(S) Leave the visitors center and walk through the car park to the far end. Take the path along the side of Miller's Pond. Cross the footbridge over the stream or you can use the stepping stones further down. Continue around the lake until you reach a gate, turn left after the gate and follow the path. It can be a little muddy in the wet but there are several alternatives through the woods. Whichever way you go will take you to another gate, go through the gate, across the road and straight up the hill
(1) Good views at the top of Hardwick Hall and surrounds. Take the large gate to the left and follow the lane past a large house on the left. Continue on the lane and across the fields towards Ault Hucknall. Upon reaching the village turn right onto the road and proceed past the church.
(2) Downhill from the village on the right is a finger post, two tracks are visible across the fields take the one on the left towards the row of trees at the top of the rise. (This field can get very muddy in wet weather so we often walk the road around these fields and take a left onto Duke's Drive to the same point). Cross the lane and down the next field, you can see the village of Rowthorne on the brow of the next hill. Cross the stream and go through the gate and up the hill passing through two more gates until you reach the main street of Rowthorne.
(3) Turn right along the road, nice seat on the left hand side for a cup of tea. Follow the road out of the village towards the Rowthorne Trail.
(4) The start of the Rowthorne Trail is on the left, go through the gate and follow the path until the end, the drier path is on the right.
(5) Go through the gate, down the bank up the other side and onto the Teversal Trail, turn right and follow it to gate and onto the lane
(6) Turn right and follow the lane through the fields to the gate that returns you to Hardwick Park.
(7) Go through the gate and down through the woods. At the junction of a path from the right continue up the hill towards Hardwick Hall with the car park on your left. Go past the visitors center and into the Quad and head for the cafe if you would like a cup of tea and a cake. Exit the quad towards the hall and turn left on the road down the hill until you reach a gate by a cattle grid.
(8) Go through the gate and turn immediately right almost back on yourself and follow the distinct path traversing the hill. After about 200m take the path on the right leading through a group of trees. Follow this path with the old hall on the right until you reach the information board.
(9) From this view point go down the hill towards a series of lakes, the path is well trodden. Take the gate on the right after the lakes turn left following the track towards another gate. Go through the gate and down the hill back to the car park.
(E) Arrival at the end.
Hardwick Hall and the Rowthorne Trail
Hardwick Hall offers many different walking paths.
This particular walk is a good introduction to both the hall and the Rowthorne and Teversal Trails. Lovely walk through different landscapes, relatively flat and easy going except for the hill in Hardwick There are several variations incorporating other routes including Pleasley Country Park.
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 10.85 km -
Calculated time: 3h 20 -
Difficulty: Easy -
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Return to departure point: Yes -
Vertical gain: + 94 m -
Vertical drop: - 94 m -
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Highest point: 179 m -
Lowest point: 106 m
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District: Ault Hucknall -
Start/End: N 53.171541° / W 1.32372° -
Description
Waypoints
- S/E : km 0 - alt. 112 m - Miller's Pond Car Park
- 1 : km 1.09 - alt. 174 m - Large Gate leaving Hardwick Grounds
- 2 : km 2.24 - alt. 163 m - Exiting Ault Hardwick
- 3 : km 3.29 - alt. 171 m - Rowthorne Village
- 4 : km 3.75 - alt. 156 m - Rowthorne Trail
- 5 : km 5.97 - alt. 143 m - Teversal Trail
- 6 : km 7.05 - alt. 158 m - Lane back to Hardwick
- 7 : km 8.97 - alt. 174 m - Entrance to Hardwick Park
- 8 : km 9.62 - alt. 164 m - Hardwick Hall and Stables (Pit stop)
- 9 : km 9.94 - alt. 165 m - Information Board for the Park
- S/E : km 10.85 - alt. 112 m - The End
Useful Information
Starting Point is the car park by Millers Pond at the bottom of Hardwick Hall Estate. Car park price is currently £4.00, coins only unless you are a National Trust Member in which case its free. Toilets are available at the visitors center at the South Side of the car park, always handy for getting changed in wet weather.
Refreshments at Hardwick Hall Stable Block
Boots required in wet weather
Boot cleaning area behind the toilets at the visitor center.
Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.
Reviews and comments
4.3 / 5
4.4 / 5
4.1 / 5
Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of walk : 19/04/21
Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
I started from Hardwick Hall and actually walked the route in a reverse direction, but it was easy to follow on the map. The route is very quiet and follows old railway lines in parts and so is quite flat. The scenery is varied and does pass through a nature reserve. It is well worth a slight diversion to view the church at Ault Hucknall which has a Saxon carved stone lintel above a blocked doorway on the outside of the church tower. I shortened the route slightly (time constraint) by cutting out the lakes at Hardwick Hall and making a shortcut across the park.
Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : 23/04/21
Clarity of route description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Walk interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Really great walk - not too hilly or flat, good mix of trails, fields & paths. Beautiful views, fields, woods, a church, lots of animals and birds. Quite a few places to sit for a coffee/lunch break and the option to visit the Hall if wanted (payable) We detoured slightly down the paths signposted 'ponds' and 'Miller's Walk' for the last part so we didn't have to pay the £10 to go through the quad. No problem - quite easy to follow.
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : 25/04/21
Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Good walk, along trails and tracks. Small diversion in Hardwick Hall due to path maintenance
Magliz, yes, Hardwick has always been our go-to place for walking when other parts might be busy or we have limited travel time. Glad to hear you love it and that you made it your own.
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : 17/07/19
Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Loved this walk, once we realised we were in the wrong car park, we could work out the route. We couldn't find the path, immediately after the gate at point 8, but that didn't matter, we walked on the road. This enabled us to pass, The Hardwick Inn, which will be the pub stop, for our group.
Ah no problem. We actually enjoyed the little detour. Gave us a chance to take some great photos of the Hardwick hall with the lambs in fields in front of it.
We're really sorry you had to pay that fee. Yes, some of the volunteers can be a little, what can I say, over-enthusiastic!
All you have to say is that you are walking through and they let you do so.
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : 31/03/19
Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A lovely walk with some good views.
A long steep incline at around kilometres 2-3 gets the blood pumping . Then a fairly flat remainder out through some beautiful and peaceful farmland and countryside. Especially now during lambing season.
One thing to not though(unless we completely misinterpreted the instructions) , to complete the walk through the quad as suggested in step 7 you have to pay around £8 per person. That's fine if you;re planning on visiting the Hall and gardens(or are a a NT member) but we weren't so took the long way around the grounds following the exit/entrance road from the main car park.
Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : 03/02/19
Clarity of route description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Nice steady walk
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : 14/04/18
Clarity of route description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Second walk within a month as |i recover from a shoulder Op. The terrain was brilliant for anyone slightly under par and those looking for a leg stretcher.
We did it the opposite way round leaving Hardwick and the end of the Car park on Lady Spencers walk path through the woods and down and up the permanent step structure. Very pleasant through the wood. Plenty of returning bird calls which was excellent on the ear. Headed for the Teversal Trail which was rather busy (11 a.m.). However, the trees were now sprouting their buds and again the birds were in fine form. The trail enabled us to stretch out in an attempt to regain some fitness before moving onto greater challenges. Turning left on the Rowthorne Trail and this was less busy, but very muddy.
Some good views from its elevated position. Finally some hard ground as we got to the village of Rowthorne and back into the Hardwick Park. Bad weather was approaching so we elected to stay on the road and headed for the Cafe and refreshments.
Overall, a very nice flat walk and just right as I further my recuperation.
Other walks in the area
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A parkland walk to a historic church, with an optional shortcut via Hardwick Hall.
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Departure from Ault Hucknall (Derbyshire)
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A level lakeside and woodland stroll with a climb through open parkland to Hardwick Hall.
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+12 m
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Departure from Ault Hucknall (Derbyshire)
A level lakeside and woodland stroll with an optional climb through open parkland to Hardwick Hall.
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This walk visits sites associated with the story of Pentrich and South Wingfield Revolution. Sutton in Ashfield was the home of the family of Jeremiah Brandreth, a leader of the Pentrich Revolution. The town continued to be a centre of agitation for reform. This is Walk 14 of the Pentrich and South Wingfield Revolution group.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.