Doncaster Ramblers – Staveley Brimington Common and some Chesterfield Canal

The Hub is operated by the excellent Chesterfield Canal Trust.

A cafe and toilets were available for those who arrived early.

During the briefing we noted that the car park would be closed and padlocked at 4pm.

The walk was going to be just short of 11 miles and would include a coffee stop a pub stop and an afternoon ice cream stop so I suggested we walk at a good pace to ensure we got back in time.

It is fair to say everyone fully embraced this idea.

As leader I sometimes struggled to keep up and we in fact returned to Hollingwood to rescue our cars just after 3pm.

The walk began by crossing the road and setting off down the canal towpath on The Cuckoo Way towards Staveley Town Basin.

Here the canal is blocked off and unrestored (the Canal Trust hopes to have this nine mile section open by 2027).

We swung right on The Trans Pennine Way behind Staveley (stopping for coffee en route) and then onto Brimington Common.

Here we called in for our lunch stop at The Miners Arms where the landlord Richard had opened up specially for us.

Then it was further across the common towards Tapton before dropping down the slope to cross the railway and main road to once again pick up The Cuckoo Way and The Chesterfield Canal towpath.

A scruffy section behind local housing and opposite a building site brought us to The Tapton Visitor Centre where a short stop was enjoyed by all and ice creams were enjoyed by some.

From there it was the final stretch back along the canal side where the Cuckoo Way and Trans Pennine Way (and therefore quite a few cyclists) share the paths to Hollingwood.

My thanks to all who kept pace and especially to Steve for the photos and Neil and Angela for backmarking before and after lunch.

Please visit our website https://www.doncasterramblers.org.uk/ for latest information,

including future activity.

Also follow us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/doncasterramblers/ for details of past Rambler outings.

Remember while out observe the Countryside Code and give way to other walkers.

*Doncaster Ramblers have had a programme of Tuesday and Saturday walks, mostly between eight and eleven miles in length, for about 30 years.

The location of these walks varies from walks local in the Doncaster area like Tickhill, Sykehouse or Askern, to walks in the Derbyshire Peak District, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire, etc.

We also have a programme of Thursday morning walks of about two to three hours.

All the walks are led by Ramblers leaders and we always have a backmarker.

CP