Todays walk in detail

Twelve of us set off from Dungworth on a 9.3 mile Heritage walk. The route took us along Cow Gap Farm, the home of cutlers from the early 19th century. We continued to Loadbrook where a pot clay mine existed in the 1950’s. We stopped for a coffee break near Hall Broom farm which has a cruck framed barn built in 1620. Kerry took the Brownie points for the first person to spot that we were, once again, walking down Cow Gap Lane. We continued down Bents Lane and on to Riggs High Road and Hill Farm, both on the OS map of 1855. We enjoyed the lovely views from our lunch stop and the weather stayed dry, despite the weather forecast. The route eventually took us past the 1743 Chapel on Stannington Road and the 1854 Schoolroom, both established by Richard Spoone, a local landowner, who bequeathed the land for the chapel and school ‘for the education of poor children’. Towards the end of the walk we were rewarded by a visit to Our Cow Molly Ice Cream Parlour where we indulged (guilt-free) in huge, delicious ice creams. At the end of the walk some of us took refreshments at the Plough, a Bradfield Brewery pub, where the Brown Cow hand-pumped ale was, as usual, excellent.

Overall, a pleasant walk with the addition of ice cream and real ale – the recipe for a perfect day!

Many thanks to Val for volunteering to back mark.