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A 'Walk Around Totley's own Green Belt

Let us head for the hills on this summer’s morning.

Leave the car at home, forget the heavy traffic areas of Bakewell, Castleton, Fairholmes and Chatsworth. Just simply walk out from home and sample our own doorstep delights.

Distance of walk 8-9 miles, allow 6 hours. Hiking boots desirable. Start from Totley Bus Terminus. Route as follows. Hillfoot Road, Chapel Lane, cobbled causeway to Penny Lane. Just above The Cricket Inn and to our right enter the signed field path through Bents Farm to the charming hamlet of Old Hay. Locate the bridge just beyond the final bungalow which spans the old hay brook and head left to the lane leading to Avenue Farm. Gate and stile forward across field area to the head of Shorts Lane and the horseriding stables. Turn left into the realms of Blackamoor. A well signed path skirts the side of the blacker dyke brook, and just beyond the ford. Leave the main piper house track !, and locate the signed route to our right through the mixed woodland scene that climbs fairly steeply toward the "devil's elbow" gate and the Fox House road. Here we join the main A625 road after a half a mile stead climb. Walk a few hundred yards to our right, cross the road with care and opposite the top of Whitelow Lane locate a gate that takes us onto the slopes of Houndkirk Moor. On route, note the Sheffield Corporation site of the "Devil's Elbow" (once a notorious blackspot for road accidents before the road improvements). This area was often named the "Meg and Gin" hollow in bygone days. The path ascends through the heather towards a solitary concrete post. Spend a few minutes time to climb to the summit of shapely Houndkirk Hill. Well worth the effort for the grand views.

Retrace our steps back to the concrete post. Walk a few yards to our right and cross the feeder stream of the Red Car Brook to avoid a few boggy patches. The waymarked route for the short crossing of Houndkirk Moor to the bridle road seems to have been placed in the wettest section of the moor so you will not regret my recommended line over the slopes. Soon we reach the highway known as the Houndkirk Road (an ancient coaching road between Fox House and Ringinglow). Head towards Ringinglow and The Round House. On route on this classic highway we pass the site of Foxdale Lodge (once the home of the Duke of Rutland's gamekeeper). Now all these moorland areas are owned by the Sheffield Corporation.

After the thieves bridge we note the imposing ox stones than dominate the high ground of Burbage Moor. Junctions of tracks join from the Sheephill Road. Here abouts is the Jumble and Sod Road, close by are the secret springs known as God's springs and Sparkinsons springs, indeed waters and nectars for the Gods. We fringe the side of Lady Canning's plantation, it was here that the disastrous fire in 1976 ccaused severe damage to large areas of Burbage Moor, an act of vandalism. After this final highway crossing we soon arrive at the village of Ringinglow with its historical interest of The Round House. Maybe a bar meal would be most welcome at the popular Norfolk Arms Inn, at this halfway point. At the end of Sheephill Road, locate the stone stile and enter the realms of the limb valley (which incorporates part of the Sheffield Round Walk). The field path passes the ruined shell of copperas house. Here abouts was the site of old coal mining works. A delightful path wends its way through the woodland scene along the banks of the limb brook as it flows into the lovely gardens of Whirlowbrook Park.

Further refreshments can be obtained at the Hall, linger a while for these gardens are a pure delight. We cross the main A625 road at Whirlow Bridge. Here was sited an old coaching inn, demolished at the turn of the early 1900s. Our next stretch of path is known as Rycroft Glen. We walk close to the field areas and sports section that soon joins the head of Ecclesall Woods, keep to the right hand path that finally brings us close to the miniature railway and eventually the A621 road at Dore Road corner.

All the way from Ringinglow we have followed the course of the infant Limb brook. Cross the main road at the garden centre and pass the Dore and Totley railway station by the cutting into Twentywell Lane. Take the field path by the side of the bridge into Poynton Woods. Traverse the lower level to finally join up with the exist at Mill Lane where we finish our round walk at the Totley Rise Shops.

Nothing difficult about this walk where you will have sampled some of the grand scenery right on your own front doorstep.