Riphea two

Verified Slow Way

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We walked this in the Heanor to Ripley direction and plotted the route on the OS app. It 'snapped to grid' off the footpaths in a couple of places, more accurately reflecting the actual footpaths on the ground which was helpful.
The start is a short section through the town (public toilets at the start could be handy) but soon opens into a grass field gently sloping down hill. The section that walks through fields is uneven underfoot in places and involves crossing a couple of stiles and through some narrow gates where you need to step over a low bar so definitely wouldn't be suitable for wheels or those with mobility issues.
As another review states, at the bottom of the first field, in the left hand corner you need to cross a footbridge - there is a path marked on the OS map but you would not be able to use it as the area is overgrown. Head through the gap you can see and bear right and you'll spot the bridge to cross (with a steep muddy decline down to it - could be a little more treacherous if the weather has been wet for a few days).
A couple of the fields are also used by horse riders which has left the field very uneven once the ground has dried out. I would imagine it will be rather muddy walking it after a period of rain.
As you walk past Loscoe to Codnor Breach, you can't walk through the last field (this is clear on the map), you'll need to go through the gate to your right and walk along a fenced in section. As we walked in early August, it was very overgrown with high stinging nettles and long grass (and as it had recently rained, they were very wet). This was probably the least enjoyable part of the walk - long trousers are a must (gaiters even better) but it was a short section and certainly not enough to put us off (we were walking in the countryside after all!).
Once you reach the stables, the walking is much easier along a pleasant green lane which eventually narrows to a foot path.
The last mile and half are along the Ripley Greenway, a good width tarmac cycle (and pedestrian) path which provides easy walking through Ripley. A great deal of effort has been put into improving the biodiversity of the area and reducing the flood risk and there are signs along the way with interesting facts if you like that.
Overall, it was an ok walk, easy enough for us to navigate, most of it was downhill in this direction and much of it was easy walking with enough countryside to keep us happy. The 3 stars is due to the rough walking through the fields (watch your ankles!) and the overgrown section.

Walked from Heanor to Ripley. No major problems, but the inaccuracy in the OS/official right of way lines that Ken mentions is very confusing, so a GPX file that shows the correct line (as OpenStreetMap does) would have been very helpful. I resorted to using my phone to look at this route on OpenStreetMap.

Starting from the square in Heanor, we walk down Market Street, and turn left down Derby Road, crossing at the pelican crossing. We continue a little further and turn right down Nook End Road and Kingsway, then right into Park Street and along the left edge of the Park. Go straight on along Douglas Avenue and where the road turns right take the path straight on. This leads into an open pasture, where it is not really necessary to stick to the right of way line. Note that at the bottom of the field, we need to take the path left over the first footbridge, then down a steep slope to a second bridge and along a fenced off area on the edge of a field. Do not attempt to follow the right of way as drawn on the OS map. There are traces of a path left by people who have tried, but this just leads to impenetrable undergrowth.

From here onwards the path is clear. At Loscoe Denby Lane we go slightly right and then left along Grammer Street, and follow the path straight on at the end of the street to Codnor Denby Lane, where we turn right (pavement on the right) until we reach the signposted path left, following the signs around the house and then diagonally across the field to a track where we turn right. This track eventually becomes a surfaced road which we follow to the sign for the Ripley Greenway, a surfaced track that follows an old railway line. We go straight on at Peasehill Road and cross another area of parkland to emerge on Park Road, where we turn left. This leads us into Ripley, and a left turn into Grosvenor Road and a pelican crossing take us to the Ripley meeting point.

I walked this route Heanor to Ripley. It follows mostly quiet roads out of Heanor with a light controlled crossing of the main road. Once out of the urban area the fields are mostly pasture so potential for cattle. The paths and crossing places (poor stiles) are not always spot on but that's not a fault of the plotting. A cul-de-sac at Codnor Breach leads to a field path then a short section of road with a pavement. The track from Hawley House is a recent addition so may not show on older maps, it's easy to follow and links to the south end of Ripley Greenway a surfaced walking and cycle route along an old rail line to Ripley. There is no link at the old station site to the B6441 so a short walk along side streets takes you into town. The final leg could be improved by a walk along Oxford Street, which has a selection of small shops.

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