Historic Walks in Derbyshire - The Peak District

The 60 walks in this guidebook are set against the backdrop of Derbyshire’s history, taking walkers past remnants of ancient settlements to fine market towns and villages, caverns and mines, castles, country houses, craft centres, Georgian and Victorian spa resorts and industrial heritage. Includes the Peak District and Derbyshire’s lower southern landscape.

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Walk 20 - Bolsover Castle

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Distance: 7km/4½ miles
Start: Stockley Trail car park just off the A632 on Riverside Way between Bolsover and the M1
Map: OS Explorer 269 Chesterfield & Alfreton
Terrain: Easy trail walking followed by a climb up to Palterton and then field and road walking

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Despite its commanding position Bolsover Castle is very much a castle in name only as the remains are that of a mock medieval country house celebrating romance and chivalry, built on the site of a twelfth-century castle. It is elaborately decorated in the Jacobean style, although no furniture remains as this was all moved to Welbeck Abbey, which became the owner’s main home during the eighteenth century. The sense of theatre created by this fantasy seventeenth-century property contrasts strongly with the surrounding legacy of the industrial past of more recent centuries. From 1755 to 1945 the castle was in the hands of the Portland family, who transferred it to the nation. The castle is now looked after by English Heritage and it is without doubt a truly unique property. English Heritage has recently completed a £3 million renovation and has built a new visitor centre.

Bolsover Castle, one of England’s finest late Renaissance monuments, is an astonishing complex of sandstone buildings that stands dramatically on the top of a magnesian ­limestone ridge in the small market town of Bolsover, dominating the ­landscape for miles around. Effectively two contrasting and fascinating houses were built, one a dream romantic folly with lavish interior decoration and the other a huge palatial terrace range for entertaining and accommodating important guests.

The mood of the castle has been encapsulated by many. In his masque Loves Welcome To Bolsover, written for the visit of Charles I, Ben Jonson reminds us ’This is not a warlike place, much of its imagery is intellectual, sensual and designed to evoke the virtues of romantic love’. Sacheverell Sitwell from nearby Renishaw commented that Bolsover had ’a ghostly poetry that fires the imagination, that can never be forgotten and that never cools’.

The town of Bolsover was first granted a market charter in 1225. During the eighteenth century it was famous for its buckles and spurs and the manufacture of clay pipes. From the late nineteenth century the town grew rapidly with the expanding coal mining industry. Indeed the model village of New Bolsover built by the Bolsover Colliery Company is one of the finest and most important examples of colliery architecture in this country. It is of such great historical and architectural value that the entire village is listed.

The Stockley Trail follows the former Glapwell Colliery branch line and was acquired by Derbyshire County Council from British Rail in 1993.

Sutton Scarsdale Hall was once one of the most magnificent properties in Derbyshire and is now in the hands of English Heritage. Nicholas Leake, who was the fourth and last Earl of Scarsdale, built the hall in 1774. In 1824 the hall passed to descendants of the famous industrialist Richard Arkwright and it remained in his family until 1926. A speculator, who sold everything that could be removed, then purchased it. The ruins were saved by Sir Osbert Sitwell from Renishaw Hall after the Second World War on the day before they were due to be pulled down. Sir Reresby Sitwell then passed the shell to the Ministry of the Environment.

ROUTE INSTRUCTIONS
1.  From the car park follow the trail away from the A632. At a fork bear to the right for 100m to a viewpoint and an excellent set of information boards. Retrace your steps to the junction and turn right to reach a rough track. The Stockley Trail continues on the opposite side of the track, but a diversion to Carr Vale Nature Reserve can be made at this point by taking the path to the right, which leads to the reserve in 100m. At a crossroad of paths another short diversion can be made to the right to visit the new Flashes; otherwise continue ahead and cross over Carr Lane. Sutton Scarsdale Hall can be seen over to the right beyond the M1.

2.  Ignore the first path, which now crosses the trail, but turn left at the next crossroads as signposted to Palterton. Follow the left-hand edge of a field which bends first to the right, and then when it bends to the left by a marker post keep ahead to another marker post. Maintain direction along a grassy track which in 100m bears first to the left and then to the right to enter a field. Walk diagonally across the field to a stile in the far right-hand corner. Walk uphill along the right-hand side of a field and climb a stile not far from the corner of the field. Turn left along a path hedged on both sides and turn left on reaching a lane to join Carr Lane.

3.  Turn left onto Carr Lane and ignore the road to the right called Pennine View. A few metres further on bear to the right at a fork onto a No Through Road. The lane soon ends and you pass through a kissing gate into a field. Pass farm buildings on your right and make for a large metal gate in the far right-hand corner. Climb the stile and follow the clearly defined track into a housing area. Maintain direction until you reach Langwith Road.

4.  Turn left and when the road bends to the right bear to the left onto High Street by the brown tourist sign for Bolsover Castle. When the road bends to the right, if you wish to visit Bolsover Castle or its visitor centre follow the road for 30m and the entrance is on the left, otherwise bear to the left onto Castle Lane. The road bends to the right and then to the left. On the left-hand bend turn right onto a surfaced path. When the surfaced path ends walk downhill along the left-hand edge of a field with magnificent views of Bolsover Castle behind you. Turn right by a marker post and then at the next marker post close to a seat turn left and walk across a field towards a hedge corner and then keep the hedge on your left to reach a road. Turn right and then in 10m turn left at a public footpath sign to walk through a field along a surfaced path to the A632. Cross over the road and turn left along the pavement and walk to the roundabout. Turn left and return to the car park either by walking along Riverside Way or by joining the Stockley Trail.

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Refreshments: Pubs at Bolsover and a cafe at Bolsover Castle Visitor Centre
Toilets: Bolsover Castle Visitor Centre
Key Features: Bolsover Castle (01246 822844) and a section of the Stockley Trail