We turn left at the T junction onto Primrose Hill, then across Alfreton Road to Gloves Lane. One field beyond the village, the path divides and we leave the lane half right to follow a field edge down the hill to a footbridge. The stile into the field right was badly overgrown, and I climbed a locked gate beyond it, but I suspect most users of the path to Danesmoor use the stile further on and follow the field edge down, as the right of way line seemed untrodden. A well used tarmac path takes us past a school into a park, where we join a road right of the hospital to reach Market Street, where we turn left and eventually cross to the meeting point is by the tunnel vent....

Hugh Hudson

Whichever way you choose the trail is a good fast route, but the route up to Chesterfield Road goes up the bank through the wood to the right to reach the road north of the old railway bridge. Here we turn left, then take the field path right. Once in the field it is easiest just to follow the southern edge round to reach the path right, which goes up through a muddy field and through a fenced area of farmyard then joins the farm track out to Huthwaite Lane, where we turn left. The field path right starts over a little footbridge, but there seems to be an unofficial shortcut that leaves the road just before the stream is culverted. In the big field beyond a waymark encourages us to stay left rather than attempt the right of way straight across, but once you see the path left over the stream you need to cross the field right - this line seems to be well enough trodden for the route to be obvious, but I haven't tested it when the crops are higher....

Hugh Hudson

It is difficult to see a better alternative unless the path that crosses Pinxton Lane at Crow Trees Farm is viable. Our path leaves down steps from the second roundabout (not before it) and as Ken says, at the bottom of the steps the easiest thing is to head right to pick up the surfaced track/lane parallel to the main road. I followed the GPX plot and took the path that starts on the surfaced path on the near side of the second pool then leaves it to head up grass into the field, and down to the gate (picture 7), where there is a stile in the undergrowth over the little fence right of the gate, so it is possible to reach Pinxton Lane on the right of way. The path continues up the right hand side of the old railway, which is behind a barbed wire fence that cannot be crossed where the right of way crosses it, but a field track a little higher up allows us to cross. Where the path leaves the field to enter Cowpasture Lane (no pastures or cows now), most locals seem to stay in the field, but I had no problems following the slightly overgrown lane which becomes a surfaced road lower down....

Hugh Hudson

Beyond the junction with Church Lane we continue down Station Road, then take the fenced path left that goes steeply back up the hill. We cross under the A38 then take the path left parallel to the main road. Storth Lane takes us to the old main road, which we cross and follow more residential streets (why this is a footpath when the streets look like they have been there for years is a bit of a mystery) to Downing Street, from where paved and enclosed paths lead us to the South Normanton meeting point (Market Close is probably a better route choice than the narrow and less direct alleyway)...

Hugh Hudson

Just before we meet the next road the path crosses a small stream by a bridge and enters Nottinghamshire. At the next road a pub offers pizzas and carvey and stands alongside the rail route that we join. This offers an easy walk to Fackley but beware there is no direct link from bridge to road, I didn't use it but the best route appears to be a short footpath to Tibshelf Road before arriving at the bridge. A field path avoids a section of the road but from Stanley this route does take us along a narrow twisting lane which losses it another star. A short section of road with wide verges links to the cross field path which had dried out from the winter mud leading to the estate roads and finally the bus shelter meeting place opposite another food and drink opportunity....

Ken

We pass the station approach, a good place to cross back to the south side of the road and continue along Mansfield Road, turning right onto High Street and left down Cressy Road and right along Hall Street to the meeting point at the bus station (some may prefer the pedestrianised routes down from High Street past the library to the bus station starting on Central Road or Chapel Street)....

Hugh Hudson

At the roundabout, we cross Woodlands Way then turn right on a surfaced footpath that leads to Alfreton Road, which we cross and continue down Henning Lane (I wanted to write Wehn!) and over a stream through a muddy section to an open grassy field. I was slightly misled by the GPX and the right of way line on the OS map into following the stream here, but the easier line is to start on the well trodden path uphill on the right then bear left where it forks. Just after the road bears left we turn right onto a good path which picks up an old railway line, now the Blackwell Trail, which is pleasant and tree lined, soon losing the industrial neighbours....

Hugh Hudson

Cross the road and turn left along the wide excellent pavement which has bollards as well as yellow lines to prevent unauthorised parking. There is no finger post where the footpath leaves the road, perhaps because the road is unadopted and the footpath is recorded sort of along the pavement. I left at the bridleway sign, that's not the route but a mown path along the field edge is very helpful. At the footpath sign there was no sign of the path across the large cropped field. At the next boundary crossing a mile and a half from the road an official sign tells me the path is closed due to an unsafe bridge and adds that there is no suitable alternative route. I met a couple dog walking along a well used field edge path....

Ken

The route leaves on a quiet residential roads before joining a path across restored mining land. From here it takes a route across pastures to Blackwell and after a short traverse through the houses onto the footpaths towards Tibshelf....

StephenWalker

This is a good walk, far better than I had anticipated walking from South Normanton to Clay Cross on a sunny late April day after weeks of dry weather. From Westhouses the path is better through mainly horse grazing and a frustrating view over the valley to the path walked earlier. Back in the countryside I met those disinterested cattle then more fresh green fields, singing skylarks and a view across to Clay Cross church spire. Once on the road at Danesmoor I do think a better approach could be had into Clay Cross but it does at least pass the bus stop for the Derby Chesterfield Comet service....

Ken

This is a great walk, far better than I had anticipated walking from South Normanton to Clay Cross on a sunny late April day after weeks of dry weather. From South Normanton it is a mile of road side walking but there is a decent pavement and in places it's well segregated from the traffic. More pleasant field walking along the edge of oil seed in full yellow flower as I passed....

Ken

The route starts on the wide pavements of a busy road. Map reading is important in the next section to negotiate the route across arable fields where the farmer has not reinstated the line of the path. Alongside the boundary fence of the busy A38, and then at the underbridge spot an overgrown path leading up steeply onto the bridge....

StephenWalker

At Pinxton there is a section through the Industrial Estate (A good cafe here)....

StephenWalker

After the motorway the section into the industrial estate is similarly confined by steel paling fences. If I were to walk this again I would exit SN by the Souglap1 route to the N and pick up the Blackwell Trail earlier, avoiding the industrial estate and busy road....

StephenWalker

The path parallel to the road climbing from the station to South Normanton was pretty muddy on the day I walked it. The Alfsou1 route is longer and very wet in places....

StephenWalker

The exit from SN is along roadsides on pavements, leading to a muddy lane under the motorway and a busy roadside to Hilcote. From the Hardwick Inn the walk through the hall grounds is on good paths, leading to a short length of roadside....

StephenWalker

(Use the footway on the south side of the road at the 50 MPH sign take the track that runs just south of the road only divided from the traffic by a hedge. Seats suggest this is an official path)....

Ken

After passing Maplewells school which I might wrongly locate at Fulwood the path passes around the south the west side of the former spoil heap of New Hucknall colliery. The signed bridleway from the business park road soon offers a good surface to the next road, pass under the bridge then double back up to the road. The path is unsigned leading to a fenced path alongside the motorway then over a little used bridge....

Ken

I've tried to find inviting pictures but generally this was a walk in some open countryside but along fenced paths....

Ken

Good plotted GPX but challenging snickets between houses from estate roads, navigate with extreme care....

Ken