Cririp two

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THIS IS A REVIEW OF CRIRIP 2 - ASCWRA 0 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED THE SAME ROUTE NUMBER, which confuses the software and waylists.

I walked from Ripley to Crich as the middle part of a three route walk from Langley Mill station to Matlock via Heanor. A pretty route, mostly easy to follow, but definitely not wheel friendly - there are steps, stiles and awkward steep sections. I did go wrong at one point, but missing the stile was my own fault.

Leaving Ripley, we cross Cromford Road and head down Moseley Street. Where the roads turn right we head left down an obvious path that leads into a park. We follow the right edge (with a little corner cutting) to find the path out at the bottom right, which heads into an area of scrubland. Where it divides we take the left branch and follow it down past the old railway, taking an obvious paved track right which leads out onto Lowes Hill, where we turn left under the A610 and follow the pavements down the hill to the bridge under the A38.

We take the footpath left just beyond the bridge, which leads down to the Cromford canal, but before the canal is reached we fork right through the wood until we reach a track leading right onto a surfaced road (note that this road continues right in a way that is not yet shown on the map - our route follows the footpath sign onto an older lane). The lane leads over the bridge, and a short distance up the hill we cross a gate into the field on the right and head left up the hill. This leads to a lane which we follow right onto Main Road, which we follow straight on into Pentrich. Just beyond the junction by the pub we take steps left into the church yard, where we keep left over the grass to reach a gate in the far left corner. The path follows an obvious trodden line across the first two fields, then left across a stile into a field, where we follow the hedge on the right to a stile in the corner (I misread the map at this point and followed a more obvious track above the hedge, but was eventually forced to retreat when I realised my mistake). We cross the stile and follow the hedge left across the hillside, following the signs across a field to come down to the road at the mill.

We turn right along the B6013, taking care, as it can be busy and has no pavement, but before long we follow the sign down to the left to a bridge over the pretty river Amber and across fields past Wingfield Park Hall onto the lane which leads to Lodge Hill Farm. We continue up the lane to the right of the farm buildings, and over the railway, where we either follow the path straight on or (as I did because I wasn't paying attention) stay on the lane up to the road, where we turn right and follow the road left round a wide corner.

Here we take a path left, which leads steeply across a field and awkwardly across a little wood, up steps and across another field to emerge on the right hand side of Tithe Farm. We follow the fences round to a gate, where we use the footpath gate to enter the farmyard, where we turn right up a farm road. Where the road turns left we continue straight on across the field, crossing a squeeze stile into another field and a stile which leads to an open sloping grazing field. At the far end we cross another squeeze stile and follow the path through the wood to another field, which we cross to reach the houses at Mill Green, where we go left down the lane to the road, where we turn right.

After crossing a bridge we turn right at a very old rusty footpath sign, where the path follows the wooded area a short distance before a raised squeeze stile leads left to an obvious path along the field edge. This path goes through a few grassy fields to a rather confusing profusion of footpaths, where we turn left across the old quarry tramway, taking the footpath right up an old lane. Just before the village we take a path which forks right and takes us past the schoolyard onto Main Road, where we turn left and right to the Crich meeting place on the square.

Walked Crich to Ripley on a misty dayafter much rain so the ground was very soft in places. A few stiles,sections of quiet road with no pavement and a short section of busyroad with a verge. No cattle seen but possible as fields are mostlygrass.
A very pleasant walk which would offergood view on a better day. The path to Mill Green runs a few yards tothe east of the tramway route from Hilts Quarry to Ambergate. Nothingto see here but an information board in Fritchley will tell more.Mill Green offers a former Hat Factory and a section of quiet roadwalking before more fields and a view over Fritchley before divinginto a pleasant wooded section. At the end of this it's possible todrop down to Lynam Road and avoid the loop around Tithe Farm butstaying high offers views across the Amber valley.
The track climbs to Lodge Farm crossingthe railway as it passes through a short tunnel. After the farmsigns make it clear we leave the track and walk across Wingfield Parkclose by the River Amber before crossing it to meet the road. Thiscan be busy but the section is short turning left opposite the oldwater mill.
Another climb, but climbs mean views soturn around while catching your breath and see where you have comefrom. The path enters Pentrich through the churchyard. The Dog Innoffers food and drink if you wish or continue along the road to OldLane. Soon we are alongside but up above the Cromford canal at thewest side of Butterley tunnel but it's all now hidden and covered bythe A38 road.
Hammersmith, Derbyshire, is really justa row of houses now waken from its slumber by another high levelroad, do they call it the Hammersmith Flyover I wonder. Turn rightafter the bridge or keep to the road it might be easier. The plottakes you through the Sir Barnes Wallis play area as we fly armsoutstretched humming the Dambusters theme, before a sedate walk tothe Market Place.

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