Autumn Footprints 2020 - The Virtual Festival
w/e 13 September 2020
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
Go Walking- follow the Leaflet!
This year Covid-19 has put a stop to the usual annual
Autumn Footprints. Normally this would consist of a range of
guided walks led by local knowledgeable volunteers over sixteen
days in September. However with Covid-19 restrictions this has
had to be revised and there will be no led/guided walks. Instead
some previously produced walk leaflets have been collected together
onto the website to be enjoyed in family/friends groups –
obviously observing strict social distancing guidance. Log onto
www.autumnfootprints.co.uk to download
the leaflets from the homepage.
Please note the leaflets have been produced over the last 20
years. Therefore, it may be that there are some public houses
and cafes that are no longer in existence. There may be some
sections where the paths are narrow. All routes are to be walked
in accordance with strict government guidance on social distancing.
See also the Special
Features section of this site for various Country, Family,
Town and City Walks, Village Trails, Walking for Health routes
and other Miscellaneous Walks.
Below are a few images from a previous Autumn Footprints Festival
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The Morley Heritage Walk (2009)
I think I first became aware of Autumn Footprints
in 2007 when I was a member of the Monday Strollers Walking for
Health group. I remember meeting up on the car park of The Carpenter's
Arms pub in Dale Abbey one Sunday afternoon for a pleasant walk
around the village but I must have registered an interest as
I have been on the mailing list ever since. The first year I
fully engaged with the Festival was 2008 and one of the first
walks was the four mile route Morley Heritage Walk. The following
year the route was repeated and these images all come from that
walk.
We met at Morley Hayes Hotel, Restaurant and Golf Course and
walked along the drive to Main Road.
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Turning left and foolowing Main Road for a little way we then
carefully crossed the busy road to follow a farm track to Moor
Farm (aka Morleymoor Farm) watched by some inquisitive cattle
in the field next to the ltrack.
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At the farm we turned left to follow another track to Brickkiln
Lane. The track runs parallel to where excavations have shown
that the Roman Road running north from Derby was situated.
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Crossing the lane the route now follows a footpath by the side
of the former Brick Works and over farmland with the distant
buildings of another farm, Morley House Farm clearly in view.
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There was then a short detour into Morley Almshouses Lane to
see the homes that were built at the behest of Jacinth Sacheverell
sometime after 1656.
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We then returned along Morley Almshouses Lane to follow more
footpaths across Morley Moor for about a mile and a half, eventually
passing close to the infamous Morley Mound and Morley House Farm
before re-crossing Main Road.
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More footpaths led behind the properties on Church Lane before
coming out opposite St Matthew's Church where if memory serves
me correctly, the church was open, refreshments were served and
there was also the opportunity to view the Grade II* listed Bateman
family mausoleum in the churchyard..
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The final mile from the church back to Morley Hayes is along
more grassy paths and dusty farm tracks crossing more farmland.
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The route passes the Victorian Water Tower on the way and there
are some lovely views over the surrounding countryside on the
way.
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The route concludes by crossing the golf course following a line
designated by yellow topped posts to return down the drive to
the car park at Morley Hayes Hotel.
Route
Map.
There's a more detailed look at some of the places mentioned
on this walk in the Morley
Village Trail.
The Virtual Festival continues with a look back to some previous
Festivals.
Forward to Autumn Footprints 2020
- Sawley River & Canal Walk (2010)
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