The Walk - Part Two

I had promised myself that I would record my complete trek details for future reference. It's been a long time since I wrote the first part, so most of the details are rather blur.

My map read -

Terrain: Hilly in places, but mostly easy walking. A section of the climb up to Shacklow Wood can be difficult under foot in wet weather.

And as the weather was just perfect - perfectly wet!!! ;-(

Our route:
1. Walk across the field guided by the marker post to the far right hand corner and go over a stile onto a farm track.

2. Go to the left up the track until it enters a field, when you immediately turn left up a slope, keeping close to the wall on your left.

3. After crossing the stile in the top corner of the field, turn sharp right keeping close to the stone wall and go through the next stile onto another farm track.

4. Continue along the well signed track, shortly to follow the edge of the steeply sided valley round to the right, to climb a short flight of steps to Monsal Head.

5. From here take the signed path down a flight of steps to Monsal Dale and the viaduct, turning left at a gate by the end of some farm buildings.

6. Cross a footbridge and turn left to follow the path close to the River Wye for just over a mile to reach the busy A6.

7. Walk across the road to the far side of White Lodge Car Park, and take the surfaced path across the field heading for the trees high up on the left.

8. On reaching a waymarker bear to the left to enter a narrow limestone valley. In about 50 yards cross a stile on the left and follow the winding path to another waymarker taking the route signed ‘Ashford and Sheldon’ leading up the hillside to the left.

9. Go through a stile into Shacklow Wood heading for Ashford. Continue along the path as it gently descends to follow the riverbank to the Sheldon Road where you turn left.

10. After a short distance turn right along the A6 and then left at Sheepwash Bridge into Ashford. Carry straight on up Fennel Street, turning to the right at the top back to the start of the walk.

Amazing trek!!!! And we had our map to guide us.

The only problem was point 6 : `follow the path close to the River Wye for just over a mile to reach the busy A6`.

We walked and walked and walked......for more than a mile... more than 2-3 miles but no sign of A6...
Either that, or our definition of a mile was way off target!!! :-0

P.S> We completed this trail in 5-6 hrs at quite a steady gait!!! And I still do have nightmares about the almost 45 degree climb in Shacklow Wood, under very slippery conditions and inadequate shoes and nothing to stop my fall before the valley hundreds of feet below!!!!