Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Roadside parking in Pentrich opposite the church (SK 3900 5258)
Route: Pentrich - Wingfield Manor - Coalburn Hill - Wingfield Park - Pentrich
Map: Explorer OS 269: Chesterfield & Alfreton
Distance: 5 miles
Terrain: Good tracks, fields and quiet lanes.
Refreshments: Dog Inn, Pentrich.
Toilets: None
A local walk that offers extensive views and visits two areas that have a historical claim to fame.
Having parked opposite the church, with the church on your left, head uphill, in the opposite direction to the Dog Inn, towards Ripley.
Pentrich is where the last revolution in England began and the brown plaques on the walls in the village relate to this event.
Pass the village hall and Farm Close on the left. As the road bends round to the right cross it and take the signed footpath to the right of Farm Close.
Ignore the stile, on the right, at the back of the house on the right; instead continue straight ahead through the gate to follow a broad track along the ridge. In the distance the noise of the A38 can be heard but press on and it will soon be lost. Away to your left the view extends as far as Crich Stand.
After passing through a second gate the track swings round to the left, towards the farm. Before you reach the farm take the broad track on the left that is signed public footpath. Can you spot the ruins of Wingfield Manor across the valley to your right?
Wingfield Manor
Follow the track downhill until, as it swings left, you see a gate on the right, which you take. Continue straight ahead, downhill, to reach another gate onto the road. This road is quite busy so keep children close by.
Turn left to find a footpath sign on the right. The actual path down to the stile is just beyond the sign. If you have young children with you it is advisable to let an adult tackle the stile first as it is a long step down on the other side and they may need helping down.
Your route is straight ahead, downhill, with the hedge on your left. After crossing another stile continue straight ahead to find a third stile, on your left, onto the lane.
Turn right and follow the lane round to the left, under the railway bridge to the public bridleway sign on the right just after Bull Farm.
Go through the gate and follow the track towards Shrewsbury Cottage. Just before you reach a second gate take the track on the left.
Coalburn Hill
Follow this track passing through, or round, one gate to reach a second gate after which a signpost gives you multiple routes to follow. The path you eventually want is the one on the left, which is heading uphill and back on yourself.
Before you head along the track take the time to divert off the route to get the best view of Wingfield Manor, a temporary prison for Mary Queen of Scots before she was executed in Fotheringhay Castle. To do this ignore both paths and take the gap in the trees straight ahead of you. Then follow the vague path uphill and to the left to not only look at the manor, which isn’t normally open to the public1, but to also admire the view across the valley.
Having returned to the path follow it uphill, passing an entrance to Wingfield Manor, to a gate and a squeeze stile. Continue straight ahead to reach a second gate, which was missing at the time of writing. Continue straight ahead with the wall on your left to another gate (also missing), keep straight ahead, downhill with the wall now on your right.
At the bottom of the field take the gate on the right and continue straight ahead, downhill, to a further gate on the right by a building. The gate takes you onto a lane where you turn left and then, at the junction, right along Lynam Road.
Walk along Lynam Road, which is normally an extremely quiet lane, until, as the lane heads uphill, you see, on the left, a footpath sign for Buckland Hollow.
Take the footpath and follow it straight across the field to a gate and then veer left to find a stone stile onto a broad track. Turn right along the track and follow it uphill and through Lodge Hill Farm.
The track exits the farm via a gate and continues downhill to another gate to the left of a wooded area.
Having gone through this gate, leave the track as the footpath now veers off to the left heading towards the trees and the River Amber.
As the trees end bear left, with the river, to find, straight ahead of you, a bridge across the river onto the road, which can be busy. Turn right along the road and then take the footpath on the right, which is signed for Pentrich.
After going through the gate continue straight ahead, keeping the hedge on your right. When a large gap appears in the hedge veer left to a stile in the top right hand corner of the field.
Continue straight ahead, with the hedge on your right, across another stile, to eventually cross a third stile, in the right corner of the second field, into a third field on the right.
Continue straight ahead, with the hedge now on your left, to find a squeeze stile further along the hedge. Take the squeeze stile and now head diagonally left, towards the houses, following a vague path.
Take the stile into the next field, and then continue straight ahead, uphill, towards the church to a squeeze stile into the church grounds.
Bear left to a stone path, which you follow downhill to the road, where you can either turn right for a drink in the Dog Inn or left to return to your car.
1.Wingfield Manor is only open for pre-arranged visits on the 1st Saturday of the
month. To arrange a visit telephone English Heritage Customer Services on:
0870 333 1183.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Friday 24 September 2010
Saturday 18 September 2010
Rhia Calvert interviews Dear Superstar's Micky Satiar and Chris Hodgson
Rhia Calvert (17) is a young lady from Holbrook with an extremely bright future ahead of her. She is about to go into her second year at Derby College, where she is studying Media. Rhia has a huge passion for music and spends a lot of her spare time at gigs. She loves photography and writing and hopes to become a professional photographer. Rhia contacted All Things Local as she wants to gain experience in the media and see some of her work in print. We are only too happy to oblige and we wish Rhia all the very best for the future.
Rhia will be interviewing bands and reporting back in forthcoming issues of All Things Local. If you’re a local band and would welcome some exposure within this magazine then email karyn@allthingslocal.co.uk
Five minutes with … Dear Superstar
They're loud, they're wild and they rock. Dear Superstar are ready to tear up the scene and cause a big rock 'n' roll riot. I caught up with front man Micky Satiar and bassist Chris Hodgson backstage at Nottingham's Rock City on the opening night of their UK headline tour.
Dear Superstar front man Micky Satiar
To anyone who hasn't heard Dear Superstar before, how would you describe your sound?
Micky: We just play music as loud as we can and make as much noise as we can; it's just rock 'n' roll. Simple as that really.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Micky: Kiss, Motley Crue. Everything from the whole 80's sunset strip vibe through to modern bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and bands that we've toured with such as Papa Roach. To be honest anyone who's played rock 'n' roll has inspired us, obviously we listen to a lot of music and we always learn something from that - be it the worst or the greatest song in the world.
Chris: Any music with a bit of soul really.
How would you describe 2010 so far?
Micky: Wicked really, we've been spending a lot of time in the studio. We started off the year touring with Heaven's Basement which was amazing and it's getting to the point now where we released our second album two years ago so we need to get the third one written and recorded, so we've been drilling away at that; writing song after song, throwing it in the bin then re-writing it and just demo-ing as much as we can. And that's brought us up to now really where we're back on the road.
What was touring with Heaven's Basement like?
Micky: Amazing, we've toured together a lot like back with Buckcherry and we've done shows together previously so we've always had that friendship. We're like brothers really, it's got to the point now where you don't know where Dear Superstar starts and Heaven's Basement ends.
Chris: It's two bands that have completely integrated, by the end of the last tour with them it wasn't like two different bands.
Micky: It's so easy to go out on tour with bands that have egos or think they're above others but Heaven's Basement just aren't like that, we've got such similar personalities. Plus they like to drink, that's good for us because we need drinking partners!
Are you excited about this upcoming tour?
Micky: Yeah, massively. For us we haven't done a headline tour properly for two years, we've just supported bigger bands which is great and it's been an amazing ride, but it's something really endearing, exciting and worrying as well when you're going out on a headline tour especially playing venues like this which is so iconic, it's like - are people going to turn up? It's such a high expectation but zero knowledge about what's around the corner.
Chris: It's exciting really, when you play with a bigger band you know they're going to pull a big crowd, but when you're on your own tour it's exciting to see how many people turn up just to see you.
What are the best and worst parts of being on tour?
Micky: There is no worst part, we've worked so hard to get where we are and to then moan about being on the road just seems stupid to me.
Chris: I think once you get your head around the idea of touring it's just about freedom. I don't see any bad points to it at all, it maybe takes a while to get used to things like living out of a suitcase but it's freedom. You don't have to worry about anything.
Micky: On a completely random note, clean socks are the best thing about being on tour, there's just nothing like it.
Chris: So I guess the worst part would be having no clean socks.
What's been the best moment of being in Dear Superstar so far?
Micky: It's a hard one to answer because every time we achieve something great and think it's the best moment of our lives, something else even more epic happens. I guess playing at Download Festival, we'd always been going there to watch other bands and to be able to go there and grace the stage was just a massive personal achievement for all of us.
You've played a lot of festivals and toured with a lot of bands, have you ever felt totally star struck?
Micky: When we were at Download Festival we met Joe Elliot from Def Leppard and they were the band that first got me into rock 'n' roll, so when sharing a beer with them in the back of my head I was like 'oh my god this is the best thing in the world' but I was trying to act really cool. We've also partied with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue a couple of times and you kinda think 'no way, that's Tommy Lee!'
You've recorded two studio albums, would you say your second album 'Heartless' was more personal to you?
Micky: Yeah because to be honest we don't see our first album as an album really because Chris wasn't in the band and we just begged, stole and borrowed a thousand pounds to record an album, and a thousand pounds doesn't go far when you're recording. But with 'Heartless' we had time to go into a studio and write our songs and make it the best we could at that point in our lives. But we recorded 'Heartless' two years ago and in some ways we've grown out of it and we've experienced so much since so we're really eager to go and record our third album.
How would you describe the recording process?
Chris: Amazing!
Micky: Yeah, we partied every night but on the business side of things, I guess there was quite a bit of pressure on us. There were some lows points and it can be frustrating, I did over two hundred takes of vocals which was stressful, but overall it was an amazing experience for us.
Do you think recording brings you closer as a band?
Chris: For us it does, I think some bands maybe get annoyed when they're in each other's company but we all just have a good time together. If one of us has got any problems we all just pick each other up and everybody just looks after each other and that makes you closer.
Micky: Recording and touring really does separate the men from the boys. Since we started all those years ago we've seen so many bands come and go because they can't hack life on the road or being in the studio or being away from home. But we don't want to go home, this is what we genuinely live for. We're not rich and we drive around in a rubbish van but it's not about that, it’s about doing what your heart tells you.
What do you have lined up for the rest of the year?
Micky: We finish this UK tour then we go to Belgium, through to Switzerland to play Sonisphere Festival with Metallica. Then we've got European shows lined up and then we tour with Papa Roach to play military bases in Germany and Italy; playing to US troops who are serving out there so that will be an amazing experience. Then I guess in autumn we'll be recording the album and maybe we'll get time to tour again in between that.
Rhia
Rhia will be interviewing bands and reporting back in forthcoming issues of All Things Local. If you’re a local band and would welcome some exposure within this magazine then email karyn@allthingslocal.co.uk
Five minutes with … Dear Superstar
They're loud, they're wild and they rock. Dear Superstar are ready to tear up the scene and cause a big rock 'n' roll riot. I caught up with front man Micky Satiar and bassist Chris Hodgson backstage at Nottingham's Rock City on the opening night of their UK headline tour.
Dear Superstar front man Micky Satiar
To anyone who hasn't heard Dear Superstar before, how would you describe your sound?
Micky: We just play music as loud as we can and make as much noise as we can; it's just rock 'n' roll. Simple as that really.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Micky: Kiss, Motley Crue. Everything from the whole 80's sunset strip vibe through to modern bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and bands that we've toured with such as Papa Roach. To be honest anyone who's played rock 'n' roll has inspired us, obviously we listen to a lot of music and we always learn something from that - be it the worst or the greatest song in the world.
Chris: Any music with a bit of soul really.
How would you describe 2010 so far?
Micky: Wicked really, we've been spending a lot of time in the studio. We started off the year touring with Heaven's Basement which was amazing and it's getting to the point now where we released our second album two years ago so we need to get the third one written and recorded, so we've been drilling away at that; writing song after song, throwing it in the bin then re-writing it and just demo-ing as much as we can. And that's brought us up to now really where we're back on the road.
What was touring with Heaven's Basement like?
Micky: Amazing, we've toured together a lot like back with Buckcherry and we've done shows together previously so we've always had that friendship. We're like brothers really, it's got to the point now where you don't know where Dear Superstar starts and Heaven's Basement ends.
Chris: It's two bands that have completely integrated, by the end of the last tour with them it wasn't like two different bands.
Micky: It's so easy to go out on tour with bands that have egos or think they're above others but Heaven's Basement just aren't like that, we've got such similar personalities. Plus they like to drink, that's good for us because we need drinking partners!
Are you excited about this upcoming tour?
Micky: Yeah, massively. For us we haven't done a headline tour properly for two years, we've just supported bigger bands which is great and it's been an amazing ride, but it's something really endearing, exciting and worrying as well when you're going out on a headline tour especially playing venues like this which is so iconic, it's like - are people going to turn up? It's such a high expectation but zero knowledge about what's around the corner.
Chris: It's exciting really, when you play with a bigger band you know they're going to pull a big crowd, but when you're on your own tour it's exciting to see how many people turn up just to see you.
What are the best and worst parts of being on tour?
Micky: There is no worst part, we've worked so hard to get where we are and to then moan about being on the road just seems stupid to me.
Chris: I think once you get your head around the idea of touring it's just about freedom. I don't see any bad points to it at all, it maybe takes a while to get used to things like living out of a suitcase but it's freedom. You don't have to worry about anything.
Micky: On a completely random note, clean socks are the best thing about being on tour, there's just nothing like it.
Chris: So I guess the worst part would be having no clean socks.
What's been the best moment of being in Dear Superstar so far?
Micky: It's a hard one to answer because every time we achieve something great and think it's the best moment of our lives, something else even more epic happens. I guess playing at Download Festival, we'd always been going there to watch other bands and to be able to go there and grace the stage was just a massive personal achievement for all of us.
You've played a lot of festivals and toured with a lot of bands, have you ever felt totally star struck?
Micky: When we were at Download Festival we met Joe Elliot from Def Leppard and they were the band that first got me into rock 'n' roll, so when sharing a beer with them in the back of my head I was like 'oh my god this is the best thing in the world' but I was trying to act really cool. We've also partied with Tommy Lee from Motley Crue a couple of times and you kinda think 'no way, that's Tommy Lee!'
You've recorded two studio albums, would you say your second album 'Heartless' was more personal to you?
Micky: Yeah because to be honest we don't see our first album as an album really because Chris wasn't in the band and we just begged, stole and borrowed a thousand pounds to record an album, and a thousand pounds doesn't go far when you're recording. But with 'Heartless' we had time to go into a studio and write our songs and make it the best we could at that point in our lives. But we recorded 'Heartless' two years ago and in some ways we've grown out of it and we've experienced so much since so we're really eager to go and record our third album.
How would you describe the recording process?
Chris: Amazing!
Micky: Yeah, we partied every night but on the business side of things, I guess there was quite a bit of pressure on us. There were some lows points and it can be frustrating, I did over two hundred takes of vocals which was stressful, but overall it was an amazing experience for us.
Do you think recording brings you closer as a band?
Chris: For us it does, I think some bands maybe get annoyed when they're in each other's company but we all just have a good time together. If one of us has got any problems we all just pick each other up and everybody just looks after each other and that makes you closer.
Micky: Recording and touring really does separate the men from the boys. Since we started all those years ago we've seen so many bands come and go because they can't hack life on the road or being in the studio or being away from home. But we don't want to go home, this is what we genuinely live for. We're not rich and we drive around in a rubbish van but it's not about that, it’s about doing what your heart tells you.
What do you have lined up for the rest of the year?
Micky: We finish this UK tour then we go to Belgium, through to Switzerland to play Sonisphere Festival with Metallica. Then we've got European shows lined up and then we tour with Papa Roach to play military bases in Germany and Italy; playing to US troops who are serving out there so that will be an amazing experience. Then I guess in autumn we'll be recording the album and maybe we'll get time to tour again in between that.
Rhia
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Life with V - the world comes crashing down
Well the world come has come crashing down around our ears yet again.
Now I don’t pretend to know anything at all about football – well not much anyway -but if the country is competing in something it’s nice to get behind them and cheer them along the way. Having said that, if they don’t ban those horrendous things that sound as if my television has been invaded by a massive infestation of extremely angry mosquitoes, I shall never watch another match again.
What I do find quite amusing is all the debating about why we lost. Well it’s my opinion only but we lost because the other team outclassed us, outplayed us and were far superior to our fumbling efforts.
One excuse was that the players were tired. Well I’m fairly confident that the Germans played in other games as well so it’s not really a good enough excuse. If they were that tired why weren’t they put to bed early so they could get a good 10 hours sleep?
Also my opinion, but I understand they were only told two hours before the game who was actually going to play. Well I don’t know about you but if I am doing something major I tend to get myself well psyched up for it beforehand, not convince myself I’m not going to do it and then be told I am.
I also think that to compete at anything at that level, whatever it is you are competing in has to be your passion. It has to ignite a fire in your belly; it has to be something that you eat, drink, sleep and live for. None of our Olympians would win if they didn’t have this attitude.
I personally feel that a good deal of the problem is that, to our footballers, it isn’t their main passion; it isn’t the thing that makes them leap of out of bed in the morning. What is their main passion is being a so-called celebrity and that is their main focus beyond any doubt. There are few sportsmen who successfully juggle being number one in their field with being a celebrity. David Beckham and Wayne Gretzky are two that come to mind but there is no questioning that their first priority was always dedication to their sport.
Wayne Rooney took his shirt off at the end of the game and my immediate thought was he’s been indulging in a few too many pies and pints. He didn’t even look fit. He looked sluggish, out of shape, moody, unmotivated – and this is our star player!! There are a couple of Under 10’s on the Belper football team who could I think give them a run for their money and my dog is pretty good at roaring about with a football, too. I’m sure either of them could have done a better job.
I would have loved England to have won but have to say congratulations to Germany, because at the end of that day the better team definitely won.
V
Now I don’t pretend to know anything at all about football – well not much anyway -but if the country is competing in something it’s nice to get behind them and cheer them along the way. Having said that, if they don’t ban those horrendous things that sound as if my television has been invaded by a massive infestation of extremely angry mosquitoes, I shall never watch another match again.
What I do find quite amusing is all the debating about why we lost. Well it’s my opinion only but we lost because the other team outclassed us, outplayed us and were far superior to our fumbling efforts.
One excuse was that the players were tired. Well I’m fairly confident that the Germans played in other games as well so it’s not really a good enough excuse. If they were that tired why weren’t they put to bed early so they could get a good 10 hours sleep?
Also my opinion, but I understand they were only told two hours before the game who was actually going to play. Well I don’t know about you but if I am doing something major I tend to get myself well psyched up for it beforehand, not convince myself I’m not going to do it and then be told I am.
I also think that to compete at anything at that level, whatever it is you are competing in has to be your passion. It has to ignite a fire in your belly; it has to be something that you eat, drink, sleep and live for. None of our Olympians would win if they didn’t have this attitude.
I personally feel that a good deal of the problem is that, to our footballers, it isn’t their main passion; it isn’t the thing that makes them leap of out of bed in the morning. What is their main passion is being a so-called celebrity and that is their main focus beyond any doubt. There are few sportsmen who successfully juggle being number one in their field with being a celebrity. David Beckham and Wayne Gretzky are two that come to mind but there is no questioning that their first priority was always dedication to their sport.
Wayne Rooney took his shirt off at the end of the game and my immediate thought was he’s been indulging in a few too many pies and pints. He didn’t even look fit. He looked sluggish, out of shape, moody, unmotivated – and this is our star player!! There are a couple of Under 10’s on the Belper football team who could I think give them a run for their money and my dog is pretty good at roaring about with a football, too. I’m sure either of them could have done a better job.
I would have loved England to have won but have to say congratulations to Germany, because at the end of that day the better team definitely won.
V
Friday 10 September 2010
Just Dance - Jessica's column
At 11am on Saturdays there is an odd sound coming from the back room of Breadsall Village Hall; “tap tap bang bang click clack tap.” Anyone who was to venture closer would find a group of girls honing their tap dancing skills, and having piles of fun doing so; it was not, actually, a herd of wildebeest sporting stilettos!
I’ve been going to Starsteppers Dance School in Breadsall for years now, and although we can’t yet rival Britain’s Got Talent’s ‘Diversity’ I’ve made some really close friends and we’ve put on many a stunning show. Tap, with its crisp steps and shiny heeled shoes with polished metal soles, could well be my favourite style of dance. In French it’s called “les claquettes”, a name very appropriate as it serves as a pretty decent description of the neat noises made – ‘clacket clacket.’
Words used to help remember technical steps in dance form their own language. One muttered under the breath of tappers everywhere, is: “shuffle hop spring brush toe toe stamp”. Or in ballet: “first second and back to bras bas.”
I haven’t been doing ballet for very long, but I like how this type of dance slows everything down so you can concentrate much more on the curve of your hands and feet, and the music. Modern jazz dancing, like tap, is excellent because you can put in loads of cheesy enthusiasm, wide toothy grins and go mad. It’s so versatile that practically any kind of music can be used, from some bizarre classical remix to good old pop to give the dance a different vibe.
For me, dance shows are the best bit of dancing. The nerves from performing on a hot bright stage in front of a crowd means that backstage becomes hours of hyper laughter and messing about with new and old friends. Throw in ridiculous, colourful costumes and the necessary over-the-top stage make-up into the mix (blue eyes and red lips!) and you get some very memorable nights, hopefully for both performers and audience!
I often help out teaching the cute 3 and 4 year olds their routines. It’s always clear they’re having a whale of a time rocking out to Ghostbusters and Abba. No one can beat them for enthusiasm, which just goes to show that any and every age should have a bit of a boogie from time to time.
Recently I’ve been trying some more exercise-based dance classes. Derby Dance has an MTV Moves class on Mondays which I’ve gone to a few times where one intricate routine is taught weekly. All different kinds of people go there, but when we’re all following the music together and conquering the same fiddly sequence of moves, some of the self-consciousness melts away, and through a layer of perspiration you find you’re suddenly rather enjoying yourself!
Zumba is a kind of Latin American fitness dancing with lots of hips and shimmying. Despite its exhausting nature, a class I went to on Fridays with my Mum had an unmistakeable party atmosphere. The rhythmic music is so different to anything you’d hear on the radio. It’s like the lively drums echo your racing heartbeat.
Whether you dance to keep fit, make friends, enjoy the music or just for fun, keep on moving. That way, next time you’re at a wedding and the DJ cranks up the volume you can successfully wow (or embarrass) your relatives and forget your worries on the dance floor. All those spectators will wish that they too could relax their inhibitions, and just dance.
Jessica
I’ve been going to Starsteppers Dance School in Breadsall for years now, and although we can’t yet rival Britain’s Got Talent’s ‘Diversity’ I’ve made some really close friends and we’ve put on many a stunning show. Tap, with its crisp steps and shiny heeled shoes with polished metal soles, could well be my favourite style of dance. In French it’s called “les claquettes”, a name very appropriate as it serves as a pretty decent description of the neat noises made – ‘clacket clacket.’
Words used to help remember technical steps in dance form their own language. One muttered under the breath of tappers everywhere, is: “shuffle hop spring brush toe toe stamp”. Or in ballet: “first second and back to bras bas.”
I haven’t been doing ballet for very long, but I like how this type of dance slows everything down so you can concentrate much more on the curve of your hands and feet, and the music. Modern jazz dancing, like tap, is excellent because you can put in loads of cheesy enthusiasm, wide toothy grins and go mad. It’s so versatile that practically any kind of music can be used, from some bizarre classical remix to good old pop to give the dance a different vibe.
For me, dance shows are the best bit of dancing. The nerves from performing on a hot bright stage in front of a crowd means that backstage becomes hours of hyper laughter and messing about with new and old friends. Throw in ridiculous, colourful costumes and the necessary over-the-top stage make-up into the mix (blue eyes and red lips!) and you get some very memorable nights, hopefully for both performers and audience!
I often help out teaching the cute 3 and 4 year olds their routines. It’s always clear they’re having a whale of a time rocking out to Ghostbusters and Abba. No one can beat them for enthusiasm, which just goes to show that any and every age should have a bit of a boogie from time to time.
Recently I’ve been trying some more exercise-based dance classes. Derby Dance has an MTV Moves class on Mondays which I’ve gone to a few times where one intricate routine is taught weekly. All different kinds of people go there, but when we’re all following the music together and conquering the same fiddly sequence of moves, some of the self-consciousness melts away, and through a layer of perspiration you find you’re suddenly rather enjoying yourself!
Zumba is a kind of Latin American fitness dancing with lots of hips and shimmying. Despite its exhausting nature, a class I went to on Fridays with my Mum had an unmistakeable party atmosphere. The rhythmic music is so different to anything you’d hear on the radio. It’s like the lively drums echo your racing heartbeat.
Whether you dance to keep fit, make friends, enjoy the music or just for fun, keep on moving. That way, next time you’re at a wedding and the DJ cranks up the volume you can successfully wow (or embarrass) your relatives and forget your worries on the dance floor. All those spectators will wish that they too could relax their inhibitions, and just dance.
Jessica
Monday 6 September 2010
Life through the eyes of Scrambles, a Belper-based Cairn Terrier
Firstly we must apologise for missing our column in the last edition – all our doggie friends have given us a good telling off and wondered what had happened to us. We in turn have given our Mum a good telling off and told her we HAVE to get a column done for this edition.
We are at the moment two quite worried little doggies because our Mum is putting all our stuff into boxes and we are sticking like glue to her because we suspect she is going somewhere and we want to make sure she doesn’t forget to pack us. Chaos climbed into one of the boxes last week and went to sleep but Mum said she couldn’t stay there and gave us both a big cuddle.
Our Mum says we are moving and that we are going to love it (we, on the other hand, are not convinced). She says we are going to be moving to a house that is 100 yards from our very favourite park and we will be able to walk for ages and ages without having to drive to it so we are very, very excited about that but can’t help worrying that with all these boxes and things that two small doggies might get overlooked.
We have never lived anywhere else before but so long as our Mum is there we know we will be OK. She has promised to bring my ‘Sluggie’ with us and Chaos’s ball so we will have our favourite toys. She also says there’s something called a conservatory so we will be able to see outside all the time even if it is chucking it down with rain. That will be nice because these humans do have a rather silly habit of putting windows halfway up the wall so we can’t see out – there’s no consideration for us at all!
We did go to have a look at our new house last week (from the outside) and our very best friend Schubert came with us. It was great because our Mum and Schubert’s Mum and Dad took us all for a walk through the park afterwards. We had lots and lots of fun saying hello to everybody and running through as much mud as we could find.
We are fairly sure we are not going to get forgotten but until then we aren’t letting our Mum out of our sight.
We will hopefully be moved and have this all over with by the time we write our next column, so we will give you a further update then and let you know how we are settling in.
Scrambles xx
We are at the moment two quite worried little doggies because our Mum is putting all our stuff into boxes and we are sticking like glue to her because we suspect she is going somewhere and we want to make sure she doesn’t forget to pack us. Chaos climbed into one of the boxes last week and went to sleep but Mum said she couldn’t stay there and gave us both a big cuddle.
Our Mum says we are moving and that we are going to love it (we, on the other hand, are not convinced). She says we are going to be moving to a house that is 100 yards from our very favourite park and we will be able to walk for ages and ages without having to drive to it so we are very, very excited about that but can’t help worrying that with all these boxes and things that two small doggies might get overlooked.
We have never lived anywhere else before but so long as our Mum is there we know we will be OK. She has promised to bring my ‘Sluggie’ with us and Chaos’s ball so we will have our favourite toys. She also says there’s something called a conservatory so we will be able to see outside all the time even if it is chucking it down with rain. That will be nice because these humans do have a rather silly habit of putting windows halfway up the wall so we can’t see out – there’s no consideration for us at all!
We did go to have a look at our new house last week (from the outside) and our very best friend Schubert came with us. It was great because our Mum and Schubert’s Mum and Dad took us all for a walk through the park afterwards. We had lots and lots of fun saying hello to everybody and running through as much mud as we could find.
We are fairly sure we are not going to get forgotten but until then we aren’t letting our Mum out of our sight.
We will hopefully be moved and have this all over with by the time we write our next column, so we will give you a further update then and let you know how we are settling in.
Scrambles xx
Thursday 2 September 2010
Leabrooks Gallery & Picture Framing
An oasis of culture and calm amidst urban bustle.
Leabrooks Gallery is situated in a secluded, garden courtyard setting in the bustling area of Somercotes. The gallery offers original art works in oil, watercolour and mixed media together with limited and open edition prints. In addition, it also offers a wide range of hand made greetings cards, jewellery and a range of pottery.
The gallery also provides the facilities and skills of a bespoke framing service of the highest quality with an extensive choice of frame and mount designs at very competitive prices.
Owner, John Carnall comments: “When we moved to Somercotes eleven years ago, we became the owners of two ‘ugly ducklings’; a house and a group of collapsing farm buildings. Both were intrinsically beautiful but required work; both evolved around us, the house became a comfortable living space, and the barns, somehow a Gallery, where our two, very different, sets of interests and experiences found perfect fusion.”
The gallery regularly hosts exhibitions and boasts over 1,000 square feet of exhibition space. The next exhibition will be held from 7 to 28 August and will feature Derbyshire Landscapes in watercolour by local artist June Haywood. On 14 August, Jo Walters will be giving a jewellery making demonstration alongside Helen Meakin who will be demonstrating the art of textile design.
The onsite Coffee Shop, which is wheelchair accessible, offers visitors the opportunity to relax with a choice of beverages whilst considering the exhibitions and their purchases. It is a pleasant room in which a further selection of prints is available together with a large range of cards. In warm weather seating is extended into the Courtyard and gardens, where visitors can find peace as well as inspiration
If you’re looking for a meeting/conference room, there is also a conference centre available for hire based in the grounds of Leabrooks Gallery – for further information go to:
www.creative-conferencing.co.uk
More details about the gallery and forthcoming exhibitions can be found online at: www.leabrooksgallery.co.uk
Owners: John Carnall & Carol Barton-Jones
Location: 36 Leabrooks Road, Somercotes, Alfreton. DE55 4HB
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4.30pm
Open Wednesday by appointment only
Contact: leabrooksgallery@tiscali.co.uk
Telephone: 01773 602961
Leabrooks Gallery is situated in a secluded, garden courtyard setting in the bustling area of Somercotes. The gallery offers original art works in oil, watercolour and mixed media together with limited and open edition prints. In addition, it also offers a wide range of hand made greetings cards, jewellery and a range of pottery.
The gallery also provides the facilities and skills of a bespoke framing service of the highest quality with an extensive choice of frame and mount designs at very competitive prices.
Owner, John Carnall comments: “When we moved to Somercotes eleven years ago, we became the owners of two ‘ugly ducklings’; a house and a group of collapsing farm buildings. Both were intrinsically beautiful but required work; both evolved around us, the house became a comfortable living space, and the barns, somehow a Gallery, where our two, very different, sets of interests and experiences found perfect fusion.”
The gallery regularly hosts exhibitions and boasts over 1,000 square feet of exhibition space. The next exhibition will be held from 7 to 28 August and will feature Derbyshire Landscapes in watercolour by local artist June Haywood. On 14 August, Jo Walters will be giving a jewellery making demonstration alongside Helen Meakin who will be demonstrating the art of textile design.
The onsite Coffee Shop, which is wheelchair accessible, offers visitors the opportunity to relax with a choice of beverages whilst considering the exhibitions and their purchases. It is a pleasant room in which a further selection of prints is available together with a large range of cards. In warm weather seating is extended into the Courtyard and gardens, where visitors can find peace as well as inspiration
If you’re looking for a meeting/conference room, there is also a conference centre available for hire based in the grounds of Leabrooks Gallery – for further information go to:
www.creative-conferencing.co.uk
More details about the gallery and forthcoming exhibitions can be found online at: www.leabrooksgallery.co.uk
Owners: John Carnall & Carol Barton-Jones
Location: 36 Leabrooks Road, Somercotes, Alfreton. DE55 4HB
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4.30pm
Open Wednesday by appointment only
Contact: leabrooksgallery@tiscali.co.uk
Telephone: 01773 602961
Wednesday 21 July 2010
Word on wine - Louis Jadot Chablis
Hello again
Well, it has been a busy couple of months since the last edition of All Things Local and I have been reflecting on Word on Wine which I have been writing now for three years. Due to work pressures, I have decided to step down from writing this column.
As I write, the sun is shining through my study window, so I decided to put a bottle of Chablis in the fridge to chill, ready for sitting in the garden at the weekend with friends, enjoying a cool glass of wine.
My thought for this month is… is Chablis overrated?
At a recent Kilburn Wine Circle we had a speaker presenting a variety of Burgundy wines, one of which was Chablis. Now I don’t know about you, but I have always found the French way of labelling wine somewhat challenging, as it rarely tells me on the label what grape is in the bottle. However, they are beginning to recognise that us Brits like to know what we are buying and are increasingly realising they need to let us know so that we can make an informed decision on which wine to buy.
The Chablis we tried was crisp and fresh and from the most northerly tip of the Burgundy region, and as a result the grapes grow in a slightly cooler climate. This gives the Chardonnay grape from that area a fresher, crisper taste; more so than a Chardonnay grown in more southerly areas, where the heat generally makes the grapes more sweet, rather than acidic and the wines taste heavier.
On my earlier question about Chablis, having tasted this wine at Wine Circle, I don’t think this one is overrated…so let’s see what you think!
Brand: Louis Jadot
Type: Chablis
Region: Burgundy
Year: 2008
Grape: Chardonnay
Alcohol Strength: 12.5%
Style: Crisp, dry, elegant white
Flavour: Clean, fresh, light-bodied and rich in flavour
Price: £12.99
Available: www.everywine.co.uk
Ideal with Shellfish, smoked salmon and light meals
Anne Kennedy - Kilburn Wine Circle.
Well, it has been a busy couple of months since the last edition of All Things Local and I have been reflecting on Word on Wine which I have been writing now for three years. Due to work pressures, I have decided to step down from writing this column.
As I write, the sun is shining through my study window, so I decided to put a bottle of Chablis in the fridge to chill, ready for sitting in the garden at the weekend with friends, enjoying a cool glass of wine.
My thought for this month is… is Chablis overrated?
At a recent Kilburn Wine Circle we had a speaker presenting a variety of Burgundy wines, one of which was Chablis. Now I don’t know about you, but I have always found the French way of labelling wine somewhat challenging, as it rarely tells me on the label what grape is in the bottle. However, they are beginning to recognise that us Brits like to know what we are buying and are increasingly realising they need to let us know so that we can make an informed decision on which wine to buy.
The Chablis we tried was crisp and fresh and from the most northerly tip of the Burgundy region, and as a result the grapes grow in a slightly cooler climate. This gives the Chardonnay grape from that area a fresher, crisper taste; more so than a Chardonnay grown in more southerly areas, where the heat generally makes the grapes more sweet, rather than acidic and the wines taste heavier.
On my earlier question about Chablis, having tasted this wine at Wine Circle, I don’t think this one is overrated…so let’s see what you think!
Brand: Louis Jadot
Type: Chablis
Region: Burgundy
Year: 2008
Grape: Chardonnay
Alcohol Strength: 12.5%
Style: Crisp, dry, elegant white
Flavour: Clean, fresh, light-bodied and rich in flavour
Price: £12.99
Available: www.everywine.co.uk
Ideal with Shellfish, smoked salmon and light meals
Anne Kennedy - Kilburn Wine Circle.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
View from the Projection Box with Ritz Cinema - Belper
The View from the Projection Box with Ritz Cinema projectionist Paul Winfield.
I hear there’s a big football tournament this summer, but for those of you who want to escape the big screen TVs, there are some cracking films coming to our really big screen. A definite antidote to the World Cup will be the return of the girls in Sex and the City II. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis are all back in this sequel with writer/producer/director Michael Patrick King.
For those who like adventures of a different kind, the latest reincarnation of Robin Hood is with us soon. This time the legendary hero is played by Russell Crowe. Only a few weeks ago we played the original version as our Sunday Classic Film, with Errol Flynn donning the green tights. To me that will always be the Robin Hood, but the new one looks to be a great action movie and a lot of the location was done here in Derbyshire.
Despite its rather morbid title, Cemetery Junction is a 1970s set comedy centred on three upstart professional men working at an insurance company. Ralph Fiennes stars alongside Ricky Gervais who also directs.
Now we come to Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Some of you may remember the 1992 version, set in New York. This time the action moves south to steamy post-Katrina New Orleans, where a drug and gambling addicted detective is investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants. For those of you who like dark and gripping drama this is a must-see and the soundtrack music is really cool.
Looking a little further into the summer months, there’s a new Shrek movie and Woody, Buzz and the rest of the Toy Box friends return in Toy Story 3. And, wait for it, there’s a new big screen version of the 1980s hit The A Team.
So, there’s plenty of choice for all tastes at The Ritz. Looking forward to seeing you.
I hear there’s a big football tournament this summer, but for those of you who want to escape the big screen TVs, there are some cracking films coming to our really big screen. A definite antidote to the World Cup will be the return of the girls in Sex and the City II. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis are all back in this sequel with writer/producer/director Michael Patrick King.
For those who like adventures of a different kind, the latest reincarnation of Robin Hood is with us soon. This time the legendary hero is played by Russell Crowe. Only a few weeks ago we played the original version as our Sunday Classic Film, with Errol Flynn donning the green tights. To me that will always be the Robin Hood, but the new one looks to be a great action movie and a lot of the location was done here in Derbyshire.
Despite its rather morbid title, Cemetery Junction is a 1970s set comedy centred on three upstart professional men working at an insurance company. Ralph Fiennes stars alongside Ricky Gervais who also directs.
Now we come to Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Some of you may remember the 1992 version, set in New York. This time the action moves south to steamy post-Katrina New Orleans, where a drug and gambling addicted detective is investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants. For those of you who like dark and gripping drama this is a must-see and the soundtrack music is really cool.
Looking a little further into the summer months, there’s a new Shrek movie and Woody, Buzz and the rest of the Toy Box friends return in Toy Story 3. And, wait for it, there’s a new big screen version of the 1980s hit The A Team.
So, there’s plenty of choice for all tastes at The Ritz. Looking forward to seeing you.
Wednesday 7 July 2010
Walk around the Manifold Valley
Around the Manifold Valley
Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Free car park in Wetton (SK 1089 5513)
Route: Wetton - Thor's Cave - Manifold Valley - Ladyside Wood – Grindon
- Ossoms Hill - Wetton Mill - Wetton Hill - Wetton
Map: Explorer OL 24: The Peak District White Peak Area.
Distance: 5.5 miles.
Terrain: Good paths, fields and quiet lanes.
Refreshments: Pubs in Wetton and Grindon. Cafe at Wetton Mill. The pub in Grindon is not passed following this route.
Toilets: Car park in Wetton and at Wetton Mill.
Please note that the cliffs around Thor’s Cave are exposed with a steep drop below them.
The walk:
This walk explores the hills above and around the Manifold Valley. Whilst it involves two long but straightforward climbs the views are both extensive and ever changing. With two caves to explore and the possibility of an ice cream during the walk it makes an ideal family summer walk.
Turn right out of the car park and then right at the first junction, signed Wetton Mill. At the next road junction bear left to find a lane and public footpath sign on the left.
The views will have now opened up to reveal both the prominent top of Thor’s Cave, on the left, and the magnificent view across the Manifold Valley to Grindon, identified by its church spire.
Ignore the public footpath sign; across the field, instead take the concessionary footpath along the lane, signed for Thor’s Cave, to the left of the field. After a short while you will reach a stone stile in the wall on the right, which once again is signed Thor’s Cave.
Take the stile and follow the wall, on the left, downhill where the view to your right will soon include Wetton and Sugarloaf hills. Looking across the valley can you spot the limestone Nan Tor Cave behind Wetton Mill?
The path will take you to a gate, which you go through, but where are you going to go now?
If you take the path to the left you will head up above Thor’s Cave, which will give you arguably the best views of the Manifold Valley and the surrounding area. The cliffs below here are both steep and dangerous but it is possible, with care, to walk along the top of the escarpment to find the entrances to caves where ancient remains have been found but do not enter the caves. Whilst this is an interesting area to explore be very cautious if you choose to do so.
Having visited the top of Thor’s Cave return to the gate and take the path heading downhill to find the magnificent entrance to Thor’s Cave. A short scramble will get you into the cave itself, which can be explored. However do remember that there are steep drops below you, especially when you are near ‘the window’, another large opening allowing light into the cave.
From the entrance to Thor’s Cave take the stepped footpath downhill through the woods. When this path meets another path turn left and continue downhill to the bridge across the, usually dry, River Manifold. From here you can look back up to Thor’s Cave sitting high above the valley.
Crossing the Manifold Way path, take the stile opposite onto ‘Ladyside’ and follow the clear path uphill, through woods, to another stile into a field. From here you have a superb view of Thor’s Cave and the cliffs above it.
Continue uphill to a stile across the fence to your left, which takes you back into woodland. Follow the path through the wood to reach first a wooden stile and then a stone squeeze stile.
Immediately in front of you is a steep bank, initially follow it round to the right and then head up it. From the top of the bank the path follows the line of trees, to the left of the field, into a small depression after which the path splits.
Take the lower path, on the left, to cross the brook and then turn left, to skirt around trees before turning right and heading uphill. The stone stile you want is out of sight, in the top left hand corner of the field but once you reach the summit of the hill it will come into view.
Cross the stile and continue straight ahead, to the left of the barn in the corner of the field, to a stile onto the road.
Turn right into Grindon to find a junction, in front of Ivy Cottage, where you bear right. At the next junction bear right and then almost immediately right again, to follow the public footpath sign to a squeeze stile by a gate.
Continue straight ahead, to a fence crossed by two stiles. Take the stile on the left and then bear left to a wooden bridge crossing the brook crossed earlier in the walk. Continue in the same direction, uphill, to find both a squeeze stile and a wooden stile into the next field.
The path continues straight ahead to a gate onto a road. Turn right along the road and follow it to the entrance to Ossoms Hill Farm. Turn left along the farm track towards Ossoms Hill Farm, passing the barn on the left, to find a sign for Wetton Mill on the right.
Take the squeeze stile behind the farm building and continue straight ahead to a second squeeze stile. The route continues in the same direction to a third squeeze stile from where you follow the path, which is clearly marked by yellow topped posts, around the side of Ossoms Hill to a wooden stile.
As you make your way around Ossoms Hill the view away to your left extends across the valley to Butterton, identified by its church spire and on a really clear day to the moors beyond. As you continue round the hill Butterton disappears to be replaced first by views down into Waterslacks and then with views along the Manifold Valley.
Cross the stile and then bear right continuing round and down Ossoms Hill. As you follow this path downhill your view is dominated by the three hills on the far side of the Manifold Valley. To the left is Ecton Hill; in the middle is the narrower, double-topped, Sugarloaf, with the domed Wetton Hill to the right.
The path reaches another stile and continues downhill, swinging left, to a wooden stile near the bottom left hand side of the field.
Cross the stile, take the bridge across the stream, turn right at the road and then almost immediately right again to take the bridge, on the left, across the River Manifold to Wetton Mill.
Pass in front of, or perhaps call into, the teashop at Wetton Mill to find a signed footpath between the buildings, which takes you uphill to a gate. Go through the gate and turn left if you wish to explore Nan Tor Cave, which is above Wetton Mill.
From the gate continue straight ahead uphill before turning right to emerge at a post above the dry dale, which runs between Sugarloaf and Wetton Hill. Turn left at the post along a path to a gate, which continues down to the dale floor. Continue straight ahead (left) along the dry dale until you reach a gate at its far end.
Shortly after passing through the gate take the squeeze stile on the right, signed Wetton. Cross the brook by the stone slabs to follow the path uphill keeping the wall to your right. When the wall turns right follow it, continuing uphill, to reach an awkward wooden stile. To visit the summit of Wetton Hill take the stone stile, on the right, across the wall you have been following uphill.
Having crossed the awkward stile head diagonally left, across the field, to another stile. The path bears right, around the hill, to a squeeze stile. Continue straight ahead to find that you have now reached what must be a serious contender for the title of ‘Narrowest Squeeze Stile in the Peak District’.
Once through the stile continue straight ahead along the track to emerge onto the road in Wetton. Turn left and continue past ‘Ye Olde Royal Oak’ until you reach the road on the right, signed for the car park, which you take.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
There's a popular Derbyshire walk in every edition of All Things Local
Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Free car park in Wetton (SK 1089 5513)
Route: Wetton - Thor's Cave - Manifold Valley - Ladyside Wood – Grindon
- Ossoms Hill - Wetton Mill - Wetton Hill - Wetton
Map: Explorer OL 24: The Peak District White Peak Area.
Distance: 5.5 miles.
Terrain: Good paths, fields and quiet lanes.
Refreshments: Pubs in Wetton and Grindon. Cafe at Wetton Mill. The pub in Grindon is not passed following this route.
Toilets: Car park in Wetton and at Wetton Mill.
Please note that the cliffs around Thor’s Cave are exposed with a steep drop below them.
The walk:
This walk explores the hills above and around the Manifold Valley. Whilst it involves two long but straightforward climbs the views are both extensive and ever changing. With two caves to explore and the possibility of an ice cream during the walk it makes an ideal family summer walk.
Turn right out of the car park and then right at the first junction, signed Wetton Mill. At the next road junction bear left to find a lane and public footpath sign on the left.
The views will have now opened up to reveal both the prominent top of Thor’s Cave, on the left, and the magnificent view across the Manifold Valley to Grindon, identified by its church spire.
Ignore the public footpath sign; across the field, instead take the concessionary footpath along the lane, signed for Thor’s Cave, to the left of the field. After a short while you will reach a stone stile in the wall on the right, which once again is signed Thor’s Cave.
Take the stile and follow the wall, on the left, downhill where the view to your right will soon include Wetton and Sugarloaf hills. Looking across the valley can you spot the limestone Nan Tor Cave behind Wetton Mill?
The path will take you to a gate, which you go through, but where are you going to go now?
If you take the path to the left you will head up above Thor’s Cave, which will give you arguably the best views of the Manifold Valley and the surrounding area. The cliffs below here are both steep and dangerous but it is possible, with care, to walk along the top of the escarpment to find the entrances to caves where ancient remains have been found but do not enter the caves. Whilst this is an interesting area to explore be very cautious if you choose to do so.
Having visited the top of Thor’s Cave return to the gate and take the path heading downhill to find the magnificent entrance to Thor’s Cave. A short scramble will get you into the cave itself, which can be explored. However do remember that there are steep drops below you, especially when you are near ‘the window’, another large opening allowing light into the cave.
From the entrance to Thor’s Cave take the stepped footpath downhill through the woods. When this path meets another path turn left and continue downhill to the bridge across the, usually dry, River Manifold. From here you can look back up to Thor’s Cave sitting high above the valley.
Crossing the Manifold Way path, take the stile opposite onto ‘Ladyside’ and follow the clear path uphill, through woods, to another stile into a field. From here you have a superb view of Thor’s Cave and the cliffs above it.
Continue uphill to a stile across the fence to your left, which takes you back into woodland. Follow the path through the wood to reach first a wooden stile and then a stone squeeze stile.
Immediately in front of you is a steep bank, initially follow it round to the right and then head up it. From the top of the bank the path follows the line of trees, to the left of the field, into a small depression after which the path splits.
Take the lower path, on the left, to cross the brook and then turn left, to skirt around trees before turning right and heading uphill. The stone stile you want is out of sight, in the top left hand corner of the field but once you reach the summit of the hill it will come into view.
Cross the stile and continue straight ahead, to the left of the barn in the corner of the field, to a stile onto the road.
Turn right into Grindon to find a junction, in front of Ivy Cottage, where you bear right. At the next junction bear right and then almost immediately right again, to follow the public footpath sign to a squeeze stile by a gate.
Continue straight ahead, to a fence crossed by two stiles. Take the stile on the left and then bear left to a wooden bridge crossing the brook crossed earlier in the walk. Continue in the same direction, uphill, to find both a squeeze stile and a wooden stile into the next field.
The path continues straight ahead to a gate onto a road. Turn right along the road and follow it to the entrance to Ossoms Hill Farm. Turn left along the farm track towards Ossoms Hill Farm, passing the barn on the left, to find a sign for Wetton Mill on the right.
Take the squeeze stile behind the farm building and continue straight ahead to a second squeeze stile. The route continues in the same direction to a third squeeze stile from where you follow the path, which is clearly marked by yellow topped posts, around the side of Ossoms Hill to a wooden stile.
As you make your way around Ossoms Hill the view away to your left extends across the valley to Butterton, identified by its church spire and on a really clear day to the moors beyond. As you continue round the hill Butterton disappears to be replaced first by views down into Waterslacks and then with views along the Manifold Valley.
Cross the stile and then bear right continuing round and down Ossoms Hill. As you follow this path downhill your view is dominated by the three hills on the far side of the Manifold Valley. To the left is Ecton Hill; in the middle is the narrower, double-topped, Sugarloaf, with the domed Wetton Hill to the right.
The path reaches another stile and continues downhill, swinging left, to a wooden stile near the bottom left hand side of the field.
Cross the stile, take the bridge across the stream, turn right at the road and then almost immediately right again to take the bridge, on the left, across the River Manifold to Wetton Mill.
Pass in front of, or perhaps call into, the teashop at Wetton Mill to find a signed footpath between the buildings, which takes you uphill to a gate. Go through the gate and turn left if you wish to explore Nan Tor Cave, which is above Wetton Mill.
From the gate continue straight ahead uphill before turning right to emerge at a post above the dry dale, which runs between Sugarloaf and Wetton Hill. Turn left at the post along a path to a gate, which continues down to the dale floor. Continue straight ahead (left) along the dry dale until you reach a gate at its far end.
Shortly after passing through the gate take the squeeze stile on the right, signed Wetton. Cross the brook by the stone slabs to follow the path uphill keeping the wall to your right. When the wall turns right follow it, continuing uphill, to reach an awkward wooden stile. To visit the summit of Wetton Hill take the stone stile, on the right, across the wall you have been following uphill.
Having crossed the awkward stile head diagonally left, across the field, to another stile. The path bears right, around the hill, to a squeeze stile. Continue straight ahead to find that you have now reached what must be a serious contender for the title of ‘Narrowest Squeeze Stile in the Peak District’.
Once through the stile continue straight ahead along the track to emerge onto the road in Wetton. Turn left and continue past ‘Ye Olde Royal Oak’ until you reach the road on the right, signed for the car park, which you take.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
There's a popular Derbyshire walk in every edition of All Things Local
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Jessica's column - In my good books...
It’s 3am and I’ve just noticed the time. Argh! I determinedly fold down the page of my book and try to stop feeling guilty. ‘It’s only 3am, Jessica, I’m sure you won’t be tired tomorrow...’ yeah right. This is the problem with me and books. I read them like I eat packets of biscuits. Each chapter is another sweet chewy circle of joy and I don’t stop consuming until they’re all gone. I sometimes enjoy reading a little fiction before bed, as many do, to give some time for the brain to relax and unwind. I’ll pick a book from my shelves, wriggle under the duvet and start to read… and don’t stop. Oh look, 4 hours have slipped by!
Thankfully I don’t own any of my very favourite books, or these late night reading sessions might occur more frequently. My bookcase is crammed with retired favourites: colourful paperbacks (Jacqueline Wilson was my primary school author of choice), holiday reads and other assorted teen fiction. The school library is the real residence of all my top favourites. To me, a long-awaited book becomes more tempting when it’s wrapped in protective plastic and has a paper record thingy stuck in the front - and it’s free you know! As a lower school student I spent many a lunchtime there with friends, but now I swan in and stagger out again a short while later, somewhat less stylishly, with a healthy stack of books. The librarians are always friendly and helpful, and there’s a book club for all years on Tuesdays where we often read book award nominees.
For years I was slightly put off mainstream books with loads of awards, but then I realised that these books won because they really are fantastic! Take “The Knife of Never Letting Go” by Patrick Ness, as an example. It won the Booktrust Teenage Prize and the Guardian Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. I remained sceptical, despite numerous members of the aforementioned book group singing its praises. It was only when I actually got round to checking it out (of the library) did I see what the fuss was about. Patrick Ness’ whole “Chaos Walking” series so far is imaginative and thought-provoking. The third book came out this May. Another incredible trilogy that I’m excited for the conclusion of is “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. This is action-packed and fascinating fiction at its best. It’s just a shame I have to wait for August 2010!
I love books, especially those that allow me to escape into another world, like lovely fat fantasy series such as “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies”, “Pretties”, “Specials” and “Extras” - and the one with “Mortal Engines” by Philip Reeve, all set in some enthralling but troubled alternate world. I’m not too picky; I enjoyed the “Twilight” saga by Stephenie Meyer too! Maybe if you’re looking to buy a present for a literary teen I’ve been of some help...
When my family are on holiday or a long car journey, I have become quite the expert at stealthily peering over my younger brother’s shoulder to borrow a bit of his entertainment should I finish my own. There’s nothing wrong with reading below your age every now and again. After all, Ben has reasonable taste; Frank Cottrell Boyce for the win! At the other end of the spectrum is the kind of literature we read in English, like “The Great Gatsby.” Fun too, I guess, apart from the fact we have to read into all the deep meaning and dissect it to death.
Learning to read as a young child is like being given the key to the Tardis. You can go anywhere and do anything. The possibilities just keep on multiplying as you progress from big picture books read by Mum, to ingenious stories and adventures. Just keep turning those pages.
Jessica
Jessica is a regular columnist for All Things Local and currently a sixth form student at Ecclesbourne School, Duffield.
Thankfully I don’t own any of my very favourite books, or these late night reading sessions might occur more frequently. My bookcase is crammed with retired favourites: colourful paperbacks (Jacqueline Wilson was my primary school author of choice), holiday reads and other assorted teen fiction. The school library is the real residence of all my top favourites. To me, a long-awaited book becomes more tempting when it’s wrapped in protective plastic and has a paper record thingy stuck in the front - and it’s free you know! As a lower school student I spent many a lunchtime there with friends, but now I swan in and stagger out again a short while later, somewhat less stylishly, with a healthy stack of books. The librarians are always friendly and helpful, and there’s a book club for all years on Tuesdays where we often read book award nominees.
For years I was slightly put off mainstream books with loads of awards, but then I realised that these books won because they really are fantastic! Take “The Knife of Never Letting Go” by Patrick Ness, as an example. It won the Booktrust Teenage Prize and the Guardian Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. I remained sceptical, despite numerous members of the aforementioned book group singing its praises. It was only when I actually got round to checking it out (of the library) did I see what the fuss was about. Patrick Ness’ whole “Chaos Walking” series so far is imaginative and thought-provoking. The third book came out this May. Another incredible trilogy that I’m excited for the conclusion of is “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. This is action-packed and fascinating fiction at its best. It’s just a shame I have to wait for August 2010!
I love books, especially those that allow me to escape into another world, like lovely fat fantasy series such as “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies”, “Pretties”, “Specials” and “Extras” - and the one with “Mortal Engines” by Philip Reeve, all set in some enthralling but troubled alternate world. I’m not too picky; I enjoyed the “Twilight” saga by Stephenie Meyer too! Maybe if you’re looking to buy a present for a literary teen I’ve been of some help...
When my family are on holiday or a long car journey, I have become quite the expert at stealthily peering over my younger brother’s shoulder to borrow a bit of his entertainment should I finish my own. There’s nothing wrong with reading below your age every now and again. After all, Ben has reasonable taste; Frank Cottrell Boyce for the win! At the other end of the spectrum is the kind of literature we read in English, like “The Great Gatsby.” Fun too, I guess, apart from the fact we have to read into all the deep meaning and dissect it to death.
Learning to read as a young child is like being given the key to the Tardis. You can go anywhere and do anything. The possibilities just keep on multiplying as you progress from big picture books read by Mum, to ingenious stories and adventures. Just keep turning those pages.
Jessica
Jessica is a regular columnist for All Things Local and currently a sixth form student at Ecclesbourne School, Duffield.
Wednesday 23 June 2010
Fashion with Shona Harding from Pearls & Scarlett
Summer has finally arrived and at this time of year we are always reminded of re-growth and nature’s way of renewing everything around us. So why not use fashion in the same way, recycle from nature and find new ways to shop ethically. Budget shops are big culprits of offering cheap goods in a constant flow of ever-changing styles but there is a big trend towards fashion with better morals. The business I am in supports this and even the high street giants are starting to realise that customers want fashion with a conscience. So how do we shop safe in the knowledge our fashion is not harming the environment around us?
Look out for eco fashion websites – they are great for sourcing their products direct from the craftsmen that make them, ensuring they receive the bulk of the profit from items sold. ascensiononline.com is one that offers a great range of clothing, accessories and homewares which fall within the criteria whilst not compromising on quality and look. fashion-conscience.com is also a great site which offers vegan, sustainable, fair trade and recycled fashion.
High Street – although they are generally lacking in nearly every area of ethical fashion some are trying to change the way it sources its suppliers. Next, M&S and Monsoon are to name but a few, but the ranges in store are limited and cost more. They are also starting to use organic cotton more in their products which is always a great step towards a more natural product. It’s also great for babies whose skin reacts badly to chemical interference.
Eco Shopping – there are a great many independents around that use a range of local artisans who produce items from recyclable products. These include drinks cans being made into handbags and newspaper pulp used to make handmade jewellery. This style of fashion is always going to appeal to one section of the fashion market as not everyone wants to buy into these kinds of fashion pieces – but it’s becoming an increasing trend for those who wish to ease their own conscience whilst not compromising on their love of fashion and shopping.
Dress agencies, hiring and charity shops all offer a way of recycling your clothes whilst buying new items to add to your wardrobe.
See you in a couple of months, Shona xx
Look out for eco fashion websites – they are great for sourcing their products direct from the craftsmen that make them, ensuring they receive the bulk of the profit from items sold. ascensiononline.com is one that offers a great range of clothing, accessories and homewares which fall within the criteria whilst not compromising on quality and look. fashion-conscience.com is also a great site which offers vegan, sustainable, fair trade and recycled fashion.
High Street – although they are generally lacking in nearly every area of ethical fashion some are trying to change the way it sources its suppliers. Next, M&S and Monsoon are to name but a few, but the ranges in store are limited and cost more. They are also starting to use organic cotton more in their products which is always a great step towards a more natural product. It’s also great for babies whose skin reacts badly to chemical interference.
Eco Shopping – there are a great many independents around that use a range of local artisans who produce items from recyclable products. These include drinks cans being made into handbags and newspaper pulp used to make handmade jewellery. This style of fashion is always going to appeal to one section of the fashion market as not everyone wants to buy into these kinds of fashion pieces – but it’s becoming an increasing trend for those who wish to ease their own conscience whilst not compromising on their love of fashion and shopping.
Dress agencies, hiring and charity shops all offer a way of recycling your clothes whilst buying new items to add to your wardrobe.
See you in a couple of months, Shona xx
Thursday 20 May 2010
Word on Wine By Anne Kennedy
Hello again
We recently spent a long weekend away with friends in Leyburn, Yorkshire to recharge our batteries and celebrate our wedding anniversary. We booked into a couple of very nice restaurants while we were there and an incident at one of them reminded us of a fundamental principle when ordering wine in a restaurant.
Our friend ordered a bottle of South African Chenin Blanc off the wine list. When the waiter brought the wine, he opened it, poured it in our glasses and put it in an ice bucket. Considering this was a very good restaurant, I was a little surprised he had not asked us to taste it prior to pouring, but they were very busy that evening.
When we tasted the wine we were very surprised, as it was sweet. I didn’t say anything, as I didn’t want to offend my friend and Chenin Blanc can sometimes be sweet. I just thought I would save mine for the desert course instead.
Fortunately, my friend also noticed and so we then looked a little closer at the bottle. We discovered it was a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc - the waiter had brought us the wrong wine completely. When we mentioned it, he apologised and went to get us the correct wine and we could see where the mistake was made, as the labels on both bottles looked almost identical. Unfortunately, he took the wrong one away (even though we’d all had a sip of it!)
The moral of the story is always check the label before the wine is opened and taste the wine before agreeing to accept it. You’re not a wine snob – but just making sure it’s what you’re paying for. This tasting is not to check if you like the wine, but to see if the wine is tainted, or corked. If it is corked, it will smell like moldy newspaper, wet dog, damp cloth or damp basement; the wine's native aromas are reduced significantly.
Nowadays many wines are being served in screw cap bottles which means there is less risk of the wine being tainted after it is bottled, hence why the screw cap is becoming more commonly used by producers.
The Chenin Blanc we had in Leyburn, was in fact a very nice wine, so I have selected a Chenin Blanc for you to try this month - not from South Africa, but from New Zealand. This is not a widely grown grape down there, so it was interesting to try.
Brand: Esk Valley
Type: Vineyard Selection
Region: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Year: 2008
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Alcohol Strength: 14%
Style – White
Bouquet – Delightful fresh nose of crisp melon and softer tropical fruits
Flavour - Honey, quince and stone-fruit with a mineral-like acidity. The palate is full with a touch of residual sugar balancing the acidity
Price: £7.99, H Smith, Ashbourne.
Ideal with seafood, Asian and Indian-style dishes
Catch a great wine review in every edition of All Things Local - the Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley, Derbyshire.
We recently spent a long weekend away with friends in Leyburn, Yorkshire to recharge our batteries and celebrate our wedding anniversary. We booked into a couple of very nice restaurants while we were there and an incident at one of them reminded us of a fundamental principle when ordering wine in a restaurant.
Our friend ordered a bottle of South African Chenin Blanc off the wine list. When the waiter brought the wine, he opened it, poured it in our glasses and put it in an ice bucket. Considering this was a very good restaurant, I was a little surprised he had not asked us to taste it prior to pouring, but they were very busy that evening.
When we tasted the wine we were very surprised, as it was sweet. I didn’t say anything, as I didn’t want to offend my friend and Chenin Blanc can sometimes be sweet. I just thought I would save mine for the desert course instead.
Fortunately, my friend also noticed and so we then looked a little closer at the bottle. We discovered it was a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc - the waiter had brought us the wrong wine completely. When we mentioned it, he apologised and went to get us the correct wine and we could see where the mistake was made, as the labels on both bottles looked almost identical. Unfortunately, he took the wrong one away (even though we’d all had a sip of it!)
The moral of the story is always check the label before the wine is opened and taste the wine before agreeing to accept it. You’re not a wine snob – but just making sure it’s what you’re paying for. This tasting is not to check if you like the wine, but to see if the wine is tainted, or corked. If it is corked, it will smell like moldy newspaper, wet dog, damp cloth or damp basement; the wine's native aromas are reduced significantly.
Nowadays many wines are being served in screw cap bottles which means there is less risk of the wine being tainted after it is bottled, hence why the screw cap is becoming more commonly used by producers.
The Chenin Blanc we had in Leyburn, was in fact a very nice wine, so I have selected a Chenin Blanc for you to try this month - not from South Africa, but from New Zealand. This is not a widely grown grape down there, so it was interesting to try.
Brand: Esk Valley
Type: Vineyard Selection
Region: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Year: 2008
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Alcohol Strength: 14%
Style – White
Bouquet – Delightful fresh nose of crisp melon and softer tropical fruits
Flavour - Honey, quince and stone-fruit with a mineral-like acidity. The palate is full with a touch of residual sugar balancing the acidity
Price: £7.99, H Smith, Ashbourne.
Ideal with seafood, Asian and Indian-style dishes
Catch a great wine review in every edition of All Things Local - the Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley, Derbyshire.
Monday 10 May 2010
Lathkill & Bradford Dale
Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Moor Lane car park (SK 1939 6445)
Route: Moor Lane car park - Cales Dale - Lathkill Dale - Conksbury Bridge - Alport - Bradford Dale - Moor Lane car park
Distance: 8 miles Ascent: 368 metres Terrain: Good paths, one steep climb.
Refreshments and toilets: None on the route but they are available in Over Haddon and Youlgreave.
Note: Part of the route is on a concessionary track, which may be closed on Wednesdays between October 1st and January 1st.
Although this walk is a pleasure at any time of the year it is, in my opinion, at its best in late spring or early summer, when the flowers are out and the birds, ducks and fish make the rivers a hive of activity.
From the car park entrance turn left, back to the road. Cross the road and follow the signed Limestone Way diagonally across the field to two stone ladder stiles, diagonally opposite each other.
Continue diagonally across the next field towards the wood on the skyline. Cross a further stile before reaching the wood, which is entered via a gate.
Exit the wood via a stone stile and continue diagonally across the field, heading to the right of the farm buildings, to a gate into the next field, which is the start of a route around the farm.
Take the gate opposite, into the wood on the left of the field. Exit this wood via another gate and follow the clear path through two more gates to a field on the other side of the farm buildings. From here you get your first view of the limestone outcrops that are a feature of this section of Lathkill Dale.
Follow the signed path diagonally downhill, passing through four gates, to reach the top of the steps down into Cales Dale. Take the steps to reach a stile at the bottom. After crossing the stile turn right to follow a path to Lathkill Dale. Cross the bridge and turn right to walk alongside the River Lathkill. You will soon see the limestone outcrop ‘Parson’s Crag’ ahead of you. Shortly after that you pass a small, but delightful, waterfall, which I find impossible to simply pass by. The spot is ideal for a coffee break.
Having finally managed to drag yourself away from the waterfall continue following the river. You soon reach a bridge, which gives you access to Bateman’s House, where there is also a shaft that you are allowed to explore.
Having explored Bateman’s House return to the main path and continue along the main track passing, amongst other things, the remains of an old aqueduct and entrances to old mine shafts. Eventually you reach a gate onto the road to Over Haddon, but have you paid the fee for using the footpath, as the sign in the tree close to the gate advises you?
Thankfully you’re not heading up the hill but turning right. Ignore the bridge across the river and instead follow the track, on the left, between the house and the river. After passing through a gate the path widens and the river, when viewed from here, often appears to be a wonderful mix of blues and greens, a result of the slate that covers the bottom of the river. Continue along this path passing the weirs on this stretch of the river until you reach the gate onto the road at the medieval Conksbury Bridge.
Turn right and cross Conksbury Bridge to find a footpath on the left. Follow the clear footpath across several fields and a minor road to eventually reach the hamlet of Alport.
Cross the road and take the signed track opposite to enter Bradford Dale. Follow the clear track through Bradford Dale to a road. Cross the road and walk in front of the small row of cottages to reach a gate. Take the gate and follow the path, which will take you past the weirs and swimming area in Bradford Dale. This section of the dale has several benches making it the ideal place to rest your legs before you start the steep climb out of the dale.
At the next gate turn left to cross the bridge over the river and then continue along the riverbank passing the private fishing pools. As the pools are usually very clear it is easy to spot the fish swimming there even if you’re not allowed to catch them. This area is also a wonderful place for listening to bird-song, especially if you can get there when it is quiet. At the next bridge cross back over the river and follow the steep track uphill to a road.
Turn right along the road and then pause to admire the wonderful views across the valley towards Stanton Moor. After passing a house, on the left of the road, take the gate into a field on the left and follow the path uphill. Exit the field by a stile onto a road. Don’t take the signed footpath opposite; instead turn left along the road to take the next footpath, which heads uphill towards some trees.
Follow the clear, signed, footpath to a gate, which you go through and follow the track back to the car park.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness.
The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Angela Clarke supplies a beautiful Derbyshire walk every edition of All Things Local.
Start: Moor Lane car park (SK 1939 6445)
Route: Moor Lane car park - Cales Dale - Lathkill Dale - Conksbury Bridge - Alport - Bradford Dale - Moor Lane car park
Distance: 8 miles Ascent: 368 metres Terrain: Good paths, one steep climb.
Refreshments and toilets: None on the route but they are available in Over Haddon and Youlgreave.
Note: Part of the route is on a concessionary track, which may be closed on Wednesdays between October 1st and January 1st.
Although this walk is a pleasure at any time of the year it is, in my opinion, at its best in late spring or early summer, when the flowers are out and the birds, ducks and fish make the rivers a hive of activity.
From the car park entrance turn left, back to the road. Cross the road and follow the signed Limestone Way diagonally across the field to two stone ladder stiles, diagonally opposite each other.
Continue diagonally across the next field towards the wood on the skyline. Cross a further stile before reaching the wood, which is entered via a gate.
Exit the wood via a stone stile and continue diagonally across the field, heading to the right of the farm buildings, to a gate into the next field, which is the start of a route around the farm.
Take the gate opposite, into the wood on the left of the field. Exit this wood via another gate and follow the clear path through two more gates to a field on the other side of the farm buildings. From here you get your first view of the limestone outcrops that are a feature of this section of Lathkill Dale.
Follow the signed path diagonally downhill, passing through four gates, to reach the top of the steps down into Cales Dale. Take the steps to reach a stile at the bottom. After crossing the stile turn right to follow a path to Lathkill Dale. Cross the bridge and turn right to walk alongside the River Lathkill. You will soon see the limestone outcrop ‘Parson’s Crag’ ahead of you. Shortly after that you pass a small, but delightful, waterfall, which I find impossible to simply pass by. The spot is ideal for a coffee break.
Having finally managed to drag yourself away from the waterfall continue following the river. You soon reach a bridge, which gives you access to Bateman’s House, where there is also a shaft that you are allowed to explore.
Having explored Bateman’s House return to the main path and continue along the main track passing, amongst other things, the remains of an old aqueduct and entrances to old mine shafts. Eventually you reach a gate onto the road to Over Haddon, but have you paid the fee for using the footpath, as the sign in the tree close to the gate advises you?
Thankfully you’re not heading up the hill but turning right. Ignore the bridge across the river and instead follow the track, on the left, between the house and the river. After passing through a gate the path widens and the river, when viewed from here, often appears to be a wonderful mix of blues and greens, a result of the slate that covers the bottom of the river. Continue along this path passing the weirs on this stretch of the river until you reach the gate onto the road at the medieval Conksbury Bridge.
Turn right and cross Conksbury Bridge to find a footpath on the left. Follow the clear footpath across several fields and a minor road to eventually reach the hamlet of Alport.
Cross the road and take the signed track opposite to enter Bradford Dale. Follow the clear track through Bradford Dale to a road. Cross the road and walk in front of the small row of cottages to reach a gate. Take the gate and follow the path, which will take you past the weirs and swimming area in Bradford Dale. This section of the dale has several benches making it the ideal place to rest your legs before you start the steep climb out of the dale.
At the next gate turn left to cross the bridge over the river and then continue along the riverbank passing the private fishing pools. As the pools are usually very clear it is easy to spot the fish swimming there even if you’re not allowed to catch them. This area is also a wonderful place for listening to bird-song, especially if you can get there when it is quiet. At the next bridge cross back over the river and follow the steep track uphill to a road.
Turn right along the road and then pause to admire the wonderful views across the valley towards Stanton Moor. After passing a house, on the left of the road, take the gate into a field on the left and follow the path uphill. Exit the field by a stile onto a road. Don’t take the signed footpath opposite; instead turn left along the road to take the next footpath, which heads uphill towards some trees.
Follow the clear, signed, footpath to a gate, which you go through and follow the track back to the car park.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness.
The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Angela Clarke supplies a beautiful Derbyshire walk every edition of All Things Local.
Saturday 24 April 2010
The View from the Projection Box with Ritz Cinema projectionist Paul Winfield
How wonderful it was to see Carey Mulligan pick up Best Actress award at the Baftas in her first film An Education. If she goes on to win an Oscar as well, it will be truly stunning. Be sure a golden future in cinema is already assured.
Of course, the really big award ceremony – The Ritzys – are taking place in June! It’s our third Ritzy Awards Night; the members’ votes are being counted, and a very special night on the red carpet will be enjoyed by our special guests and the lucky members picked at random.
So, onto the films coming to The Ritz. Originally scheduled for release last year, the latest film from director Martin Scorsese – Shutter Island – reaches our screens this spring with an impressive cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. Shutter Island is a psychological horror-thriller set in 1950s America.
I Love you Phillip Morris has already caused controversy in the States. It brings together Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in a true story of life, love and prison breaks.
Emma Thompson repeats her 2005 role as Nanny McPhee, the nanny played by Maggie Gyllenhaal who is trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war.
The versatile and lovely Sandra Bullock, who’s up for Best Actress Oscar, stars in The Blind Side – the story of a middle class family who take in a homeless teenager who has run away from a broken home and help him to realise his dream of becoming an all-American football player.
The Easter holidays fall in the period I’m looking at and all the family should be well catered for at The Ritz with the new Alice in Wonderland, Disney’s Princess and the Frog, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief.
Well, hopefully once again there is something for everyone at The Ritz.
Ritz Cinema projectionist Paul Winfield is a regular contributor to All Things Local - the Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley, Derbyshire.
Of course, the really big award ceremony – The Ritzys – are taking place in June! It’s our third Ritzy Awards Night; the members’ votes are being counted, and a very special night on the red carpet will be enjoyed by our special guests and the lucky members picked at random.
So, onto the films coming to The Ritz. Originally scheduled for release last year, the latest film from director Martin Scorsese – Shutter Island – reaches our screens this spring with an impressive cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. Shutter Island is a psychological horror-thriller set in 1950s America.
I Love you Phillip Morris has already caused controversy in the States. It brings together Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in a true story of life, love and prison breaks.
Emma Thompson repeats her 2005 role as Nanny McPhee, the nanny played by Maggie Gyllenhaal who is trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war.
The versatile and lovely Sandra Bullock, who’s up for Best Actress Oscar, stars in The Blind Side – the story of a middle class family who take in a homeless teenager who has run away from a broken home and help him to realise his dream of becoming an all-American football player.
The Easter holidays fall in the period I’m looking at and all the family should be well catered for at The Ritz with the new Alice in Wonderland, Disney’s Princess and the Frog, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief.
Well, hopefully once again there is something for everyone at The Ritz.
Ritz Cinema projectionist Paul Winfield is a regular contributor to All Things Local - the Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley, Derbyshire.
Monday 12 April 2010
Life with V By Valerie Spencer Becks of Belper
I have decided to write The Homeowners Guide to dealing with an intruder or burglar in your home.
The first thing to do when you come across somebody in your home wielding a gun, machete, knife or similar item, day or night, is to not assume they are there for criminal reasons. They may have mistaken your house for theirs and you must assume that they are simply looking for the kettle to make a cuppa and have a balaclava on because they are cold.
Before taking any action, determine the level of threat the intruder is going to put you under as it determines what level of force you can use to remove them from your home. Stop them for a minute and ask them what their intentions are.
If they intend to simply rob you and leave you, let them to get on with it because they apparently won’t harm you. If they indicate they are going to rob and beat you up a bit, give them a bit of a slap and hope that will deter them. If they are going to attack you then you apparently have to wait until they do it before taking any action, because it might just all be talk. They might not get around to it, so in that case you are defending yourself against a non-threat. If they intend to attack you and your family, take a few moments to determine what you feel is reasonable force, hoping they haven’t actually gone ahead and done it already.
The well-being of the criminal who has broken into your private home must be taken into consideration - far above all threats to you, your family or your neighbours. Having said this I would just like to say that if anybody is in my house who has not been specifically invited, I will have a tendency to hit back and ask questions later.
I do apologise to any burglars in advance for this totally inconsiderate course of action and do hope that I will not cause you any serious damage because I am sure you broke into my home with the best of intentions!!!!
Isn’t it absolutely ridiculous? Perhaps if a few more burglars did get attacked by homeowners it might deter a good number of them from breaking in the first place - or is it just me who thinks like this???
Valerie is a regular columnist in All Things Local - The Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley with a combined circulation of 27,000 copies.
The first thing to do when you come across somebody in your home wielding a gun, machete, knife or similar item, day or night, is to not assume they are there for criminal reasons. They may have mistaken your house for theirs and you must assume that they are simply looking for the kettle to make a cuppa and have a balaclava on because they are cold.
Before taking any action, determine the level of threat the intruder is going to put you under as it determines what level of force you can use to remove them from your home. Stop them for a minute and ask them what their intentions are.
If they intend to simply rob you and leave you, let them to get on with it because they apparently won’t harm you. If they indicate they are going to rob and beat you up a bit, give them a bit of a slap and hope that will deter them. If they are going to attack you then you apparently have to wait until they do it before taking any action, because it might just all be talk. They might not get around to it, so in that case you are defending yourself against a non-threat. If they intend to attack you and your family, take a few moments to determine what you feel is reasonable force, hoping they haven’t actually gone ahead and done it already.
The well-being of the criminal who has broken into your private home must be taken into consideration - far above all threats to you, your family or your neighbours. Having said this I would just like to say that if anybody is in my house who has not been specifically invited, I will have a tendency to hit back and ask questions later.
I do apologise to any burglars in advance for this totally inconsiderate course of action and do hope that I will not cause you any serious damage because I am sure you broke into my home with the best of intentions!!!!
Isn’t it absolutely ridiculous? Perhaps if a few more burglars did get attacked by homeowners it might deter a good number of them from breaking in the first place - or is it just me who thinks like this???
Valerie is a regular columnist in All Things Local - The Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and Ripley with a combined circulation of 27,000 copies.
Wednesday 31 March 2010
It’s a Dog’s Life Life through the eyes of Scrambles, a Belper-based Cairn Terrier
Not a great deal to talk about this time around. Our Mum hasn’t taken us anywhere exciting, nothing horrendous has happened to us (but give us time) – well actually that’s not quite true I didn’t fall in the river but …
We were out walking on Eyes Meadow one bright cold morning. As we were charging along the path a couple of ducks flew out in front of me. Being the well behaved hounds that we are I decided they needed to be chased. I am sure I heard my Mum calling, but something she calls ‘selective hearing’ kicked in and I momentarily forgot what “come here” meant!
Off I ran. I jumped in the river after the duck and then halfway up the river decided I didn’t actually like swimming and as I was well out of my depth I panicked. I headed for the nearest bank thinking I would climb up but it was too steep so I clung on for dear life and started to feel very afraid - and I’m embarrassed to admit that I whimpered a bit.
My daft Mum was yelling at me to come back to her but there was no chance I was going to risk getting into that water again and I was getting very frightened. Even Chaos came a little way in but didn’t venture any further.
Our Mum finally decided that I was indeed going to have to be rescued so she peeled off her boots and socks and rolled up her trousers and climbed into the river to get to me. She was saying not very nice words at the time and she has threatened to take me to something called ‘the pound’ if I say what she said. Something to do with the water being very cold and owning an extremely intelligent, clever and brave wee doggie – well that’s what I heard anyway!
Then she decided that instead of trying to pick me up that she would drag me into the water and make me swim back so she grabbed my collar, yanked me into the water (like I needed another dip that morning), and I had to swim back to Chaos who was very worried.
We charged off to dry off in the grass. I did get lots of hugs in between getting told off for chasing ducks. Our Mum’s feet were a very peculiar shade of blue but we did our best to lick the water off them and get them dry for her and I let her know that I was very, very sorry. Our Mum and the air over Eyes Meadow were definitely a little blue that morning.
And just to show you how nice our Mum can be (once she stopped shivering), she even, after getting her socks and boots back on, continued with our walk so we could have more fun. We were however warned that we were going to be glue if we jumped in the river again – not sure what glue is but I suspect this threat is not something we should look forward to with undiluted joy and abandon.
I was very frightened, Chaos was very worried, and our Mum was really annoyed with me, but I think she was just pleased to have me back safe and sound and on solid ground.
I don’t think I will be chasing any more ducks anytime soon though. Oh gotta go -just seen a rabbit that needs chasing!
Happy Hunting
Scrambles xx
(taken from the April / May 2010 issues of All Things Local. The Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and RIpley.
We were out walking on Eyes Meadow one bright cold morning. As we were charging along the path a couple of ducks flew out in front of me. Being the well behaved hounds that we are I decided they needed to be chased. I am sure I heard my Mum calling, but something she calls ‘selective hearing’ kicked in and I momentarily forgot what “come here” meant!
Off I ran. I jumped in the river after the duck and then halfway up the river decided I didn’t actually like swimming and as I was well out of my depth I panicked. I headed for the nearest bank thinking I would climb up but it was too steep so I clung on for dear life and started to feel very afraid - and I’m embarrassed to admit that I whimpered a bit.
My daft Mum was yelling at me to come back to her but there was no chance I was going to risk getting into that water again and I was getting very frightened. Even Chaos came a little way in but didn’t venture any further.
Our Mum finally decided that I was indeed going to have to be rescued so she peeled off her boots and socks and rolled up her trousers and climbed into the river to get to me. She was saying not very nice words at the time and she has threatened to take me to something called ‘the pound’ if I say what she said. Something to do with the water being very cold and owning an extremely intelligent, clever and brave wee doggie – well that’s what I heard anyway!
Then she decided that instead of trying to pick me up that she would drag me into the water and make me swim back so she grabbed my collar, yanked me into the water (like I needed another dip that morning), and I had to swim back to Chaos who was very worried.
We charged off to dry off in the grass. I did get lots of hugs in between getting told off for chasing ducks. Our Mum’s feet were a very peculiar shade of blue but we did our best to lick the water off them and get them dry for her and I let her know that I was very, very sorry. Our Mum and the air over Eyes Meadow were definitely a little blue that morning.
And just to show you how nice our Mum can be (once she stopped shivering), she even, after getting her socks and boots back on, continued with our walk so we could have more fun. We were however warned that we were going to be glue if we jumped in the river again – not sure what glue is but I suspect this threat is not something we should look forward to with undiluted joy and abandon.
I was very frightened, Chaos was very worried, and our Mum was really annoyed with me, but I think she was just pleased to have me back safe and sound and on solid ground.
I don’t think I will be chasing any more ducks anytime soon though. Oh gotta go -just seen a rabbit that needs chasing!
Happy Hunting
Scrambles xx
(taken from the April / May 2010 issues of All Things Local. The Community Magazine for Kilburn, Belper and RIpley.
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Bodegas Ramon Bilbao - wine review
From the pen of Anne Kennedy - Kilburn Wine Circle
I am currently sitting in my study, looking out on the frozen snow lying on the drive, reflecting back on the festive activities and wondering what the new decade will bring.
December has been an exciting month, seeing a lot of social activity with friends and family. This of course included trying many different wines. At Kilburn Wine Circle we were celebrating the club’s 30th anniversary in December, so decided to have a fine wine evening. When we were discussing the event earlier in the year, the committee had a debate about what makes for a ‘fine’ wine and all agreed that it is the more unusual and frequently more expensive wines. As a result, this was what we tasted at our celebration evening.
We had a very enjoyable meeting, but evenings like this reinforce for me that it is more important to enjoy the wine, than for it to be a well known brand or an expensive wine. It is all about your own personal taste, so by developing your knowledge about wines it helps you to decide what grapes, countries, brands etc you do or don’t like and as a result make better wine choices when shopping.
There are many books available to give you more information about wines and wine merchants will frequently have wine available to try. We had a visit to Red Zebra on Iron Gate in Derby, which is now open as a Wine Bar; this gives you the opportunity to try different wines in more social surroundings. We also had a visit to Majestic Wine Warehouse on Ashbourne Road, Derby, before Christmas and had the opportunity to try the six wines they had on display.
We brought a number of wines from Majestic, one of them being the wine I will tell you about this month, as I particularly enjoyed this one over the festive season.
Brand: Bodegas Ramon Bilbao
Type: Single Vineyard, Rioja
Region: Haro, Spain
Year: 2007
Grape: Tempranillo and Garnacha
Alcohol Strength: 13.5%
Style: Medium bodied red
Bouquet: Intensely fruity bouquet, reminiscent of ripe cherries and strawberries
Flavour: Rich, velvety and complex, well structured with a long and pleasant finish.
Price: £7.99 (£6.49 when buying two bottles), Majestic Wine. (NB. Majestic have a policy of a minimum sale of six bottles. These can be different wines).
This wine is ideal with red meats, stews or cheese.
I am currently sitting in my study, looking out on the frozen snow lying on the drive, reflecting back on the festive activities and wondering what the new decade will bring.
December has been an exciting month, seeing a lot of social activity with friends and family. This of course included trying many different wines. At Kilburn Wine Circle we were celebrating the club’s 30th anniversary in December, so decided to have a fine wine evening. When we were discussing the event earlier in the year, the committee had a debate about what makes for a ‘fine’ wine and all agreed that it is the more unusual and frequently more expensive wines. As a result, this was what we tasted at our celebration evening.
We had a very enjoyable meeting, but evenings like this reinforce for me that it is more important to enjoy the wine, than for it to be a well known brand or an expensive wine. It is all about your own personal taste, so by developing your knowledge about wines it helps you to decide what grapes, countries, brands etc you do or don’t like and as a result make better wine choices when shopping.
There are many books available to give you more information about wines and wine merchants will frequently have wine available to try. We had a visit to Red Zebra on Iron Gate in Derby, which is now open as a Wine Bar; this gives you the opportunity to try different wines in more social surroundings. We also had a visit to Majestic Wine Warehouse on Ashbourne Road, Derby, before Christmas and had the opportunity to try the six wines they had on display.
We brought a number of wines from Majestic, one of them being the wine I will tell you about this month, as I particularly enjoyed this one over the festive season.
Brand: Bodegas Ramon Bilbao
Type: Single Vineyard, Rioja
Region: Haro, Spain
Year: 2007
Grape: Tempranillo and Garnacha
Alcohol Strength: 13.5%
Style: Medium bodied red
Bouquet: Intensely fruity bouquet, reminiscent of ripe cherries and strawberries
Flavour: Rich, velvety and complex, well structured with a long and pleasant finish.
Price: £7.99 (£6.49 when buying two bottles), Majestic Wine. (NB. Majestic have a policy of a minimum sale of six bottles. These can be different wines).
This wine is ideal with red meats, stews or cheese.
Wednesday 3 March 2010
The Edges - Curbar Edge from Baslow Edge
The Edges
Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Curbar Gap car park (SK 2624 7470) Limited free roadside parking.
Route: Curbar Gap car park - White Edge – Grouse Inn – Froggatt Edge – Curbar Edge – Curbar Gap car park
Map: Explorer OL 24: The Peak District White Peak Area
Distance: 5.5 miles
Terrain: Good paths.
Refreshments: Grouse Inn. In summer afternoons there is usually an ice cream van in the car park.
Toilets: None. There are toilets at the Grouse Inn but you must be a customer to use them.
Curbar Edge from Baslow Edge
This is a gentle walk that takes in White, Froggatt and Curbar Edges and is a firm favourite of mine. If, like me, you like to enjoy your walks without too many people around try to do this walk during the week and set out as early as possible. Having walked the route many times I have chosen to do it in an anti-clockwise direction because I think this way round the views are much better.
Take the gate to the left of the car park entrance and follow the obvious path straight ahead.
When the wall on your left ends the path splits, continue straight ahead. The path takes you across moorland towards White Edge, the ridge that is dominating the view ahead of you.
Descend to a wooden bridge and then climb again following the wall, which is now to your left.
When the wall turns left follow it taking the signed and clear path to White Edge.
You soon reach the summit of White Edge, which is marked by a trig point. Although the trig point is only just off the main path it is worth visiting as from there you get the best views across Big Moor away to your right.
Follow the easy path for two miles along the top of White Edge. Immediately below is Stoke Flat whilst the distant views are dominated by Win Hill to the left and Higger Tor to the right. As you walk along the ridge Stanage Edge will also come into view.
Eventually the path will come to a wall. Having gone through the gap in the wall turn left (signed Grouse Inn) and follow it downhill.
After a short rocky section you reach the edge of a small wood. Ignore the signed bridleway coming in on the right and continue downhill, through the wood, to reach a gate.
Having gone through the gate and negotiated the often very wet ground by it, head across the field to the gate, on the left, which is closest to the pub.
Turn left and remaining on this side of the road, unless of course you wish to visit the Grouse Inn, follow the road downhill. This can be a busy road but the wide grass verges make it relatively safe to walk along.
Just after passing a parking area/lay-by, on the left hand side of the road, take the gate on the left to follow the signed public footpath.
Follow the clear track uphill, through the wood, to another gate shortly after which the views open up again. Below you are the villages of Grindleford and Curbar. Across the valley Longstone Edge the limestone edge that has recently been saved from destruction by quarrying is visible.
The route is now obvious as you follow the path along the top of the edges until you meet the metal gate at the far end of the edges.
Whilst you can easily stick to the main path the best views of the edges are gained by following the narrow and at times vague path, which ventures closer to the edge of the rocks. As there is a steep drop below do take care and keep young children under close supervision.
This area is popular with climbers and scramblers so please be careful not to dislodge anything or allow children to throw things over the edge, as there could be someone on the rocks below you.
Even if you don’t follow the edge path do make sure you head across the rocks to the edge as you approach the end of the path to enjoy the view of Baslow Edge. At the metal gate turn left to return to the car park.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Walk supplied by Angela Clarke of Belper www.peakwalker.net
Start: Curbar Gap car park (SK 2624 7470) Limited free roadside parking.
Route: Curbar Gap car park - White Edge – Grouse Inn – Froggatt Edge – Curbar Edge – Curbar Gap car park
Map: Explorer OL 24: The Peak District White Peak Area
Distance: 5.5 miles
Terrain: Good paths.
Refreshments: Grouse Inn. In summer afternoons there is usually an ice cream van in the car park.
Toilets: None. There are toilets at the Grouse Inn but you must be a customer to use them.
Curbar Edge from Baslow Edge
This is a gentle walk that takes in White, Froggatt and Curbar Edges and is a firm favourite of mine. If, like me, you like to enjoy your walks without too many people around try to do this walk during the week and set out as early as possible. Having walked the route many times I have chosen to do it in an anti-clockwise direction because I think this way round the views are much better.
Take the gate to the left of the car park entrance and follow the obvious path straight ahead.
When the wall on your left ends the path splits, continue straight ahead. The path takes you across moorland towards White Edge, the ridge that is dominating the view ahead of you.
Descend to a wooden bridge and then climb again following the wall, which is now to your left.
When the wall turns left follow it taking the signed and clear path to White Edge.
You soon reach the summit of White Edge, which is marked by a trig point. Although the trig point is only just off the main path it is worth visiting as from there you get the best views across Big Moor away to your right.
Follow the easy path for two miles along the top of White Edge. Immediately below is Stoke Flat whilst the distant views are dominated by Win Hill to the left and Higger Tor to the right. As you walk along the ridge Stanage Edge will also come into view.
Eventually the path will come to a wall. Having gone through the gap in the wall turn left (signed Grouse Inn) and follow it downhill.
After a short rocky section you reach the edge of a small wood. Ignore the signed bridleway coming in on the right and continue downhill, through the wood, to reach a gate.
Having gone through the gate and negotiated the often very wet ground by it, head across the field to the gate, on the left, which is closest to the pub.
Turn left and remaining on this side of the road, unless of course you wish to visit the Grouse Inn, follow the road downhill. This can be a busy road but the wide grass verges make it relatively safe to walk along.
Just after passing a parking area/lay-by, on the left hand side of the road, take the gate on the left to follow the signed public footpath.
Follow the clear track uphill, through the wood, to another gate shortly after which the views open up again. Below you are the villages of Grindleford and Curbar. Across the valley Longstone Edge the limestone edge that has recently been saved from destruction by quarrying is visible.
The route is now obvious as you follow the path along the top of the edges until you meet the metal gate at the far end of the edges.
Whilst you can easily stick to the main path the best views of the edges are gained by following the narrow and at times vague path, which ventures closer to the edge of the rocks. As there is a steep drop below do take care and keep young children under close supervision.
This area is popular with climbers and scramblers so please be careful not to dislodge anything or allow children to throw things over the edge, as there could be someone on the rocks below you.
Even if you don’t follow the edge path do make sure you head across the rocks to the edge as you approach the end of the path to enjoy the view of Baslow Edge. At the metal gate turn left to return to the car park.
We have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this walk is safe and achievable by walkers of a realistic level of fitness. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following the walk. Always wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Friday 26 February 2010
View from the Projection box with Ritz Cinema - Belper
View from the Projection Box with cinema projectionist Paul Winfield.
Once again, thanks to you all. We’ve had another successful year at The Ritz. Despite the recession you kept on coming to see us and enjoy the best in-cinema entertainment. We must be doing something right.
2010 gets off to a great start with big names to the fore. The one and only Helen Mirren stars in The Station, and friend of The Ritz - Colin Farrell - is A Single Man.
The Lovely Bones directed by Peter Jackson, stars the beautiful Rachel Weisz. Young girl Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is brutally attacked and murdered, then watches from heaven as her parents drift apart. Her father becomes obsessed with revenge and her sister grows into the woman she can never be.
A Tim Burton film is always an event, whether you like his style or not. Personally, I’m not a fan, but his take on Alice in Wonderland should be interesting – and what a cast: Michael Sheen, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry and Johnny Depp. Beat that!!
In recent times The Walt Disney Studio and its association with Pixar have produced many wonderful state-of-the-art digital animations, but Disney has returned to its roots for The Princess and the Frog, a traditional fairytale for all the family, centred on the adventures of a young girl named Princess Tiana who lives in the New Orleans French Quarter during the Jazz Age. I’ve seen clips from this and it really does look lovely, plus there is a great soundtrack. Kids and grown-ups will love this one.
In the next issue of All Things Local, I’ll look at the mega films later in the year, and also give you news of the 2010 Ritzy Awards. There is a similar event in America. I think it’s called The Oscars, or something like that.
Finally, my apologies for no quiz question in the last issue. My fault. Sorry! See you soon.
Once again, thanks to you all. We’ve had another successful year at The Ritz. Despite the recession you kept on coming to see us and enjoy the best in-cinema entertainment. We must be doing something right.
2010 gets off to a great start with big names to the fore. The one and only Helen Mirren stars in The Station, and friend of The Ritz - Colin Farrell - is A Single Man.
The Lovely Bones directed by Peter Jackson, stars the beautiful Rachel Weisz. Young girl Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is brutally attacked and murdered, then watches from heaven as her parents drift apart. Her father becomes obsessed with revenge and her sister grows into the woman she can never be.
A Tim Burton film is always an event, whether you like his style or not. Personally, I’m not a fan, but his take on Alice in Wonderland should be interesting – and what a cast: Michael Sheen, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry and Johnny Depp. Beat that!!
In recent times The Walt Disney Studio and its association with Pixar have produced many wonderful state-of-the-art digital animations, but Disney has returned to its roots for The Princess and the Frog, a traditional fairytale for all the family, centred on the adventures of a young girl named Princess Tiana who lives in the New Orleans French Quarter during the Jazz Age. I’ve seen clips from this and it really does look lovely, plus there is a great soundtrack. Kids and grown-ups will love this one.
In the next issue of All Things Local, I’ll look at the mega films later in the year, and also give you news of the 2010 Ritzy Awards. There is a similar event in America. I think it’s called The Oscars, or something like that.
Finally, my apologies for no quiz question in the last issue. My fault. Sorry! See you soon.
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