Not many flies about!

RUSHUP EDGE WITH A MANTLE OF SNOW

if you click on the title of this post (not many....) you will see a 360 degree panorama from Mam Tor summit. Click on any pic to enlarge it.

On Sunday, I took a walk back in history to the first real walk I ever did in Derbyshire. It all started in 1986, when I went to Castleton on an outward bound course. Oh, I'd always been a country lad at heart, spending most weekends out on a bike ride or walking in the countryside where I lived, on the outskirts of Nottingham. We had fields within a short walk, PROPER countryside, where I watched the M1 motorway scythe through it in my teens. My claim to fame on that score is that I rode down the M1 on my bike, JUST before it was opened to traffic.
Anyway, back to the walk. As the heading suggests, it was a bit wild, to say the least. It started with rain, then went to sleet, some driving, horizontal hail, and a little light snow to finish off the day. We parked the car at Hope, and sat for a short while to see if the heavy rain would stop. It did, so we booted and suited, and set off towards Lose hill. The climb up there was in light rain. Not bad though, but as we got higher, so did the wind. By the time we got on top, it was tearing lumps out of us! Nothing loose was safe, so we tied rucksack raincovers to the sack, held on tightly to hats, and believe it or not, enjoyed it! Now, it's NO good me trying to explain this perverse enjoyment to anyone who doesn't understand it (I can't really explain it to myself), but I do get immense pleasure out of wild weather. So long as I am in my cocoon of waterproof clothes, I LOVE it! After a good while on the top at the topographic plate there, we set off along the ridge to Mam Tor, the 'shivering mountain'. http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/applet360/mamtor.html

We reached the summit in no time, after meeting up with my old walking club at Hollins cross. They told us it was windy on the top, and how right they were! We had some fun, leaning into the wind and taking pictures, before dropping down to the valley. We made for a cave we knew on 'Windy knoll' (apt name today), but when we got there, found the entrance had partially collapsed the previous February, and was fenced off. We sat in a dip, the only real shelter we could find, and ate our butties. At least it wasn't raining, and the sky was a nice blue.
After that, we went down the old road beneath Mam Tor, which collapsed in the sixties. It suffered this kind of thing on a regular basis, hence the name 'shivering mountain'. The council abandoned it, and set to improving the access up Winnats Pass instead. The old road now is an incredible sight, as subsequent slips have opened up huge chasms and the steps where the road has dropped are up to six feet high!
We got into Castleton and headed for the open fire and beer in the 'Cheshire cheese' pub. We reluctantly left at about 3:45PM, and walked back to Hope in rain and, later, a lovely snow fall. The drive back was 'interesting', as some of the roads were getting quite a thick covering of snow. As is often the case, the further south, and lower, we got, the less snow there was. When I got home, the roads were dry - no rain OR snow!

This is on the nursery slopes of Lose hill. The view to the left - our goal - Mam Tor!

Here's a zoomed view of the collapsed face of Mam Tor.

The silvery thread of the upward path to Lose hill. Don't you just LOVE this kind of light? The camera tries, but as is so often the case, it isn't a patch on the eye (no pun intended!).

Win hill top peeps over the horizon as we climb. The actual hill is hidden behind that knoll.

Nearing the top, the hardest part of the walk up.

Here we go - yours truly at the top, note the smile.

The wonderful ridge walk to Mam Tor. Ah, BLISS!

This old gate post made a nice inclusion to the foreground of a picture of Kinder Scout and the snow on its Northern edge. I considered Kinder as the destination for the walk today, but 'fell back' on Mam Tor after looking at the weather reports, a prudent decision, as it happens, as mentioned above.

The rays of the sun caress Castleton. They rode across the valley like beams of a huge searchlight.

Looking back to Lose hill and Back tor.

Here is what happens when you build a road on a geological fault! The old road was abandoned in the sixties, due to a series of landslips of the 'shivering mountain' of Mam tor. These pictures illustrate geographically how bad this problem was (and still is).

Mountain bike, anyone?

That was it. A good day, and here I am the next morning, watching GMTV and the warnings that the Castleton road is closed because of snow!

Post Party Perambulation (part one)

Sorry for the alliteration! This Saturday saw the works after Xmas party, so we started the walk late. We toured to Cromford area, assisted by our resident guide, Stephen. It was a lovely day, and helped clear my head really well.
As we climbed Intake lane, the view across the valley to woodseats farm is always a favourite view of mine. It's at its best when there's a blanket of mist enveloping it

Climbing still, up though the woods and bare trees. On days like these, the wildlife is easy to spot, and we saw many birds.

We walked up to the radio mast above Black rocks. The woods had been cleared to accommodate the Nightjar, which it is hoped will re-populate the area as they once did.

Post Party Perambulation (part two)

The 'Toads mouth' of Black Rocks.

Of course, I HAD to stand on it! A terrific view was to be had from here on such a lovely, clear day.

We joined the High Peak trail, and looked back to Black Rocks.

At High Peak junction, I took a photo of the old engine house, and turned right, onto Middleton Moor.

I always think it's such a shame to see the dilapidated walls. They really should be nurtured and repaired. At the National Stone centre, there are examples of about 15 styles of drystone walling, well worth a visit.

Looking back to the chimney of the engine house, from Middleton Moor.

Then, it was back to Stephens house, where Mavis had made us all a lovely bowl of soup and 'nibbles',
just what I needed at the end of the walk.

Stanage edge walk, part one.

The day started wet, with an even worse forecast but, ever optimistic, we set of just before 10:00AM from the car park next to Ladybower reservoir. This is the viaduct, zoomed, with Crookstone knoll and farm behind.

Don't forget, click on the title (Stanage edge walk - above) to get a link for more information on the area, and on any picture to get a larger version

The walk was about nine miles. It was good going on the edge, but much more sapping in the valley, where recent, and current, rain made the going very hard and slippery. I was quite pleased with the weather overall, as at least we had a dry morning, only getting wet later in the afternoon. This is the viaduct 'au naturelle'

One more of the viaduct, with some flora as a frame.

The view out across the bracken-brown moors, as we climbed towards Stanage edge.


Plsease go to part two, below.

Stanage edge walk

As we got up onto Stanage edge, the views across the valley, albeit very stormy looking, were superb. We could see the weather sweeping in off Kinder Scout moor. We knew we were in for it later, but for now, we enjoyed the day.

The knob of Lose hill pike sticks out on the horizon, with an very angry sky as a backdrop. The moor in front of me runs over to Bamford edge, where a far better, uninterupted view of the Ladybower reservoir chain can be had. The dark hump behind and to the left of Lose hill ios Mam Tor, the 'shivering mountain'.

The millstones of Stanage. Once a thriving industry, Derbyshire, and indeed English, millstone industry in general, was undermined by cheaper, higher quality French imports. It never fails to amaze me though, that they just seemed to down tools and leave. It's almost like a millstone version of the 'Marie Celeste'. Even the finished ones, which MUST have contained considerable effort from the mason, were left where they lay.

You can see more here, just below the edge, milled and left in the same hurried fashion.

This picture is out of sync', as it comes after we leave the edge, but this is Bamford mill. Once a hive if industry, now the repose of the rich, with stunning views all around.

I'll just move this one a bit into a better position for a picture..........

Just before dropping down Bamford clough, and into the village of Bamford, we get a fine view of Lose hill in the distance, looking broody in this light.

After this, it started to rain lightly. Apart from the one mill picture, the camera was consigned to the rucksack. We timed the walk perfectly, as we arrived back at the car JUST as dusk was falling. It was a nice walk, and swept away the holiday cobwebs as well as helping to shift a few of the excess pounds gained over Christmas. Ah well - work tomorrow!

New Years Eve totter, part one

Here we go - into 2007. I saw off 2006 with a shortish walk of just over 7 miles, starting from Eyam, the plague village, and calling in at one of my favourite watering holes - the three stags heads inn at Wardlow Mires. If you click on the title of this posting, it will give you all the info' you need about Eyam and what happened there to make it famous. If you click on the title of part two, it will take to to a site with a very annoying cursor seeker, but has good information

on the three stags pub, plus a good picture of Geoff, mine host there.

You can click on any of the pictures for a larger version.

This is Eyam's church. There were a lot of people going in there today. It has a many famous gravestones and artefacts in its yard, not least of which is a Saxon cross. Of course, there are many graves of people connected with the plague, but many more were buried in fields around the village, and can be visited, should you so wish.

There are many antiquities around the place, and here are the ubiquitous village stocks. I was asked to pose IN them, but no thanks! That turquoise thing behind me is a sheet steel bench. It's covered in writing done in weld. A VERY strange piece, and when you read what is written, you have to ask yourself why the guy was smoking at the time of writing? It MUST be just for decoration, as it looks very uncomfortable, would be very cold (and wet - it holds water) to sit on?

Here's another set of stocks, this time the 'stand in' type. They are in a private garden in Foolow village. The first ones are bad, but I would imagine this sort could be REALLY uncomfortable after a while.

This is the view you get coming into Foolow, the first village you reach after leaving Eyam and crossing the fields. It's one of the prettiest villages in Derbyshire, and must be HELLISH expensive to buy a house in. There's a tranquil pond at the centre, complete with white ducks, and a village pub which welcomes all.

This is the Barrel Inn, on Eyam edge. A commanding location for a pub. I've been there a couple of times, but not for a while now.

Please go to part 2, below................

New Years Eve totter, part two

"Stand in front of that sign, and I'll take your picture"
That's what my 'friend' Darren said!

Like a lamb to the slaughter!

This old building struck me as looking just like Urquhart Castle, the famous one in Scotland that you see on all the calendars. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/drumnadrochit/urquhart/

(Maybe not then, but I still think it had a nice 'air' about it!)

Still many flowers about, and the temperature today was a mild 11C. I keep noting all the berries on the holly etc, and keep waiting for the cold snap to come, if indeed it does

After a wonderful lunch, sat sheltered behind a stone wall (which let the howling wind through), we came to the Three Stags at last. We were going to take lunch inside here originally, but an earlier phone call to the landlord told us that his wife, Pat, was quite unwell with bronchitis. We decided not to trouble them for food, and packed sandwiches instead You can see the effort that Geoff puts into things, and his attention to detail in keeping things 'olde'. His Xmas decor' was how they used to do it. In the other room of the pub was a 'kissing cone' (I think that's what Geoff called it), made from natural plants and fruits, and including SIX large sprigs of mistletoe! It hung so low though, that it couldn't be hung in the main bar, as the ceiling was too low and everyone would catch it as they walked in the pub or went to the bar. A shame, as it's a real centrepiece, as you'll see.

Note the roaring fire, always a feature in the Stags when the weather is cold

Here it is - the wonderful kissing cone. To eat any of the apples in the middle is said to bring very bad luck. One guy who did a few years ago (so Geoff told us) lost his job, his house, had to sell his car, and ALMOST lost his wife, and it took about seven years for him to get back on his feet!

Here's what you see looking up at the kissing cone.

SIX bunches of mistletoe - how can you fail?

Geoff even lit the candles for us to take a picture.

After a couple of the wonderful beers on offer, it was time to go. While we had been inside, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. We'd heard it clattering on the windows, and saw people come in to the pub wet through and bedraggled but as we walked out, it was just VERY windy. The wind kept the worst of the rain off, and we only got slightly wet on the way back to the car. The drive home was a different story though, with LASHING rain and tearing gales to contend with.

And that was it - just time now to go and get ready for the seeing out and in of 2006/2007

A very happy and peaceful new year to all my readers.