Walk 3 - Farnah Green, Blackbrook and Belper Lane End (6.3 Miles)
This walk takes in a lovely hidden valley and provides some fine views both towards Carsington and Ashbourne and Ambergate and the North end of Belper. The route takes you through two farmyards which can be muddy in winter Parking is available in a small layby on Chevin Lane, coming from Belper Mill and the Ashbourne road just before the national speed limit sign and opposite a drive on the left.
From the car, walk down the road a little way towards Milford and before a bungalow on your right hand side take a footpath which climbs steeply to The Chevin. At the top you will see a Midshires Way plaque where you turn right towards Farnah Green and Blackbrook. The path turns left and emerges to a road where you turn right. (The Bluebell Inn is just a little way up the road to the left)
As you walk down the road look for a footpath sign on the left just before a postbox and bus stop. Take the first track as the second is a private drive. Walk down the track using two stiles to cross the private drive and then following a field edge on the right to a large stone step stile. Cross the stile and walk through woodland keeping to the top of the steep bank and with the wood edge on your right. The path slowly descends to a small gate and then crosses a field to another small gate and path which emerges after a few metres to a track.
Turn right along the track and follow this to Blackbrook crossing the brook by means of a small pedestrian bridge just before the main road. Turn right and then almost immediately left to walk up Plains Lane (looking out for fairy houses) This quiet lane slowly rises past houses and Chapel Farm. Walk past a parking area and footpath on your right and come to where the road turns sharply left. You can continue to follow the road to the left and right or take the footpath which goes straight on (ignoring the path on the right) and then left to arrive back at the road just below Hollyseat.
Continue on the road through the farmyard and a number of gates and the lane climbs to a sharp left hand bend by an old quarry. There is a track straight ahead here but we are taking the track to the right downhill which hugs the edge of woodland. As it descends this track turns to the left and through a gate into the woods. At the edge of the woods go through a stile and follow a path through a number of small fields, gates and stiles heading towards a farmhouse roof until you descend to a small stream.
Be careful here and look for the path which is across the stream and up a steep hill to a farmhouse (Handleywood Farm). Climb sharply to the farmhouse and follow the path in front of the building and through the gate. Turn left to walk up the field edge and then through a gate to a track. Turn right here and follow the lane to a T-junction with a no entry sign on the right.
We are briefly back on the Midshires Way here as we turn left to follow this lane to the brow of the hill. When you reach a layby take the footpath to the right through a small copse and then downhill to a small lane at Belper Lane End. At the main road turn left to the Bulls Head PH and then right on Belper Lane. A few yards up Belper Lane look for a footpath on the left following this with the field edge on the left.
After a few fields the path enters a farm lane and takes you through Wyver Farm farmyard, As you come to a large farmhouse on the left, do not take the uphill track on the right but continue straight on past further farm buildings and through another gate. Follow this rough track as it descends with Wyver Lane nature reserve in the valley on your left.
At a gate at the end of the lane continue straight on keeping the field hedge to your right to come a stile onto Wyver Lane. Turn right onto the lane and then almost immediately look for a footpath on the right. Take this through a copse and then along field edges. After a narrow field cross a stile into a small lane with houses each side (The Scotches). Walk down the lane and then turn left onto the road heading downhill to Beaurepaire Gardens and The Talbot Inn.
At The Talbot turn left towards Belper Mill and look for a footpath on the right just before the river. Follow this path until it comes to a lane. Turn right and then immediately left through a small gate heading towards a wall corner. Follow this wall for a short distance until you come to a footpath on the right across a stile Follow this obvious path uphill and to the left through a number of fields and through a tall hedgerow with stone steps. As you emerge from the hedgerow head towards another wall corner on the horizon and through a small gate to emerge on a drive. Follow this back to your car.
