Walk 8 - Morley Park Iron Works - (5 miles)

This walk uses less well known footpaths and navigation is a bit tricky in places.  A map or the OS Map App would be useful

This walk starts from Over Lane by the bus stop and the drive to Nos 148/150/152.  Head down the drive, and look for a stony path straight ahead between two walls.  Follow this path to a gate to fields. Bear right following the path slightly downhill across fields and stiles.  As you approach a gate with stile it is difficult to see the path. Just past the gate look in the hedge to your right and you will see a metal kissing gate.  Go through and turn left. Cross the stile to a footpath which crosses some woodland and then across a grassy field used for dog training.  Head for the gap in the hedge and turn right onto a farm track looking carefully for a small stile on the left just a few metres up the track.  Cross the stile and head across the field to a small gate to reach a path. Turn left onto the path and follow this past a house and through a gate.  Follow the track as it heads downhill and over the A38 on a bridge.

Now head downhill and ignoring the path on the right cross a footbridge straight ahead.  Head through a small copse and uphill to follow a path across two fields.  In the third field with Park Hall ahead of you head for a gate in the top right corner.  Do not go through the stile but instead turn left and follow a path as it skirts around Park Hall to reach a stile onto a track.  Turn left onto the track then almost immediately right over a stile into a field and follow the path along field edges and over stiles.  With a small copse on the right cross over a stile into the woods and follow the path through the centre.

You are now looking for two gates on the right hand side of the path – peering through the trees to see these.  Go through the second gate to emerge into a large field.  Head left across the field towards the hedge – go through a large opening towards the top of the field and then head towards a gate in the wire fence.  Cross this small field to a wooden squeeze stile next to a house and to emerge onto Street Lane. Turn left up Street Lane and walk uphill through the village.  Keep walking uphill to Upper Street Lane and at the crest of the hill look for a footpath and concrete track on the left which crosses under the A38 to Morley Park Farm. 

Walking past the farm follow the track as it bears left but when it bears right take a footpath along a track on the left heading towards disused Ironworks in the distance 

These two blast furnaces were built between 1780 and 1818 and closed in 1874.  They were built for Francis Hurt of Alderwasley  to produce iron from iron ore and coal both of which were mined locally.

The track passes the ironworks and enters a field.  Head left headings towards a corner created by two hedges.  At the corner do not cross the stile.  Instead turn right and head uphill across the field looking for another field corner created by hedges with a gate and stile.  Cross into a field with a hedge on the right and continue slightly uphill to a stile.  Cross into a small field and then at the opening ahead turn right onto a track. Bear slightly right to a small gate in front of farm buildings, cross a tarmac drive and head through trees to a small footbridge and boundary stone.  Head right to a stile and towards woodland.  Turn right onto the farm drive and to the road. At the road turn right and then look for a footpath sign and metal kissing gate on the left.  Take this path as it crosses a number of fields and gates finally arriving at Whitemoor Medical Centre.  Turn left onto the road and head uphill.  At the top turn right and follow Over Lane to return to your starting point.