Belder two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Belder here.

Walked from Derby to Belper. A good direct route, mostly on good paths and pavements. Some steps, stiles and squeeze stiles, so not fully accessible, but no worse than Belder one.

From the meeting point outside Derby bus station, we go right twice to reach the riverside path, which we follow over Exeter Bridge (where there is a choice of steps or ramps), Beyond the Museum of Making, we go left to the road (the riverside path is closed here because of damaged and potentally unsafe duckboards, though there is no obvious notice or fence at the south end, and it is possible to escape at the north end by climbing a low wall). We pass under the main roads and rejoin the Derwent path, then cross Handyside Bridge and follow the cycle path left along the riverside edge of Parker's Piece.

Where the cycle track heads right across the fields, we stay by the river on a narrower path, that leads to a bridge which we cross to reach Folly Road. We go right at Haslams Road (there is a path of sorts on the right hand verge) then take the signposted footpath north. This path has a few stiles and low hurdles. It appears that most people now use the track along the edge of the large fields rather than following the right of way line straight across, so that is what I have plotted. Eventually we go under the main road bridge, where a shortcut path goes right up steps to reach the wide cycle track on Abbey Hill. This signposted cycle route takes us left into Little Eaton.

Eventually we turn left at The Town, which has a pavement on the north side. Where the road bends left we go straight on, following the Derwent Valley Heritage trail signs. This path climbs steeply then descends past the churchyard to reach Vicarage Lane, where we go half right then take the path through the wood, which is narrow in places and has squeeze stiles, and a few steps at the far end. At the T junction (Riggs Lane) we go sharp left to reach Duffield Road, where we cross and turn right using the pavement on the west side. Just before the houses we take the signposted path left, which is narrow in places but beyond the old mill passes through fields to reach the junction on Duffield Bank, where there is a pub.

We turn right up the hill. As far as Makeney there is always a pavement on one side of the road, but we do have to cross the road a few times. Eventually we turn right at Holly Bush Lane, passing the Holly Bush pub. This lane is quiet but has no pavement. Beyond the houses the path has been diverted slightly left to make room for horse enclosures, but the signposting is good, so it is easy to follow, though a little overgrown in places, with stiles and squeeze stiles.

There are steps at the crossing of Shaw Lane, where we go straight on, following the right edge of a small wood then crossing in front of Wildersley Farm to join Wildersley Road, a narrow farm lane that takes a dead straight course down then up to Holbrook Road, where we turn right. At the top we follow the signs left along an enclosed paved path that takes us into Belper Park, where we descend quite steeply on a good path.

I was originally planning to use the shortcut path into Fleet Park, but the street is signposted as private, so I continued on the main path that ends at the junction of New Breck Road and Queen Street and drew the route that way. From here we weave through side streets (Cheapside has a pelican crossing) to reach King Street, which we follow down to the Belper meeting point at the junction with Chapel Street.

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