homepage - Daywalks Index 2022 - contact me at REV X

2022.05.04 Start Malin Bridge Tram Terminus SK328.894, ~W along A6101 road and then a very short distance along B6077 Loxley Road & skew slightly down on a track to The River Loxley. Follow the River generally Westward (some places a fair bit above the River) to & SW across Rowel Lane (SK299.896), follow ‘concrete track’ ~WNW / NNW to pass below a well-kept Bowling Green then NW on the edge of the pleasant pond of Old Wheel Farm, then WNW on ‘roads’ thru an ‘industrial wasteland’* to the immaculate Fishing Pond, going ~W then ~N along it’s edges, then NNW / NNE on a track on the edge of Stacey Bank up to Loxley Road. Follow the road ~WNW passing on the North side of Damflask Reser. Embkt. and turn in & follow (the north edge of the Reser.) ~WNW. At ~SK268.917 one joins a road (Lamb Hill Rd) running ~NW along / above the reservoir. Near the West end of the Reser (~ 50 to 100m before a FB across the river into the reser.) at SK265.818 V-turn ~E on a FP to cross Loxley Road at SK274.918, follow track SE up for ~200m thru a small farm and turn NNE to join The Sheffield Country Walk & V- turning up towards Cliffe House Farm, ~ E (on South side of Large Shed), below New Lathes, on North Side of Holdworth Hall (unseen), onto road ENE / ESE thru Holdworth to take FP at SK288.915 running ~E below Low Ash Common to road bend at Low Ash Farm, (left Sheffield Country Walk, FP ~SSW / ESE / E to cross Long Lane at ~SK305.910, ~ESE above Loxley Rdge then ~E thru Wadsley Common then SE to / thru Stour Lane, SSW down Luke Lane to find Bridleway ~WSW & pass above Loxley House, turn on BW ~SSE down to Ben Lane, ~E on Ben Lane for ~150m to glimpse to N at Loxley House. ~W on Ben Lane & take BW ~SSE thru ‘parkland’ down to Loxley Rd at Sk316.898, SW down to track (taken along ‘The River Loxley near start of walk), but  follow route SE / E back to Malin Bridge Tram. Leader Christine Gamble – 9 on walk – about 11 miles  * now that houses are not to be built in this area, what plans to demolish and clear area and re-instate 'natural state' are being made?

10 group meeting at Malin Bridge Tram Terminus
13 The River Loxley
14 path in some places fairly close to The River Loxley
16 apparently a drop hammer used in Sheffield's Steel Industry
17 a headrace dam - the 'mill' below it has long since disappeared
20 apparently cast iron gate mechanism for lowering & raising gates
22
24 iron ore staining bank side
26 a Canada Goose in its nest
27 mini hydro plant with Archimedes screw is working. Not clear whether many more will be built contributing to clean energy?
29 as above with clearer view of weir which possibly drove a water-wheel at a mill in earlier days
31
34 large stone blocks indicate earlier industrial production of possibly various kinds
41 the footpath is away from the River Loxley in many parts
43 interesting horns on this sheep - can you identify the breed?
45 a flock of sheep in one's back garden
47
49 several house are near the path edge from earlier times, but fortunately no modern housing developement
53
57 about 15years ago this was still a factory although water power was not used from the headrace dam behind it.
59 the dam behind the factory in the previous picture
61
62 A water wheel was somewhere behind / alongside the factory
63
68 The River Loxley again
70 not sure what this is - thought at one time that they were 'bee hives'?
71 The bridge across the River Loxley carrying Rowel Lane
75 a bowling green in good condition
76 abandoned industrial buildings and infrastructure
79 Old Wheel Farm - the pond no doubt drove a water wheel - but where? In Rivelin Valley (a close-by valley) 'wheels and mills' are labelled on site. Loxley could usefully do the same once later industrial detritus is cleared away)
82
84 Industrial detritus
85 a goit (canal to a headrace pond) - virtually blocked up
89
91 gate lifting gear
93 abandoned industrial buildings
98
99
101 Loxley fishery - a well kept large pond used by anglers
103
109 a morning tea break on the pond edge
117
119 leaving the fishing pond
121
128 Ughill height? above Damflask Reservoir
132 Damflask Reservoir Embankment
134 horse watering troughs - to be converted into charge points for electric vehicles?
136 Damflask's spillway - water not overtopping it
137 The village coved by Damflask Reservoir
139
142 a yachting club 
143 and also used by oarsmen
155
157
158 a road alongside Damflask Reservoir leading into Low Bradfield. We V-turned up a foot path before reaching the village and headed for Cliffe House Farm
164
167
168
172
173
174
175
179
180
188 looking behind at Loxley Road crossed on our way up to Cliffe House Farm
189
192 the path taken by us up to Cliffe House Farm
193
194
195
197 lunch break not far below Cliffe House Farm
200 moor land in the distance
203 sedum on Cliffe House Farm out buildings
205 New Lathes?
206
210
214 decaying 'straw store' with raising' roof
216 some of buildings in Holdworth
220 turning onto footpath leading to Low Ash Farm
221
226
229 up to Low Ash Common
232
237 Footpath down from Low Ash Farm
238
241
243
246
250 heading toward Long Lane
252
253
260
262
265 In Lowley Common?
266
272
276
277
278  Photo taken from Ben Lane. Loxley House - first building in 1795 by Reverend Thomas Halliday - Unitarian minister for Norton and local entrepreneur. Present building built in 1825.
282 Stannington?
285 last tea break before heading back to Malin bridge

homepage - Daywalks Index 2022 - contact me at REV X