Slow Walk

The old track going up from Totley extends on from Strawberry Lee Lane which itself branches from Penny Lane which in turn comes out of Hillfoot Lane the narrow road joining Dore and Totley. The track runs on through Blacka from the small car park at the end of Strawberry Lee Lane but at this point it has no official name. At times individuals have thought to name it the Monks Track for the use made of it by Beauchief Abbey in the distant past. I more pedantically suggested the White Canons Track seeing as the abbey was founded by white canons of the Premonstatensian Order.

This stretch I think of as Slow Walk mainly because of the gradient. It may simply be old legs and old lungs but it's always steeper than I expect. The advantage of this name is that later on in the year it can be transformed just slightly after the Blackthorn flowers, now attractively decorating it, are gone. They are finally replaced by Sloe berries first green then blue, rumoured to be a favourite with the gin drinkers of Dore, who are said to use them for flavouring their late afternoon tipple.