Ecksta one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Ecksta here.

The Slow Ways route from Staveley to Eckington was one of the more interesting I've walked.

As with many Slow Ways walks, the start and end feel slightly artificial, although that is not really a criticism as a route needs to start and finish somewhere. While starting in a deserted Staveley town square (if that's what it was?) on a Sunday morning felt a little odd, once the walk left the town, it was clearly trying to make the most of the paths in the area and head for Eckington as directly as possible.

However, this, in turn led the route to the most difficult aspects of the route. In reasonably quick succession there are several bridges over the canal and disused railway lines making the route inaccessible for buggies and wheelchairs. One flight of stairs (pictured in the photos) included a missing stair and some broken planking. In addition, there is a water and stone-filled tunnel (another photo) that was dark and long enough to make me contemplate giving up and turning round. In the end, and using my phone's torch, I made it through with dry feet (despite only wearing trainers) by hopping from stone-to-stone. Finally, there was a stretch - maybe 200 metres? - of fast, unpleasant road with no pavement and a couple of nasty bends.

And after that? The route was delightful, switching to quiet back roads and then heading through the beautiful Foxtone Wood and past the tranquil Foxtone Dam. The contrast could not have been more stark.

The last stretch into Eckington, around the sports pitches, was fine, although there appeared to be a lack of an obvious end point, the route appearing to end randomly between two houses (last photo).

So, would I walk it again? Probably not unless I had any particular need to get between Staveley and Eckington. I'm not familiar with this area and have not walked the alternative route and that may well prove a better option.

Would I recommend it to others? Again, only with reservations - not so much the steps and tunnel as the road section which was unpleasant.

As a final point, this route was less accurately plotted than most Slow Ways I've walked and while this did not result in me ever getting lost, was frustrating at times.

I walked Eckington to Staveley and can't truthfully recommend this walk which is a shame because the path through Foxstone Wood is very nice. At the end of Breck Lane the route meets a busy road with little or no verge especially as it approaches the narrow bridge controlled by lights for single way traffic. After the bridge there is escape from the road onto a footpath that makes an indirect route across a reclaimed spoil tip. A redundant bridge crosses what was a rail line to enter a very unpleasant narrow, overgrown fenced path for six hundred metres which feels like eternity. This includes an interesting but dark and flooded tunnel under the now stripped and overgrown site of Stavely works. The route is poorly plotted but that's not a major issue.

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