Ashover Rock (The Fabrick)

I've never been to Ashover Rock before and mentioned it last week and the lads told me they had been before but nevertheless we went there this week and i wasn't disappointed. It was my turn to drive and we went via Matlock and got there pretty quick. These days we set off at 07:00 (Sunrise today was 07:22) and we got parked up in Ashover Parish Hall about 07:40. We just followed the footpath sign up the fields and through a couple of tunnels and eventually arrived in the sunlight near the rock with the sun behind it. Of course brother Rob had to climb onto it, looked like something out of Lion King. It was very cold up there and i had to put my hat and gloves on, this will now be my standard winter issue. We carried on through fields and roads until we got to Littlemoor where we had our breakfast on a bench in the village green. From here it was mostly down hill passed the ivy covered ruins of Eastwood Hall an Elizabethan Manor House which was destroyed in the Civil War.From here it was a steady walk back to the car. We got into the car park and saw this multi gym thing for public use and of course we had to have a go. Fun but my legs are still aching. On the way back Rob wanted to call into Ambergate to see this small fishing pond. We didn't even know it was there and we have driven past it hundreds of times.

This weeks route around Ashover

Sun still behind the hill

Loved the sunlight catching the tree's on the hill

Through the tunnel

Geoff on the steps

View back to Ashover

Rob on The Rock

Geoff, Ike & Rob

Just needs some TLC

The view when we were having breakfast looking over towards Ogston Res

Eastwood Hall or New Hall was acquired in 1282 by the Reresbys and had recently passed into the family of the Bournes when it was destroyed in 1646 by a party of Royalist soldiers from Bolsover garrison. The following lines describe its destruction 'The Roundheads they came down upon Eastwood Old Hall, They tried it with mattock and tried it with ball, They tore up the leadwork and splintered the wood, But firmly as ever the battlements stood; But a barrel of powder at last did the thing, And then they sang psalms for the fall of the King.

This 18th century cottage was built against the ruins of Eastwood Hall 

Ashover show ground with the church steeple in the background

Geoff flexing his muscles

Warming down from our walk lol

No pain no gain lol

Fishing pond in Ambergate

A great morning walk just over 3 miles and a bit cold when we got up to the rock, but we won't get many more days as good as this for the remainder of this year.
See you next week