BELL WALK MAJOR.

The Bell Walk is a challenge walk of 36 miles which links together those churches in the Dronfield area which have bells. In particular, the towers at Dronfield, Old Whittington, Norton, Dore, and Hathersage.

The complete route is covered by 1 :25000 OS maps SK 28/38, Sheffield, and SK 27/37, Chesterfield. You may start at any point or walk it in reverse.

All bearings are given in degrees from magnetic north.

START at Dronfield church (SK 353 784). Take the lane below the church by the entrance to The Chantry Hotel (accommodation), then the path, R, between houses. Up the grass bank L to playing fields, follow a path on the R edge. X road to the path opposite then L at the next road. R at the road junction then up hill to pass a golf club house (SK 359 775). Continue on the road then a track to Ouzlebank Cottage (SK 362 767). Maintain same direction, 174° and cross a style to the L of a gate. Follow the field boundary, L, to a wood. [2.2mls]

The path enters the wood and goes ½R, keep L at a path junction until an open area is reached. A fire break goes off R, cross to the other side, and keep L of the trees, on 142°. Turn L when a track is joined. Follow the track to it's junction with a road (SK 372 753). Turn L on the road, then first R and take the track L by a telephone box (SK 373 753). Keep ahead on a path where the track goes L. Cross the iron railway bridge (SK 375 752). Take the path to the top of the embankment then across fields in general direction 114°. Keep the field boundary on L until next field boundary. Keep ahead and go up the field turning very slightly L. (Note. The farmer has removed some field walls and the path may not follow the route indicated on the map.) Enter Old Whittington by a path at (SK 383 751). Turn L at the road, then R to the church (384 752) [4mls]. (For refreshment, go R on entering the village for the Cock and Magpie).

Pass through the churchyard, then L on a walled path by the grave yard. Turn L at the path junction and go down some steps to cross a bridge. Enter a field at (SK 385 753), the path follows the wall on the R . After 1 ml turn on 360° then, 46° to pass through a wood and cross a field to some spoil heaps (SK 394 766). Turn on 18° then, in the centre of the next field, turn L on 311°, join a track and follow it L. to meet a road by a farm (SK 386 771) in Hundall [6mls]. Turn R, pass the road junc. by the Miners Arms (refreshment), then up the hill After ¾mile, pass junction R and the Travellers Rest inn at Apperknowle.

Take the track R (SK 384 782) just past the Travellers Rest, pass a small airstrip to a road, turn L then first R, by the Black-a-moor Head Inn to Troway (SK 386 797). At R bend, opposite the Gate Inn, turn L on a path to a field, 289° then a path through a wood [7.7mls]. Turn R at the track to Sicklebrook Farm (SK379 798). Keep ahead, enter fields at track junction (SK 379 801), 16° then 339°. Cross a f.b., straight on, keep the wood on R. At the end of the wood (373812) take L path, 294°, to Hazlebarrow Farm and the main road (SK 364 817). Cross the road to a path then a minor road to Oaks Park gate at a road junction (SK 363 822). Turn L down the road to Norton church [10.3mls].

Enter Graves Park through a gap in the wall, pass the rare breeds enclosures keeping R then L at path junctions. Follow the path through the park to an exit gate (SK 352 819). Turn R on a track just in the park then keep L to skirt a pitch and putt course. Fork R to follow the rim of a steep bank to meet main road, (SK 347 822). X this road and walk 150 yds. R to find a path L, by houses, to Chancet Wood. Watch for a path on R to leave the wood and meet a road (342819), X the road and walk R, find another path L by houses. Keep R to the lower path when entering the wood and continue to Beauchief Abbey (SK 333 819) (12.5mls).

Turn L up a lane then the footpath, R, at the top edge of the golf course. Keep to the faint path in the wood without dropping height. This path swings to the L then drops to meet a road (TAKE CARE). Cross over and turn R. Enter waste land through a gate L and climb half L to the top of the bank. Take the path R, contour round to the L to join a made path downhill, R, to meet a road at (319806). Cross to the road opposite then join a path which runs by a stream and between gardens, X a road then meet a road in Dore at (SK 311 811). R to minor X roads, by the war memorial, turn L to pass Dore church [15mls] (if refreshment is needed, go straight on for the village.).

Follow the road SW to leave the village. Just before a sharp L bend take a path ahead by a seat. Cross the stile and turn L on a path parallel with the road. Turn R on the track past Avenue Farm (SK 301 805). Take the path R at a L bend, 296°, at a rb. turn R up the field. Join a track and follow it L. At (291807) keep R uphill through a wood to meet a main road at (SK 286 813). R down this road to road junc. from R. X the main road to a gate onto the moor. The path goes L, NOT R, toward a grit storage area then swings R keeping well to R of a stream. The path is very faint and is sparsely marked by posts on bearing 283°. Pass through remains of an enclosure and X a track. Climb up past some rocks and follow a cairned path to Burbage Edge (18.3mls).

Drop to Burbage Brook, 272°, X the bridge (SK 264 814). Climb up to the N edge of Carl Wark. X the path to Higger Tor then 283 ° to the NE corner of an enclosure (SK 254 816). Join a road, turn L then cross a stile R on a field path to the farm. Go R through the farm buildings. The path leaves the farm track L, crosses a FB and climbs the bank to a road at a sharp bend (SK 247 818). Turn R then L on next lane. When the lane turns R, go through a gate L, turn R to another gate. The path drops ahead then turns L by broken walls to Carhead house (SK 239 824). Turn R on a track. Go through the gate to L of the entrance to Moorseats Hall, the path goes L down through trees. Pass through a stone gateway and cross a wet section (21mls).

Keep slightly R, 253°, to a stile leading to Hathersage church car park. Enter the church yard (SK 235 819), pass the tower and exit at the low end of the graveyard on a path at L edge of a field. Turn L at the track to Hathersage village. R down Besom Lane to the main road.

Continue down the main road to pass the Corner Cupboard cafe (refreshment). Turn L opp. the George Hotel (accommodation). X the road to a lane R between the Little John Hotel and a stream. Follow this lane under a railway bridge. Where the lane goes L by a house, enter a field by a track R, 176°. Keep ahead when track turns R. Cross fields to main road (SK 233 807). X road to lane opposite which follows the river to Harper Lees (SK 238 802), pass the house on R by a field path. Follow this path to enter a wood then take the path L, 124", up through the wood, go L at the path fork when a field gate comes into view ahead, X a stile then L to X the railway. Meet a track and follow it to the R to pass Padley Chapel then Grindleford station (SK 257 88) [24.3mls].

L up the path by the Station Cafe, X a main road to a path on the L of a stream, 109°. Keep to R halfway up. Leave the trees and keep R over wet ground to join a track which runs L by field walls to meet the road at (SK 259 780). Turn L, X road to a path R across the moor, 59°, to a remote house. Take path R, 135°, to cross a stile on White Edge, then 108° to pass Lady's Cross and meet a road at (SK 276 783). Turn R, X the road and take the moor path L, 51°, keeping W of the trig. pt. then 26°. Join a track [27.4mls], turn R down hill. This becomes a walled track at (SK 290 797). Meet a lane at (SK 296 798) and turn L, pass houses on R. Take path R diag. across the playing field to the Cricket Inn. Turn R down the lane then take a field path R to join a paved path and meet a road at (SK 306 799) [29mls].

Go down the lane by the Fleur De Lys, pass the entrance to Totley church L, and the Training College (SK 309 796). Take track L, 147°, where lane bends R. Keep the wall on L. Enter a wood and keep ahead on a path over f.b. when the track goes R. Go R to second field then L up the field to skirt Woodthorpe Hall grounds and meet a lane at (SK 316 788). Enter Holmesfield Park Wood where lane turns R, follow the path and track to arrive in Holmesfield by the church (SK 321 777) [30.6mls]. (More refreshments are available here, at the Angel by the church and the George and Dragon opposite ).

X the road and take the track on L of the George and Dragon. Enter fields ahead, at a junction of 5 paths cross the stream L on 96°. L at a road then first R. When this track becomes muddy use a parallel field path on L. Turn L at a road [32.1mls] and go up hill round a sharp L bend. Take first turn R then the path R, 157⁰, in a small wood. Cross a track and keep ahead until the path meets a lane (SK 351 754), turn L. Take the track slanting R, 40°, up hill from a lane and track junc. Enter Monk Wood ahead, keep on the track and look out for a path R to the footbridge over the Dronfield bypass, X over [34m1s].

Follow the track to R. Ignore the minor paths L, the main path swings R then look for a sunken path to L, 48", take this path up through the wood. Where it meets another path at the top of the wood, turn L to pass golf course on L. Keep L at road junc. and follow to Hill Top. Pass houses. Turn R at the Hyde Park Inn, pass a playing field on R, and take a path between houses. L at a road then R. R at road junction and find a path L between houses. L at a road. Take the path on R, follow it to cross L edge of a playing field. Follow path to L then up to Dronfield shopping centre. Pass in front of the Sports Centre and up the path ahead to the War Memorial. Turn R down High Street (the Blue Stoops Inn and the Manor Hotel, accommodation, are on the R, the Fish and Chip shop is on the L). Follow the road round Rand L to the Green Dragon Inn and the Church [36mls].