Edges and Ales - Cordwell to Cutthorpe Circular

About

An interesting 8 ½ mile circular day walk with real ale pubs at several points on the route. Start from either Millthorpe or Linacre Reservoir.

Real ale pubs en route:
Royal Oak at Millthorpe
Tickled Trout at Commonside, Barlow
Three Merry Lads at Cutthorpe
Gate Inn at Overgreen, Cutthorpe

A) From the Royal Oak pub turn left down the hill and then left into Millthorpe Lane. Walk up the hill and on the first bend take the bridleway on the left. Almost immediately take the footpath on the right and follow the stream and path up the hill. After several fields recross the stream at a junction of many footpaths. Over the footbridge signed to Cartledge on the Dronfield Round Walk and follow the track to emerge at the top of Millthorpe Lane. Turn left and then right signed to Barlow past Cartledge Hall and continue down this bridleway, past Great Brind Wood.

The bridleway becomes a narrower and runs between holly hedges before reaching a few houses and emerging onto a road. Turn left here to the road junction and then left again over the stream and follow this road uphill. Turn right by the post box up a track marked ‘Unsuitable for motors’. When you get to the edge of the woods turn right and follow the path down along the edge of the woods past all the fishing lakes until you join another track coming down the hill. Cross the river on the stone bridge and then at the next crossroads take the next right. The metalled bridleway will lead onto the main road through Common Side.

Did you know? Cartledge Hall and Great Brind Wood
The present building is believed to date from 1492. The current Hall has oak panelled walls and ornate plaster moulded ceilings which date from the 1600s.

The name Brind Wood literally means ‘burnt wood’ and refers to the charcoal burning activities that were carried out in the wood from Roman times.

B) Turn right down Valley Road towards the Tickled Trout. Turn left by the footpath sign up the path by Laburnum Cottage and turn right up the hill past the Hare and Hounds.

At the bend in the road before the brick bungalow follow the footpath on the left that goes up the bank. Over the stile at the top and following the path and walls south towards the distant Chesterfield Spire you emerge onto a road. Crossing this on a dogleg left and right follow the footpath down into the woods. Crossing over the stream on a stone slaw, follow round the edge of the field before crossing over another stream on another footbridge. Up the hill and walk across the middle of the field to emerge onto the road in Cutthorpe.

(If you want to visit the Three Merry Lads pub, turn left here for 400m, then retrace your steps to this point.

C) Turn right up the hill to reach the Peacock. Just before the pub take the footpath on the left (or if calling in leave the pub and walk out of the back of the car park towards the woods). Turn right in the woods and stay on the main path heading towards the open fields. Cross the fields and drop down to the road just above the Ranger Base, toilets and Information point above Linacre Reservoirs.

D) Walk up the hill from the car parks and on the sharp right hand bend take the bridleway off on the left along the edge of the woods. After crossing several fields the bridleway emerges at Prathall.

Did you know? Prathall
The present Prathall building dates from the 17th Century, an older hall is now part of Prathall Farm. With three remaining sets of cruck timbers it was used as both a dwelling and a stable until the mid-1800s.

E) Turn left onto the road and continue up the hill to the Gate Inn. Turn right down the side of the pub and follow this lane all the way down until it becomes a bridleway. Past Oxton Rakes farm the track climbs uphill again, now look out for the footpath on the right beside a five bar gate. Crossing over a stream the path then climbs up the hill and across a driveway. Follow the field edge and then dropping down slightly the path follows a stream to a junction with a bridleway. Turn right and up the hill to cross the road. Turn left and right down the footpath leading down the hill to the bottom of the next valley.

Did you know? Rumbling Street
The small settlement on Far Lane is called Rumbling Street and has its origins in Roman times when it was built to transport lead ore to Chesterfield. Perhaps the name ‘Rumbling Street’ refers to the noise of passing traffic.

F) Turn right along the road and then take the footpath on the left across the stream and up the hill to the next road. Turn right by the pond and then the bridleway on the left across the farm and down the hill and through the woods emerging onto another road. Turn right and then left by the side of the barn. Follow this track through two fords and then follow Mill Lane to the junction by the Royal Oak.