Start : Saint Martin church in Alfreton (DE55 7AH) Grid ref. SK 407 558
(S/E) From Saint Martin church entrance, carry on behind the church (North-West) going through a stile into fields.
(1) Turn left (West) and walk straight ahead on the farm track. Keep straight ahead until you reach a gate. Keep straight ahead (West) into the field, cross a stile. The hedge will be on your right-hand side. Carry-on straight (West) until you meet another stile.
(2) Turn left here (South) to reach A615 after going through another stile. Go right along the roadside then when you see a footpath on your left cross A615 with care to join it. Walk between two hedges, then straight South before the path turns right through the trees to reach Alfreton golf course. Cross the course with care in a South-West direction to reach a footpath into the woods.
(3) When you reach a junction carry straight on and cross a few wooden bridges over the river. Go straight ahead until you reach a gate where you keep straight ahead between two wooden fences. The path will curves right to reach Chesterfield Road. Cross the road straight ahead with care, walk a few steps onto your left to find a footpath on your right-hand side.
(4) Follow the path as it carries on West until you come to a pylon in the corner of the field on your right. Do not turn right straight after the pilon, go a few steps further into Shaw woods and turn right (North) just after the benches. This wood is full of bluebells flowers in April-May. Carry straight on with the field on your right-hand side until you reach some steps down the hill on your left.
(5) Take the steps (North-West) until you reach a wooden stile giving you access to the field. Ignore the paths going left and right and cross that stile to reach the field straight ahead. Keep straight on to the railway line where you turn right (North) onto a road after crossing another stile.
Cross a river with the railway on your left-hand side. Keep going straight until you reach B5035 (Holme Lane) where you turn left (West) under the railway bridge. Carry on straight on B5035 to reach the church on your right-hand side.
(6) Find a footpath on your right (North) going through the churchyard. Keep straight on at a gate into a field. Carry on straight North to another gate. After the gate walk North-East (Right) towards the railway bridge. Cross over the wooden bridge.
(7) At the end of it, cross a stile and here you can turn right (South) to have a look at one of the oldest train stations in England that is being restored otherwise, turn left (North) across a stile with the railway line on your left-hand side.
Cross a wooden stile then carry straight on to reach a gate where the path turns right and soon goes through another gate where it turns left. To make sure you are on the good path, you might be able to see a pond down to your left (if it hasn’t dried up)’ over the fence. Go straight through another gate with a stone wall on your left-hand side. Then another stile to reach A615.
Turn right (East) on A615 using the pavement. Go uphill until you reach a T junction with B6013. Cross B6013 straight ahead (East) with extra care ! to find a footpath sign through the hedge then a stile going into a field. Carry straight on (East-South-East) to a stile in the hedge.
(8) From that stile, carry straight on (East - South-East) across the field to another wooden stile, then another until you reach the junction you came from on your way up. From there, retrace your steps following the farm track back to Saint Martin churchyard and then back to the car park. (S/E)
