Out & About: Shillito Woods, Ancient Crosses and Guide Stoops

Sunday 28 April 2019

Shillito Woods, Ancient Crosses and Guide Stoops

Only 3 of us today and my turn to drive, we had a quick discussion where to go and ended up at the car park in Shillito Woods. We crossed the road and followed the track down into the valley turning right. It was a lovely bright morning although it got down to 2 degrees on the drive up. The first section was like scrub land with trees scattered around. We found a little pond and couldn't resist a reflection shot. The track carried on through some Silver Birch woods with a scattering of Bluebells in patches. We got to what looks like an old drovers track and its strangely called Car Road on the map, we crossed the "road" and ventured into Greaves's Piece where we found a newish pond had been excavated. The track took us up to the A621 but we stayed in the field sitting on a huge rock for our breakfast. After our brekki we headed along the A621 until we got to the top of Car Road and went down there past where we had crossed it. We carried on until we came out onto Fox Lane and turned right up the long hill and i was knackered when i got to the top. We went through a gate into the field and found our way to the Fox Lane ancient cross. After a few photos the track lead us back to Shillito Woods and the car. We went into the woods and had a look at the ancient cross then back to the car. While we were there a lady told us about the Adder walks and mentioned where they could be seen so we went to have a look to see if there were any about but Rob said it was probably too cold for them to be basking. Its a little copse of trees and in the middle of it is another Derbyshire Stoop, one that we've seen before.