This route isn't the shortest and most direct but it takes in Rother Valley Country Park and Shire Brook nature reserve, which are worth visits in themselves. Most is on good paths, often beside the road, with just a few stretches of dirt path beside the river Rother near the start and through the first half of Shire Brook Valley nature reserve. If you stick to the route, there are significant flights of steps at railway lines (with a ramp for bikes), a chicane next to them, and a couple of smaller, rougher flights in woods which can be avoided with a little planning. The TPT and you part ways when you turn off to walk beside Rother Valley's lake but if you want to avoid the railway footbridges and a few wooden steps in the wood next to them, you can keep following the TPT until the routes join again at the top end of Rother valley park. Soon after passing the Cumberland pub, turn right down some steps and follow the dirt path to a meeting of ways. Again, the route could do with some refinement here but as long as you keep going East/West (or vice versa) you'll end up in the right place as the whole reserve and the main paths are oriented this way. Where the route crosses Richmond Road, you have to option of a 10-15 minute detour up Richmond Park Road to the massive Asda which has a cafe and toilets (check web site for cafe opening times). If you want to save your aching feet and cut out that climb, carry on to the end of Maltravers, go down Broad Street to Park Square (possibly popping into the Wonkeresque Granelli's sweet shop), and climb the steps on the left and keep left to reach the path to the railway station....

PeteS

We go straight ahead on the Rotherham road and soon turn off right on Pipworth Lane. We pass straight ahead between the houses to reach the Main Street....

StephenWalker

This is an excellent countryside walk....

StephenWalker

I used the direct path from the canal, which climbs eastwards towards the church to join Church Street into the town centre....

StephenWalker

I agree that the best alternative for getting out of Clowne is the pavement alongside the main road, however it soon becomes a more minor road....

StephenWalker

We turn right and follow a good cycle track across the road and the railway, then down and across Pigeon Bridge Brook, then left up Waleswood Road, another bridleway. Shortly after we turn northwards, we take the path left under an old railway bridge, then follow it round to the right to reach the TransPennine Trail former railway, where we turn sharp left. At Sheffield Road we turn right and cross to follow Station Road (if the road is busy there is a central refuge in the road a little further right than the junction)....

Hugh Hudson

I agree with Ken that the choice of meeting point for Eckington (a pavement just beyond the post office with no benches or other facilities) is bizarre and indefensible, but we are where we are and it is the right end of the village for this route, which starts up Berry Avenue, and beyond the hill we continue down an alleyway path to reach the edge of the village, where we turn left along Back Lane. Beyond the houses we take the farm lane half right, then follow the little path to the left up the hill. Above the little wood, once the airstrip fence ends, there is nothing to prevent the direct line down being taken rather than the right of way, and we reach Summerley Lane down steps and turn left to find the next path....

Hugh Hudson

Mostly an enjoyable route, almost a very good one, but there is a safety problem where we leave the old railway path south of Killamarsh - the path we need to join is on a high bridge and although there is evidence that some people have scrambled up the steep bank, there is a better avoiding path that should be used a little further south. I have submitted a new route ECKSWA two, which shows the avoiding line, and I will post a detailed review with pictures there....

Hugh Hudson

Just beyond Renishaw the route diverts away from the Trans Pennine Trail (it is worth carrying on 100 yards past the turning point to see the abandoned Renishaw station platform which make a good resting point) and crosses fields, the current train line via a bridge and then across the River Rother before an indistinct and poorly marked path crosses Eckington golf course before you follow roads to the meeting point in Eckington....

paul.scholey

I walked this Slow Way on a Sunday afternoon and, overall, was impressed. The Slow Way then heads west on well-defined paths with only a couple of short stretches of road thrown in to link the various paths. The only unpleasant stretch of road was Snowdon Road but, on this occasion, the impact of the traffic was mitigated by wide verges that allowed me to get off the road when cars approached. From Elm Tree Farm down in to Dronfield that Slow Way follows a hollow way that should be delightful. Yes, the stretch on the fast road has wide verges....

Andrew Sheldon

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. However, this, in turn led the route to the most difficult aspects of the route. 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....

Andrew Sheldon

Some services just off route at Marsh Lane but nothing else. A short road section soon leads to the pleasant Back Lane no traffic on the green track which has the backs of houses to one side and what appears to be green access land to the other. The route at Marsh Lane could be simplified and improved but was fine. The Dronfield meeting place needs a tweak onto a pleasant small area of grass between the southbound platform and the road where there is a seat....

Ken

This route uses paths that are not rights of way and should not be attempted. See Droeck-2 which offers a better route....

Ken

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....

Ken

A bit of road walking with light controlled crossings then onto the Sheaf river side walk starting where the water goes underground and under the railway station. We meet the Sheffield Country Walk at a ford with no bridge, stones just kept my boots from over topping. Once on the south bank we stay that side, the main trail crosses again after our route turns to head south through Ince Piece Wood and crossing Back Lane before returning to an urban landscape and roads that lead to the forlorn bus stop which to my mind is the wrongly located Eckington meeting point....

Ken

Crossing a road the dry canal bed is now apparent as is the narrow towpath which passes under a skeletal former rail bridge then a fenced section where the canal has vanished. Crossing the river by an unrecorded but well maintained footbridge it's roadside walking from here and a drag to the isolated bus stop, passing Eckington Bus Station and shops on the way which confirms that the meeting place needs moving....

Ken

Walking that more accurate plot I still struggled because the available paths west of Barlborough do not always follow what is shown on the map. I suggest you try Eckclo-2...

Ken

I looked at using Barlborough Country Park but the road here was less busy and the park paths indirect. The Fox and Magpie Heritage Walk indicates that the track off Ward Lane is available as a footpath so it's used here as an easier route than the footpath from Ruthyn Avenue. The footpath follows a track through the extensive sports fields before crossing by bridge over the Trans Pennine Trail cycle route....

Ken

There are a number of improvements that could be made, specifically to avoid a long road section on the approach to Eckington and I'll upload an alternate route shortly....

paul.scholey