Tamworth and Lichfield Group

Ashover Walk Sunday 20 September 2020

On Sunday 20 September 2020, Phil and Judith led a seven and a half mile walk to the delightful Derbyshire village of Ashover. In view of the Covid 19 regulations, which meant that our usual practice of car sharing from Lichfield or Tamworth was not allowed, the group assembled in the North car park of Ogston Reservoir prior to departure. There were 13 walkers altogether, including Tracy from one of the Derbyshire Ramblers groups who joined us.

Setting off in a north-easterly direction, we soon reached the hamlet of Woolley Moor  prior to going through some open fields 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and reaching some woodland 

 Walking along a farm track which took us through Woodhead Farm

 

 

 

 

 

  we were greeted with some excellent views 
towards Hollins Green as we walked along the quiet country road from Woodhead to Nuttingfield.Soon we were off the road again and walking though purple heather-covered moorland  up to Ashover Rock 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

which is locally known as The Fabrick.

 

We stopped here for a drinks break and enjoyed the view  before descending down the steep stone steps towards Ashover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Walking downhill along a footpath and enjoying the views, it would have been easy to miss the ‘hole in the wall’) which led us to a narrow, dark, walled footpath through a tunnel. Apparently, this was designed to prevent servants being seen by the nobility from Eastwood Hall.

 

We now reached Ashover, picturesquely situated close to the River Amber. Amongst its attractions are three pubs – The Black Swan, The Crispin and the Old Poets Corner – as well as the village brewery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The countryside around Ashover is very walker-friendly. Once again we were off the road, walking along easy tracks though pleasant woodland  and over a stream crossed by an old packhorse bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing up a steep hill was made easier by the stone flags although not everyone needed them! From here, we could look back over Ashover  before continuing up the track through the sunlit woodland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The track through the woods led us to an old quarry where we found plenty of rocks to rest on whilst we stopped to eat our packed lunches. Once again, the views were lovely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   After a leisurely lunch, we set off again, uphill through the heather and fern-rich woodland , once again with tremendous views. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 There were various potential hazards on the way!  But we successfully avoided them.

Once again we reached open country 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 before entering more woodland From here there was some road-walking along the side of the reservoir, with its resident population of Canada geese Shortly afterwards, we returned to the North car park, with its view over the reservoir which sparkled in the sunshine.       

Thanks to Phil and Judith for a most enjoyable ramble!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Moira Furnace

On a dull but mild September day, ideal for walking, John Walters led a six mile circular walk starting from the car park at Furnace Plantation in Moira – a village in North-West Leicestershire . 12 members of the Lichfield & District Group were joined by Baj, a member of North West Leicestershire Ramblers who had seen that we were walking in her neck of the woods on the Ramblers website.

Before long, we were walking through pleasant woodland, and then past a local Sunday League football match and a car boot sale                       . We then went under an old railway bridge  and into Barratt Pool Wood, part of the National Forest . Shortly afterwards, we passed by a field with several horses in – fortunately they were on the other side of the fence                                and then through Spring Cottage Fisheries  before walking through more woodland, strangely right next to the Burton to Leicester railway line  where we stopped for a break on some convenient concrete structures

We then walked the Conkers Circuit via Gresley Wood and Church Gresley Wood  alongside the Albert Village Lake  where the group were very interested in one of the superb information points dotted around the walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing the circuit, we passed by the old Moira West signal box, which was in surprisingly good repair considering it was opened in 1896 and spent some years out of use in the 1990’s . Further on, we reached a memorial stone at what had once been the Moira South junction of the Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway    . Continuing through more pleasant woodland, we crossed over the miniature railway     before turning towards the Conkers Moira Furnace centre

 

 

 

 

We had lunch seated  by the Bath Yard Basin of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal, opened in 1804, abandoned in 1944 and restored between 1999 and 2005. We then walked along the restored canal  to Moira Furnace, a 19^th century iron-making blast furnace built by the Earl of Moira in 1804 and preserved by North West Leicestershire District Council.