Archie and I lead the walk on the 3rd November. (Angela Land)
We started from the long lay-by on Chesterfield road. We had the thrilling sight of a traction engine, in steam, being loaded onto the back of a lorry to be taken to its new home. It couldn’t get up the ramp under its own steam, it had to be pushed along by a big blue tractor.
Once that excitement was over, 20 people and one dog set off across the road, through Manor Farm and up the hill to Ouzle Bank. There we picked up one more walker and went across a couple of fields towards the corner of Hallowes Golf Course before turning towards Monk Wood. It was a clear day and we had good views over Chesterfield. We joined the bridle path which goes all the way to the new pointless roundabout at Sheepbridge, then used the new Peak Resort paths to walk back to Unstone. There we lost two walkers who needed to get on with other things in their lives, and the remaining 19 crossed the road and joined a footpath leading along the river Drone to Unstone Green play area. We scared three pheasants along the way. We crossed another road and continued along the river bank and scared two ducks. We passed under the railway viaduct and walked up to the old Unstone railway line and passed by Ramshaw Lodge and my house, then across the football playing field and more of the Unstone Line before joining Halfacre Lane near Summerley house. At this point we regrouped and found that we were down to 13 people and one dog. After a bit of a wait and some discussion we decided that the missing people were probably looking at fungi and we walked back to the lay-by. Two new people joined us on our walk, Pete and Jack, and I hope we haven’t frightened them off. We didn’t lose either of them.
Sorry about losing so many. I was told it was ok to lose 10% but I seem to have lost over 30% (I’m not counting those who let us know the were leaving). Will I be allowed to lead ever again?
I got two photos of the steam engine and one of some of the walkers going uphill from Manor Farm.
New member to the group Jack Lau, sent me these:
