Ticknall Rounds – Paraffin City

These Ticknall Rounds are all easy walking, much of it through gently undulating pasturelands centred on the ancient, pretty South Derbyshire village of Ticknall – once a bustling centre with tramways, lime quarries and potteries. Ticknall was the estate village of Calke Abbey, whose eccentric owners refused to have gas piped to the village – so the workers had to use paraffin for light! These are 2 or 3 day walks (perfect for a short break or weekend)

Our first walk out from Ticknall will take you to the river Trent, much painted by local artist George Turner, passing a Hangman’s stone and a Hermit’s cave on the way. Lunch can be taken at the well known John Thomson pub, which brews its own beer, before continuing through lovely, dense woodlands on the return route to Ticknall.

A second easy walk takes you along the lovely Foremark reservoir to enjoy the extremely interesting Carver’s Rocks, an unusually varied area from marsh to alder woodland, dominated by a striking quarry face (beware the climbers!). The range of habitats is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Your return will take you through a corner of the beautiful Calke Park and the lovely wooded area of Poker’s Leys.

Your third walk in this beautiful countryside, embraces Calke Abbey ‘the house that time forgot’ and the extensive, stunning Calke Park, a National Nature Reserve, with its remnant of medieval woodland featuring many ancient trees at least 400 years old and its ancient deer park. Beautiful views of the Staunton Harold Hall, held from Domesday times until recently by the de Ferrers family, can be followed by lunch opposite the Ferrers Craft Centre (very easy to spend some time and money here). Your return to Ticknall takes a more westerly route giving you the full benefit of Calke Park’s majestic tree-lined drive.

A note on flexibility:

The walks have been designed to satisfy different walking ‘appetites’ – sightseers, strollers and striders! – by incorporating ‘distance/time flexibility’.

The daily walks do not exceed 8 miles but there are additional circular walks for those who want a greater challenge or to explore this fascinating area further. Whatever you do, don’t miss the limeyards!

The choice is yours and we are always happy to provide information.