Rivelin Valley Nature Reserves and Heritage Walk

It was a grotty morning to say the least, but I was not going to pass up the opportunity of a walk which offered a step back into the industrial history of Sheffield (the alternative being a day in Sheffield City Centre with my wife and step-daughter — no doubt shopping until they dropped while I waited in bookshops and cafes, which isn't too bad a thought, but the walk won out nine times out of ten). Persistent heavy rain would have sent me into the city, but it was not that bad; so with my plan made for a linear walk leading back to my step-daughter's home in Walkley, I requested my wife to drop me off at Redmires Reservoirs on Hallam Moors, and five minutes later I was on my way.

I was sure the clag was set in for all morning, but at least it wasn't raining — though it was damp, one of those heavy wet-air mornings typical of England in mid-September, and my outer walking clothing was damp soon after I set off. I climbed from the roadside at Redmires Reservoirs to the disused quarry just north of the reservoirs, ascending 50 metres to a height of just over 400 metres in ten minutes. I was already at the highest point of my walk, and despite local undulations on my way to Rivelin Park it was practically downhill all the way from now on.

The downhill descent started as I followed the well-used path northwards from Redmires Reservoirs across Hallam Moors towards Round Hill. On my way on the gradual descent over the moor I met a few hardy weather-walkers and fitness joggers making use of the gorgeous trails so near to the big city, and some heather was still in bloom showing heartening colour despite the grey sky gloom.

I turned a perfect right angle from northwards to eastwards on Round Hill and headed across the brow of Reddicar Clough. The ferns covering the moor had turned on the clough, from lush green to a brilliant golden-brown, contrasting well against the deep green of a few spread junipers standing proud on the hilltop. My boots, which had dampened on the low grasses of Hallam Moors, were saturated by the time I had crossed Reddicar Clough, the damp clinging to ferns having transferred all over my trousers and draining into my boots (I mused, "I should have put my gaiters on!").

Fortunately the ferns thinned out as I entered the woodland of Wyming Brook Nature Reserve. My socks squelched inside my boots as I walked along paths weaving through woodland — paths once set aside for the exclusive use of the nobility when the site was part of the hunting and hawking grounds of Rivelin Chase (thankfully society has moved on since then). The reserve was a lovely place to wander through, despite my damp feet.

I came out of woods to reach the good hard ground of Wyming Brook Drive, a hard unmetalled bridleway. Now on ground that wouldn't soak my legs and feet, I sat on a low wall to take off my socks, quick-dry the inside of my boots as best I could, wring out my socks, and re-shod myself (wishing I had carried fresh socks as I often do!). Still, after the initial hit of putting on damp socks, my feet warmed as I walked on the good ground of Wyming Brook Drive, and once warmed I never thought of wet feet again.

The walk along the drive was a joy, and while quiet at the western end, I met a few walkers when I reached my eastern terminal at Rivelin Dams where a busy car park served walkers and dog walkers.

From Rivelin Dams my walk took me through a series of woodlands, starting with Fox Hagg Nature Reserve, which the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust extol as a tiny reserve perched high on a hillside overlooking the Rivelin Valley with a patchwork of bilberry, bracken, heather, birch, scrub, woodland, and moorland attracting birds like meadow and tree pipits, redstarts, linnets, and warblers.

As was my next area of woodland reached on crossing Lodge Lane (the road to Lodge Moor), Blackbrook Wood offered excellent views to the Peak District and Sheffield before following the woodland down to cross the A57 near Coppice Farm.

After crossing the A57 I walked through a short stretch of woodland and came to a footbridge marking the point where I was truly in the Rivelin Valley proper, beside the River Rivelin. I was a little surprised at the sight of the river — it more resembled a beck, a babbling brook at best, but the setting in quiet rich woodland was lovely all the same, perhaps even better than a mature river.

Soon enough I came to a weir and immediately arrived at the first of my Rivelin Valley mill ponds (the mysterious one, with no buildings or signs). The mill pond was still and milky on top with muddy water, before I continued beside the cleaner flowing waters of the healthy river.

After a while of pleasant walking on the riverside path — during which I met other walkers and was convinced I saw an outline of the sun (or was I wishfully thinking?) — I came to another mill pond. This one was much more appealing, set in a beautiful woodland glade with pristine clean water where ducks enjoyed themselves searching for pond weed. It was a lovely mill pond to settle by for a spot of lunch, and so I did as the damp in the air burned away.

A sign told me I was at the Round Dam at Hind Wheel, confirmed by a metal heritage fixture noting that waterwheels have worked here since 1581, and by the 1820s two waterwheels worked 12 grinding wheels (shaping cutlery and corset inserts until the 1920s).

I passed a few more sites of waterwheels — Upper Cut Wheel, Nether Cut Wheel, Little London Wheel, Holme Head Wheel, Roscoe Wheel, and Spooner Wheel — before passing allotments heralding my arrival at Rivelin Bridge.

Before Rivelin Park I had an unexpected treat: a quirky sculpture of a chair stood on a small island beside the river, designed and produced by local artist Jason Thomson to reflect other pieces of ironmongery around the valley and twisted tree roots around dam walls. Two young friends were admiring it, and the youngsters agreed it looked great in its setting.

I nominally finished this walk soon after at Rivelin Park, finishing with refreshments at Rivelin Park Cafe — a suitable finale to such a fine walk of diversity starting from an upland reservoir, crossing desolate moorland, passing lovely woods and nature reserves, and journeying through the historic Rivelin Valley. So glad I passed on the city centre shopping!

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.