Bigwir three

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Walked from Wirksworth to Biggin. The climb out of Wirksworth is hard work, but once that is done the rest is straightforward, direct and easy to follow. I didn't spot any facilities en route other than one cafe at the old Longcliffe station, though there are plenty of benches on the High Peak Trail.

Leaving the meeting place at Wirksworth market place, we head up the unremittingly steep Greenhill until we are out of the town. After a brief flatter section, we go up further and pass a row of cottages, then turn left down a narrow unsigned surfaced path that leads down to The Dale. We follow The Dale up to a hairpin bend where we take the path straight on, initially up steps. Note that neither the GPX nor the OS right of way follows the new fenced route through the quarries, but it is marked on the 1:25000 map, and is easy to follow thanks to the fences. Beyond the quarries, we turn right (beware the path going straight on) and cross a couple of fields and stiles to reach Rise End Lane. Here we go straight on over a hurdle, more stiles and a few steps to reach the High Peak trail. The next few miles are easy, just follow the old railway track, which is very popular with both walkers and cyclists, and is flat once beyond the incline.

We follow the railway past Harborough Rocks and through Longcliffe until we reach a little wood under Minninglow, beyond which the track we take is helpfully signposted as a cycle route to Biggin. This is a good direct road that has very little motorised traffic, but there is quite a substantial hill in the middle of it. Eventually we reach the A515, where the Biggin road is a few yards to the right, and has a pavement, initially on the north side but crossing to the south at the bridge under the Tissington Trail old railway.

This leads us easily to the meeting point at the bus stop opposite the church (there is a pub further down the road).

I walked Wirksworth to Biggin, why Biggin when Hartington would have been a better node. An easy walk for navigation and surface. Much of the route is shared with cycles. No refreshments along the way so go prepared but there are seats and views worth time to take in. Well worth taking your time and making a few stops or detours.

I do like pottering  around the narrow streets and alleyways of Wirksworth, who remembers the Hovis advert, Wirksworth has a Gold Hill of its own. The walk through Middle Peak Quarry is a James Bond film set the plot may not be spot on but you can't stray.

I can't resist adding a picture inside the old winding house at Middleton Top. Just off route but well worth a visit when it's open. Likewise a climb of Harboro Rocks offers the best view, race to the top.

The Cromford and High Peak Railway links two canals and was built like a canal with level sections linked by steep inclines just like flights of locks. The turns are sharp and the embankments mostly constructed rock like a drystone wall, all worth inspection.
Minning Low or Minninglow Hill is a great landmark for miles around, a permissive path allows access. Minninglow and Cardlemere lanes became a bit of a drag so an alternative is to stay on the trail and switch to Bigwir-1. Either way, west of the A515 it's along the roadside pavement into Biggin.

I tried this Slow Way way while on holiday in the area, going in the Biggin to Wirksworth direction, and enjoyed it very much. It’s a fine walk and gets a big four stars from me, being just a tad off top grade because it is mostly on stony tracks and cycle routes and gets a little samey underfoot at times. Otherwise great with wide views. I didn’t encounter any refreshment opportunities on the way, but it was March and the cool wind across the high ground was refreshing me plenty. It is easy walking going in this direction but would be more demanding in the other, with a steep climb to begin.

It starts out on a quiet, wide road out if Biggin and once across the A515, follows the National Cycle Route 548 through stone-walled farmland for a few miles until it meets the High Peak trail. This cycle route is over stony and sometimes rough and puddly tracks on gently undulating terrain. It is suited only to mountain bikes and other all-terrain type wheels. Once on the old railway line of the High Peak Trail the path is much smoother and also busier with other walkers and bikes. These cycle route sections of the route are very easy to navigate and there are only a few wide gates along the way.

Towards Wirksworth, there are quarries and limeworks and some wind turbines around the trail, and then the route departs it to head into the village via footpaths through fields and a large disused quarry, with a final descent down a steep lane bounded by pretty old houses. This latter part of the route has one or two stiles, kissing gates and some narrower gates and pathways. It is also fairly easy to navigate, although I initially overshot a couple of turns. The first was just after leaving the High Peak trail, where the footpath (which is signed on a wooden post) goes right off the track, stepping over some low rocks, just before little the live-in van encampment (w3w material.hotspots.describe). The second was on the way into the village, where a little (unsigned) footpath heads left between the cottages (at w3w greed.punctuate.tech) but this latter miss would be no real bother as you will soon be in town either way.

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