Walkers branch off to see ancient Yew Tree
EAST Cheshire Ramblers started a walk from Rowsley between Bakewell and Matlock on the morning that saw the first serious frost of the winter.
Passing the Cat and Fiddle there was snow lying on the road, but that soon gave way to brighter weather with the occasional flurry of snow.
Our route took us initially through fields by the River Wye and then up zigzags past Congreave and through woods to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle which provided seating for a coffee break.
The stone circle actually has ten stones and probably dates back three thousand years or so to the Bronze Age.
We followed the ridge of Stanton Moor passing the trig point en-route to the outskirts of Birchover to pick up Clough Lane and eventually taking a footpath to Wensley where there is an interesting dovecote built into the eaves of a house by the path. Our route continued along a valley towards Snitterton noted for its late mediaeval manor house, and here we joined the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail.
After crossing the river at Darley Bridge, we followed the trail which ran across fields to Churchtown with its churchyard containing the famous Darley Yew Tree which is claimed to be 2,000 years old with a circumference of more than 30 feet.
The yew seems to act as a sort of war memorial and has a plaque giving what must be a conjectural summary of its history.
The walk back to Rowsley was then a mixture of fields and paths in woods alongside the river. Across the fields we saw a steam train making its way from Rowsley to Matlock on the Peak Railway. At the end of the walk we had time for tea and cakes at Caudwell’s Mill where there is a water powered flour mill to look round.
For more details of East Cheshire Ramblers’ programme of weekend and midweek walks ranging from 4 to 15 miles in length, go to ramblerseastcheshire.org. uk.