Ay Up Me Duck - Two Parks and a Brewery

This 16 km (10-mile) route begins at Little Chester near the site of a small Roman fort and town known as Derventio. It takes in Darley Park and Allestree Park to the north of Derby city centre, and we visit the Shiny Brewery Tap at Little Eaton where award winning beers are created. Non-alcoholic beverages are available. 

At the start of the walk we cross the river at Handyside Bridge, also known as Derwent Bridge, built in 1878 for the Great Northern Railway. The railway line closed in 1968 and it was converted to a foot bridge in 1976.

On the western side of the river we walk past Derby Rowing Club, formed in 1857.

Darley Park is home to the largest collection of Hydrangeas in Britain, and the third largest in the world. First planted in 1984 it now has over 400 different types, however, there won't be many blooms to see in March.

We will pause to take refreshments at Darley Park Tearooms.

The settlement of Darley Abbey dates back to the medieval era, when it was the site of an Augustinian monastery. In the 18th century, the Evans family developed their planned industrial mill village to service their Boar's Head Mill, one of the first water-powered mills at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

We cross over the busy A6 through the suburb of Allestree and into Allestree Park from where we get great views into the Derwent valley. From here we continue uphill to Quarndon, one of the wealthiest villages in the area.

From Bunkers Hill we head back down into the valley, back across the A6, past St Alkmund's Church and over Duffield Bridge towards Little Eaton.

Shiny Brewery was established in 2012 as a small-scale cask brewery operation in the beer garden at the back of the Furnace Inn pub in Derby. It moved to Little Eaton in 2015 and invested in making better beer which is now available nation-wide in cask, keg and cans as well as from the taproom.

The Shiny Tap also sells pizzas if you fancy one in the afternoon as well as, or instead of, a packed lunch.

From Little Eaton we cross underneath the A38 ring road on the Derwent Valley Heritage Way and back through Darley Park and Little Chester to the start point.

Dogs: Well behaved dogs are welcome but owners must ensure they are kept under control at all times.

Note: If there are no places left on this event, join the waiting list, as people frequently drop out during the week before an event, and you are likely to get a place.

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