WALKS WITH NELLIE! Brassington

After a ‘back of beyond’ walk for the last issue, this was more of a ‘back to the future’ kind of ramble. I parked in the free car park up Wirksworth Dale just off Dale End at the top of Brassington, then walked back down the village to a footpath sign just before the lovely Tudor House on Dragon Hill. Built in 1615, this is said to be the oldest dated property in the village. A datestone shows the initials of Thomas Westerne its builder and his wife Anne, although the words Tudor House were evidently added sometime in the 1890s. For a time this building was the local inn but it was bought by the parish in 1820 to serve as the local workhouse. In a census of 1841 it records 15 inmates but this increased considerably over the following years until a new Union Workhouse was built in Ashbourne. Since 1848 Tudor House has been a private residence.

Brassington has a bountiful collection of old stone cottages and farmhouses, with a scattering of modern dwellings and the odd ‘grand design’ property mixed in.

Branzincton as it was recorded in the Domesday Book is some distance from today’s main roads, however in 1663 a King’s Highway passed directly through here with strict instructions that residents should maintain and upkeep this important road. ‘Everie one everie yeare scowre their ditches adjoyneinge to the King’s highway before the first daie of May or else to forfeite 12d’!

Our route now was to follow a field and stile footpath to Carsington, passing close to the spoils from old mine workings such as the rakes of the former Perseverance Mine. These hills have long since been exploited by man through mining and quarrying, leaving behind a legacy of lumps, bumps and earthworks. Other workings in the area include the Nicalum, Greatrake and Wester Head mines, whilst just to the north are the remains of Bees Nest sand pit and Green Clay pit where silica sand was extracted.

After a couple of fields we were on high ground and could look back to the village. St James church stands proudly on a rise overlooking its congregation. It is said to contain many early features and a south chancel aisle thought to date back to 1200. High up on the west wall is said to be a small crudely carved figure of a man with hand on heart, thought to be of Saxon origin but built into the Norman tower. He is said to be Brassington’s oldest inhabitant but the one most rarely seen

Soon I was to have a wonderful clear view of Carsington Water trapped within an enclosure of limestone hills.

We descended to a junction in Carsington where a left led us up Mining Lane past characterful cottages and then through a hedge tunnel to a gate at the base of a very steep incline. I’ve traversed this path many times, and don’t know if it’s worse climbing up it or carefully descending. Either way, I find dividing it into stages is best, with a post and telegraph pole coming in very handy as rest stops! Reaching the summit and turning round to admire panoramic views really does have the wow factor.

Nellie and I now headed over Carsington Pasture, passing an eroded rock formation known as the Kings Chair. It is hard to miss the farm of wind turbines here which appear like massive towers topped by revolving blades like genteel fingers dancing with the breeze. Energy harnessed from the wind is then transported along a line of pylons striding out with giant steps towards Ashbourne. Ironically, over the wall is an earlier type of eco-friendly wind capture being the remains of a more traditional windmill.

On reaching the road, we crossed over to the right so that we could access the High Peak Trail for a bit of a level and quickly paced walk, not a jog but a stride out.

We left the trail with the magnificent and historic Harboro Rocks to our right, walking to the side and then in front of the works and along the road for about a quarter of a mile to reach a footpath sign and stile. After crossing high pasture we emerged onto the lane at the top of Wirksworth Dale where a short walk downhill returned us to the car.

Sally Mosley

FOOTNOTE BY NELLIE: You readers will have read many times that I pull on the lead, although I am getting a bit better these days. However, for several years my ears have become attuned and turned off to the repetitive cries of ‘stop pulling’ coming from Mum being dragged along behind me. Well, on our walk today we came to an extremely steep grassy bank and going up it all I could hear was a strange huffing noise and mum’s out of breath commands to ‘pull me up Nellie’. I wish she would make her mind up! Confuseddog.com/Nellie xx