Riber, Bow Wood

1 Hr 53 mins

4.55 miles (7.31 Km)

Riber village (limited roadside parking)

SK309590

From Riber village head back along the road in the direction of Matlock.
At left turn with the large sign for Hearthstone Farm, turn left then after 10 mtrs take the path off right.
Over 3 fields trending slightly leftwards then take the path left downhill.
Follow this path through the wood and downhill to the road.
Turn left on the road for 100 mtrs then take the path just before “The Doggy Spa”, signposted to “Lea”.
Follow the path through the wood then open field to farm track.
Turn left onto the farm track, over cattle grid then after a further 100 mtrs bear right heading towards the wood.
At the style by the entrance to the wood take the left fork.
Follow this through the wood then an open field for 150 mtrs at which point bear right downhill for a short distance, keeping the line of bushes on your right.
After passing a wall on your left, turn left towards another wood.
On reaching the road just before the wood turn left and follow this until the road turns sharp left, at which point take the path on the right, just right of the driveway to Sunnybank.
Continue through wood on the main path avoiding any left forks uphill until your reach a road and the John Smedley factory.
Turn left onto the quiet road behind the factory buildings and follow this for 200 mtrs, then take the track on left signposted “Caravan Club”.
Then after a further 150 mtrs take the path uphill on the left signposted “Bow Wood”.
Follow the main path uphill.
A short distance beyond a stile/gate, a path joins the path you’re on from the left and 10 mtrs beyond this the path forks.
The left fork goes steeply uphill to begin with and the right fork is more gradual to begin with but has 2 steep sections just before the 2 paths rejoin. In mid-summer the bracken can make the left path quite difficult.
Whichever path you select, they rejoin on the ridge with fantastic views across the Derwent Valley (note: if you take the right hand path, it does fork in a clearing and you take the left fork uphill).
Follow the ridge in a northerly direction through the wood, and avoid any paths right or left, passing Bilberry Knoll and field of stones on your left.
On reaching the farm track turn left passing the farm buildings and cottages.
Immediately after Meadowcroft on your right, take the path on right and follow through fields back across to Riber.