Closhi one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Walked from Shirebrook to Clowne. A sound enjoyable route, on good paths and easy to follow. The choice of route in Clowne between the meeting point and the greenway is strange - this route is longer, hillier and has fewer facilities than the direct line along Rectory Road. On the plus side, the route makes good use of three excellent former railway paths, and visits a country park and Creswell Model Village.

From the marketplace in Shirebrook we go out past the Co-Op and Aldi to reach a park, which we cross diagonally up the hill, then continue along pavements to the entrance of the first former railway, part of the Archaelogical Way. Eventually we reach a quiet road and enter the Poulter Country Park, following a surfaced track around the west side of the park to the north car park, where we use quiet roads to reach Whaley Common. From here a good bridlepath takes us north, and a farm road takes us back to the old railway, which we follow into Creswell Model Village. The street route through Creswell misses most of the pubs and shops, but leads easily enough to the Clowne Greenway, another former railway track that takes us most of the way up the hill to Clowne.

Had the route continued along Rectory Road and Mill Street (where most of Clowne's shops are) it would have got the full five stars. The detour is fine but unexceptional and unnecessarily indirect.

My immediate reaction to this route was to make it shorter but I'm pleased I stuck with the original because it's easy to follow, well plotted and good surfaces. No stiles or gates, no cattle, no muddy fields. Even perhaps wheel friendly throughout but that's not for me on foot, to say. Shop, buses and station just off route at Cresswell. I have admiration for the route plotter as much of this excellent route fails to show on OS maps.

I started in Clowne having dropped off the bus from Clay Cross. I don't understand the loop around Church Street to exit as it's indirect and misses the shops on Mill Street. The old rail route is popular with dog walkers being a firm wide track often between high rock cliffs.

Approaching Cresswell it becomes more open with occasional views through gaps in the tree covered embankments. The route is currently forced to leave early onto estate roads but there are plans for it to continue and this would offer better access to services in the village plus pass close to the rail station.

The model village (no not miniature) is worth a closer look where efforts are made to retain the original concept of conformity with identical front doors. We are soon back on a different old rail route the extension of this northwards may offer a more direct route in the future.

Transferring to a wide bridleway we leave the cycle route onto quite lanes through Whaley Common but miss the main part of Whaley village, I took a look. It's a pleasant place but has no services.

A little more safe road walking brings us to Poulter Country Park which provides a well surfaced track away from traffic. A seat here offered me a spot for lunch on this warm sunny day in early April. From the car park we climb a fairly steep slope to join yet another rail route high in the sky or so it appears.

The approach to our meeting place is via Langwith once a significant meeting place for rail lines hence the name of the social club and the renaming of what was Shirbrook North station. Some roadside pavements but we end with a walk through the park. The plot is not quite correct here but being a metalled track it's easy to follow between the Leisure Centre and fenced outside recreation facilities.

We finally arrive in town by a supermarket where a zebra crossing helps before arriving at the market place which on both of my visits has had plenty of stalls, although they appear to close around noon.

I walked this route from Clowne in November. From the town centre the route quickly takes to the Clowne Greenway, a cycle route with a firm surface following the course of an old railway. As it approaches Creswell the plot is inaccurate because a new housing estate has been built on the green space. However, having followed the cycleway to the end, I had no difficulty following the estate roads to emerge in roughly the correct place opposite the cemetery. There is a section through housing estates before taking to another cyclepath on the course of an old railway. This leads onto a farm track at Frithwood Farm. At Whaley we join the quiet country road towards the Poulter Country Park. As the Car Park is reached we can take refuge on the footpath parallel with the road. At the carpark at Langwith end of the country park we cross the road to walk up beside the massive abutment and embankment of yet another former railway. This rail trail with impressive rock-walled cuttings takes us all the way to the outskirts of Shirebrook. Sections of roadside pavement are interspersed with crossing the park, emerging close to the market place. An enjoyable walk, gently downhill most of the way.

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