Walk 2: Belper Station to Duffield Station
Walk number 2, is a 6 mile walk between Belper and Duffield through open country with superb views linking together the historic settlements of Bargate and Holbrook.
Leave the station, follow the town map in the inset to the Coppice car park. Go downhill, over the Coppice Brook and follow the path to the left leading through the ancient deer park, (now a nature reserve).
At the road turn right and keep uphill. At Kirks Lane take the footpath ahead (Pinchom’s Hill Road) to Bargate. Go straight over the road and soon turn right to follow the path behind the houses.
This eventually cuts straight through the front yards of a row of cottages – this is the right of way! Turn left at the end of the path between fields, then pass through two stiles and turn right to cross two fields to emerge onto a lane. Turn left and follow the track to Ben’s Farm and the road.
Turn right and walk through Holbrook village to Town Street and soon turn left down a tarmaced path (Stoney Lane). Turn right at the bottom of the allotments and follow the quiet lane as far as the main road. Here, turn right and cross the road to find a path leading left uphill into a wood, over a bridge and on uphill to a lane and finally to Daypark Cottage.
Take the path bearing at 45 degrees away from the gate to an oak tree. Cross the corner of the next field and head diagonally to the edge of a small wood. From here cross several fields to Eatonpark Wood. Go through the gate and after a few yards turn right to soon find a stile out of the wood (the walk now follows the route of the Midshires Way). Follow the path/bridleway across fields to the top of Duffield Bank. Note here that the footpath and bridlepath run side by side, separated by a hedge.
Descend Duffield Bank to the Bridge Inn, turn left down the far river bank and follow the route of the Midshires Way into Duffield and to the station.