followed a farm track towards it.
It was the mill; we
spotted a Down’ards sign and as we got near to it
and we also spotted the Up’ards Goal.
Like the Down’ards it
was located facing a stream. You certainly
would get wet if you scored a goal in this game. We
crossed the bridge over the stream, walked through
the farmyard – the Mill seems to be a farm – and
headed uphill towards the A517 (the Ashbourne to
Belper Road) passing Sturston Hall on our
way. Important Note: at this point I didn’t
have the map and as mentioned before Larry hadn’t
brought the route details.
Sturston Hall to Osmaston –Distance 3.5
miles
On reaching the A517 we spotted a
Down’ards sign on the other side of the road, which
indicated the track went into woodland and up a
steep incline. With Mick and Peter in the
lead Larry and I followed until the path
vanished. However, M and P continued to lead
us uphill until we could go uphill no more and we
followed them left until we could go left no more
and so we all went left again back to the road a
short distance to the left of where we went into
the wood. The map was then examined which
indicated when we went into the wood we should have
almost immediately gone left at a crossing of
paths. This would have had the double
benefits of a shorter walk and less exercise for my
aging knees.
Back on the road a sign
was spotted on a gateway with a Down'ards sign
fixed to it and we were on the right track again as
we went to the right of a farm house, past a couple
of old tractors in an old shed and uphill onto
Bradley Moor, which at a height of over 180 metres
is one of the highest points on our walk.
Here again Larry’s Book would have been useful, but
with the aid of the map and compass we soon found
the gap in the hedgerow we needed to go through to
continue to Firs Farm, the next significant point
on our route.
So having gone
eastwards past the farm we needed to look for a
path on the right. It should have been
obvious, but Peter and Mick didn’t see it, neither
did Larry or me, and as we reached a cattle grid I
checked the map and realised we’d passed it.
Oh no not another navigational error. Having
now read the instructions I can see where we went
wrong as they state …reach the right hand edge of a
field boundary with a cattle grid 20 yards
ahead. Now, frustratingly, turn completely
around the way you came and you will see a stile in
the hedge in front of you… None of us frustratingly
turned round so that explains why we missed
it. But we could see that after crossing the
cattle grid we could turn right along a lane, and
by following the lane and turning right at the next
junction we would rejoin the route.
This was the last of
the navigational “challenges”. Now we just
followed the obvious route south west stopping for
a “cuppa” just before passing the grounds of
Yeldersley Hall on our left where we took the
opportunity to admire the snowdrops that were
carpeting large areas of the woodland.
Soon we reached
Painters Lane then it was straight over the road,
downhill, over a stream and then uphill into
Osmaston and the circuit was completed. It
had taken us 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Certainly not a particularly fast time for the
route but we did stop a few times etc.
I really enjoyed the walk. The countryside
was varied and to visit an area I had not walked
before generally makes for a more interesting
excursion. In fact I wouldn’t mind doing it
again, but I think the rest of the “boys” fancy the
Up’ards Walk next time we hike in this area.
If we do it though, I’ll make sure that Larry
brings “that Book”.
If you would like to do this walk the excellent
packs, which includes the book/routes for both
walks, and certificates (yes Larry gave us all a
certificate for completing the walk), are available
from Mike Warner (who “came up” with the walks) at
Redlands House, Clifton Cross, Ashbourne,
Derbyshire. The cost of a pack is £5.00
including post and packing and all profits go to
the Royal Shrovetide Committee and towards the
upkeep of the Royal Shrovetide Challenge Walks.
