The walk begins at the Royal Oak, 55 Green Lane, Ockbrook, Derby DE72 3SE

Tel.  01332 662378.  Coffee will be available from 10.00, for a 10.30 start.

Ockbrook is located just off the A52, halfway between Derby and Junction 25 of the M1.  When you leave the A52, head through the village, turning left at the T junction towards Ilkeston, on Bare Lane which becomes Green Lane.  The pub, the second one along, is just over the brow of the hill, set back behind a large car park.

The walk takes us down the hill behind the pub and then across Green Lane, before heading up a steady gentle slope towards Dale Abbey, crossing arable fields.  At the brow of the ridge, we join the Midshires Way through the woods above Dale Abbey, passing the Hermitage in a rocky outcrop.  The route back down the slope from the ridge to Ockbrook is a mixture of footpaths and farm tracks.  The 4.5 miles is easy going, but the number of stiles and gates make it a round 2 hours walk. Click on the map, right for a larger version of the route.

When we did the recce, the ground was bone dry, hard and cracked across the cultivated fields.  Most of the wheat and barley was still to be harvested, so we are likely to see stubble or freshly-ploughed fields.  Some of the stiles and hedge openings had a few nettles and brambles around them, but nothing serious.  The absence of cattle means we are unlikely to meet deep mud, but if we get heavy rainfall before the walk, it could make the field paths slippery.

If you want to have a look at the pub website it is:- www.royaloakockbrook.com 

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