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Directions

Start: Denby Car Park

A short walk through the countryside around Denby, the "village of the Danes". Much of the route crosses restored former opencast coal land, offering open views and glimpses of the area’s industrial past.

1. Cross the playing field to the right hand corner and go over the stile.
   Ahead is the old vicarage.
2. Follow the footpath through the trees, then turn left into the field. Keep the hedge on your left to the stile in the far corner. Cross and turn right, keeping to the top of the bank around the pond.
3. After the pond, turn right through the gate and cross the stream. Continue through the trees to the wooden bridge. Cross and follow the path up to Denby Cricket Club, then go along the drive to the main road.
   This path passes the site of the 18th century copper yard, once home to around 15 workers' cottages. Look for old bricks on the ground. Across the road is the former United Methodist Chapel, built in 1841 by Joseph Bourne Snr., founder of Denby Pottery.
4. Turn left along the pavement for 200 m. Cross the road by the houses and turn right onto Dumbles Lane. After 100 m turn left into the field, then cross beside the metal gate into the next. Aim for the stile by the two electricity poles, then head towards the cottage partly hidden by trees. Cross the stile and return to the lane.
5. Follow the footpath down the side of the cottage, cross the stream and enter the restored former opencast land. Continue through the young woodland, turn right over the stile and climb the hill beside the hedge. Cross a double stile and turn right.
6. Keep along the hedge to cross another double stile. Continue straight ahead to the farm track, cross the stile into the copse and emerge onto the hill.
   From the top there are far reaching views, especially north up the Derwent Valley towards Crich Stand and Alport Heights.
7. Continue straight over the hill and descend towards Flamstead House Farm. In the farmyard, take the left hand path beside the cottage and head diagonally right downhill to the bridge over the stream.
8. Follow the hedge on your left uphill. Take the stile hidden among the trees, turn left around the large ash, then turn right onto the track.
9. Follow the track for 1 km. At the left bend, take the footpath on the right towards Denby Church. Pass beneath the pylons, cross the stream on the concrete bridge and climb to the path beside the churchyard.
   St Mary the Virgin dates from 1135, with possible earlier Saxon origins. The churchyard contains a vaulted burial chamber for the Drury Lowe family (1904).
10. Exit the path and cross the main road carefully to return to the car park.
    A short walk further down the road is John Flamsteed Memorial Park, dedicated to the first Astronomer Royal — worth a visit for its information board.

Disclaimer

Please note that the council update these leaflets on a periodic rolling basis and that some landmark information may have changed. The footpaths should remain in place and be signposted and be clearly marked on the Ordnance Survey maps. Please report problems you may find so that these can be investigated to tourism@ambervalley.gov.uk.