Ashby de la Zouch Local Walks
It's January - it must be Dimminsdale!
Published: 13th January 2012
We’ve been here before but I make no apologies for taking you back again – the snowdrops at Dimminsdale are a beautiful sight at this time of year and a welcome sign that Spring is on its way. This time I’ve combined visiting this lovely spot with taking in a few of the paths around Heath End, including a section along the route of one of the old tramways to give a circular walk that takes around an hour, but shorter options are available (see notes at the bottom). This walk includes some road sections. Mud is always likely at this time of year, and the path around Dimminsdale is steep in places, so suitable footwear is a must.
Leave Ashby in the direction of Lount, passing the Lount tip and taking the turning left onto the B587 towards Melbourne. Proceed for around 1 mile before turning left towards Calke. Go downhill, past the picnic area on your left. Immediately after passing over the bottom of the reservoir you will find an area on your right where you can pull off-road to park.
Walk uphill, away from the reservoir, for about 100 yards and you will come to a small wooden bridge on your left, leading into Dimminsdale Nature Reserve. Follow the path across this, over a further bridge and walkway and then down some steep steps (take care these are uneven in places) to arrive in front of the large pool that is at the heart of the Nature Reserve. Turn left at the bottom of the steps to follow the path around the site, crossing a bridge over a small stream before going steeply uphill and bearing around to the right. Keep following this path around and after you come to the top of the hill you will be rewarded by the site of the famous snowdrops. When I went (end of December) you could just see a few small clumps of leaves but by the end of January/start of February there is usually a good carpet of blooms around the top edge of the site.
Shortly before the path curves around to go back downhill you will see a yellow marker for the Ivanhoe Way – turn left here and follow the path as it leads into the Staunton Harold Estate. Keep your eye out for a couple more yellow posts which mark the path as it bears around to the right before following the drive to the Estate down to the end.
Emerging onto the roadway keep straight ahead for a short way before following a further Ivanhoe Way sign to turn left into a Private Road. Keep an eye out for a wooden footbridge with a metal railing which is on your right after a short way (there is no sign to mark this but it is opposite the first house on the left). Crossing this footbridge follow the path as it goes over the fields, crossing a series of stiles at each field boundary. Immediately after crossing the third stile (noticeable for its National Trust arrows) turn right – don’t be put off by the fact that the arrows only indicate paths in the other two directions, as soon as you go over the brow of the hill you will see a stile below you which leads out onto the roadside.
Cross straight over the road to the junction opposite and you will see a wide green path running through the trees to your right (I believe that this is the route of one of the old tramways in the area). Follow this path as it runs parallel to the road, taking you back towards Staunton Harold before bearing left and eventually emerging on to the road just before Heath End Lodge. Cross over and turn left, taking care as you are now walking on the roadside. Keep following the road as it bears right before Calke Village and then downhill and back to your starting point.
*If you just want a short stroll and a look at the snowdrops you can simply follow the circular path around the nature reserve.
**If you would rather avoid the stretch of road at the end of the walk you can leave the tramway close to the entrance to the Staunton Harold driveway and then retrace your tracks back along the Ivanhoe way where it runs through the estate and into Dimminsdale. Then turn left in the Nature Reserve and the circular path will take you back to the steps by the pool at the start of the walk.
All walks are checked shortly before publication but please be aware that paths may change over time and with the seasons.
