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Foolow Home > Foolow Village > Foolow Walks > Foolow – Housley – Cavendish Mill – Black Harry Gate – Coombs Dale – Stoney Middleton – Eyam – Foolow

Foolow – Housley – Cavendish Mill – Black Harry Gate – Coombs Dale – Stoney Middleton – Eyam – Foolow

Foolow – Housley – Cavendish Mill – Black Harry Gate – Coombs Dale – Stoney Middleton – Eyam – Foolow
Distance: Approximately 8 miles
 

From Foolow walk by the side of the road to Housley, taking the right fork just outside the village, and continue to the junction with the A623. Cross the main road with extreme care and walk about a hundred yards up the road to the left. You should now come to a track to Burnt Heath on the horizon. From this high vantage point you will have superb views towards Eyam Edge with the Barrel Inn at Bretton as a landmark.
 

Now make your way through a series of fields to the dip in the road at the centre of Cavendish Mill, then head up the stony track under a raised thick pipe which carries waste fluid up to the lagoons from the processing works. Although this is still an extensive working site, there are areas which have now become nature reserves, where the lagoons of sludge have solidified and provide grazing for sheep as well as a natural habitat for wildlife. Many wild flowers can be found here as well as a variety of birds and water fowl on the still flooded lagoons such as ducks, geese and herons.
 

Go around the bend in the road to the right and follow this to the junction. In front of you is a vast expanse of water appearing like a hidden lake in the hills. This is No 4 lagoon which is the newest and is a magnet for resident and migrating birds. A few years ago a rare American blue-winged teal was seen here which featured on the ‘bird hotline’ and brought ‘twitchers’ from as far away as Southampton. However please note the signs which advise that the lagoon is DANGEROUS and keep to the road!
 

At the junction in the road turn left and walk down to what is left of Black Harry Gate, where several old packhorse routes at one time converged. Black Harry was an 18th century highwayman who attacked local travellers until he ended his days hung and gibbeted at Wardlow Mires. Black Harry Farm has now disappeared under No 4 lagoon. Continue straight down the valley to Coombs Dale. In spring the grassy banks on either side are covered in primrose, yellow pansies and early purple orchid.
 

You will come to the remains of the Sallet Hole Mine, with a flooded adit on your right. Although there has been a lead mine here for centuries, the entrance was enlarged and extensively worked from 1965 until 1992/3 by Laporte Minerals who extracted fluorspar. It was extremely productive yielding over 200,000 tons a year at its height. Whilst mining the Unwin Vein and Strawberry Vein miners often broke through into old mans workings (the term for very old workings, sometimes Roman) and found remains and tools. Other strangely named workings in the area include Old Ralph Vein and the Cackle Mackle Mine.
 

Continue down the road after the mine, going around a bend to the left with a footpath sign on your right. The valley now becomes wooded, with thick hedgerows either side. After approximately 300 yards you will come to a gate on your left and footpath sign to Stoney Middleton. You have to pass through the thick hedge of blackthorn and hawthorn and follow the path up to the top of the bank.
 

Now pass through stiles and several fields until you come to a junction of paths. Follow the footpath sign for Stoney Middleton, going past an old building before emerging onto a narrow lane, which was at one time the main route westwards out of Stoney Middleton before the turnpike road up the dale was laid. It was not the best of routes for a carriage or wagon and it is reputed that a coach once plunged from the road a mile or so further on into a pool or holding dam at the junction of Moisty Lane and Farmsley Lane and was never seen again! A petition to parliament in 1759 must have had some effect for the turnpike road from Calver to Wardlow Mires appears on maps dating from 1767.
 

Turn right and descend the road past several interesting houses and cottages until you come to the school on your left. Go down the footpath at the side of this to the main road and cross with extreme care. Go past the octagonal shaped chip shop which was a little tollhouse built in the mid 19th century to match the restored octagonal church further down the village. Head away from the main road and at the junction turn sharp left up Cliff Bottom. You will shortly afterwards come to a stile on your left which you go over and climb up the bank on the footpath back to Eyam.
 

This old path which was at one time known as Mill Lane, and used to be the principal way into the village where a watchman was posted at ‘Lydgate’ every night. You will walk past the boundary stone with its little carved hollows, where during the time of the plague, money was left in vinegar by village folk to exchange for provisions and necessities left by neighbouring villagers.
 

You enter Eyam by walking down Lydgate to the centre of the village. Now head across the square and up past the church, plague cottages and the little stone market hall by the village stocks. See also the 17th century Eyam Hall and Craft Centre. Eyam Museum can be found up Hawkhill road opposite the pay and display car park. This is worthy of a visit and gives a fascinating insight into how Eyam was effected by the plague in the 17th century.
 

Continue along the main street, passing the bottom of Hawkhill Road and walk about 500 yards until a turning on your left for Tideswell Lane. Head up this old road, which now reverts to a track, but was at one time one of the main routes into the village. Follow this until it meets the main A623 at Housley, and then turn right to walk back by the road side to Foolow.
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