BIG New Year - Railways & Canals Circular
31 people attending
1 place left
11 people waitlisted
This is a 15km circular walk talking in canals and former railways.
We start at the Hostel at 9am, and head East along the High Peak Trail, a former railway line. We have a brief stop for views and photos at Black Rocks before a steep descent down to High Peak Junction, the River Derwent and the Cromford Canal. We'll pass the Leaford Pump House and continue down the canal for some time. Heading up Shining Cliff Woods, we start weaving our way back home through the countryside.
In all there is around 480m of ascent, and some steep transitions. The main descent is on the old railway though, so is a steady gradient.
Including stops for lunch, photos and a possible drink, it should take us around 6 hours.
Images:
Bridge No 1 Cromford Canal
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Tony Bacon - geograph.org.uk/p/315903
Shining Cliff Woods
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Andy Jamieson - geograph.org.uk/p/1155324
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Food for lunch & a hot drink for cold weather. At least 2 litres of water.