Ladybower, Stanage edge, millstones,

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 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.

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, uninterrupted view of the Ladybower reservoir chain can be had. The dark hump behind and to the left of Lose hill is 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.

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.

This is Bamford mill. Once a hive of industry, now the repose of the rich, with stunning views all around.

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!

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!

Eyam, Foolow, Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires.

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. 

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 here. 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.

"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.

Rowsley, Bakewell ,

This weekend, we decided to just do a little meander of about 7 miles. Where better than Bakewell? I started the walk at Rowsley, and just went up into Haddon woods, along the tops, then down into Bakewell for a really nice lunch at Ricci's. This is the BEST place for pizza and pasta. they make it fresh while you watch and wait, and the coffee is the BEST in Bakewell, if not Derbyshire..

This is looking forwards to Bakewell from the path in the woods. As you can se, it was another lovely Sunday. I have been so lucky with the weather this year, and this unseasonably warm December has smiled on most of my walks.

The famous arched bridge of Bakewell. I've taken this picture a thousand times, and will probably take it a thousand more. How could you EVER tire of such a lovely thing? Today the light was perfect for pictures too.

This is a view of the bridge from the other bank (where I fed the ducks). This time of year, there seem to be a LOT of seagulls about?

I just love the gnarls and twists in this old tree in one of the courtyards.

I went back to the river, and tried to catch the gulls in some of their acrobatic lunges at the bread I threw up in the air.

You can see this one with his eye on the prize!

Oh, how I'd love to live in one of these riverside apartments, but unless I win the lottery, it's just a dream.

Crossing the new (horrible) metal bridge, this is the view upstream past the weir. You can see the old (beautiful) bridge further upriver.

And that was it! We took to the fields for the steady walk back - mostly uphill. The effort kept the evening chill at bay, and a nice pint in the Grouse and Claret pub at Rowsley was my reward.

Annual Christmas walk - Chatsworth Park, Baslow.

Last sunday saw the annual Christmas walk take place. This 'event' started as a non-walk every year, inasmuch as we (my brother Colin and I, and maybe one or two extra), would do a really short walk (around 6 miles or so), and have a languisingly long lunch (sorry for the alliteration). Anyway, I took to inviting one or two customers, who were also friends, and as word spread over the years, the popularity and numbers have grown. 

The latest 'band' were twenty-one strong, and here we all are, lined up at the start of the walk. I decided on Chatsworth park, as it's only about 2.5 miles to Baslow village (and a good Italian restaurant called 'Il Lupo'), and no hills for the poor souls to climb!

Striding through the park, they all look like PROPER walkers, don't they?

Here's the band (minus me - I took the picture) standing in front of the impressive Chatsworth house. The fountain was going too, but not just as I took this picture.

Here we are in Il Lupo, waiting to get going on the Christmas lunch. We didn't have the usual turkey dinner, but opted to 'go Italian'. I always find you get enough of the turkey, so this would be a nice change. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food, although the wine was a little on the expensive side for the quality. Thirty quid for a fairly ordinary bottle of Chianti is NOT my idea of how to get customers to return! Apart from the house red, which I tried and found awful, the cheapest bottle was about seventeen pounds, as I recall.

Mind you, the price didn't put SOME people off!!!!!

.....but it DID affect some others rather strangely.....

The day was deemed a success. We were lucky with the weather, as it had given a terrible forecast, but we managed to dodge the rain, being indoors at lunch when it fell quite heavily. The walk was JUST the right length, and we didn't manage to lose anyone.

Roll on 2007.

Taddington, Chelmorton and Chee dale part 1

Chee dale is lovely at ANY time of the year, so i always look forward to going there. Today, we parked in the village of Taddington, just off the A6 near Buxton. It's typical of a lot of the 'cottagey' limestone villages in Derbyshire now, inasmuch as it's had a LOT of money thrown at it, and a lot of the houses are people who have moved in and restored or improved. There are the odd one or two that look to be local owned though.

This is looking back to the village from the first hill. Don't forget you can enlarge any of the pictures simply by clicking on them.

As we crested the first hill, this is wha the sky looked like! Not very promising, you might think, but the day was to be good and clear, so appearances can be deceptive.

The next village we came to was Chelmorton. Another very much in the same vein as taddington. There had been heavy rain overnight, and water was running in a rivulet down the main road, as you can see.

This is Taddington church, it is famous for what is on the spire. From this picture, it just looks like a normal weather vane, BUT...........

Up close, you can see the golden grasshopper. I can't find any information on why this is, or what, if anything, it stands for? Anyone who can, please leave a note in the comments book.

The village also has an impressive trio of troughs. This sign, above them, tells the story, (although I hardly think the 'property of' note at the end was necessary!!)

Nice troughs, though.

Taddington, Chelmorton and Chee dale part 2

This bush at the roadside is superb. I don't know what it is, but what a lovely show of berries! This is looking back up the 'main street' of Chelmorton.

A nice 'flower' of fungi.

We went into Deep dale via this little dale, Bullhay dale. There is not strictly a path, but people have used it for years, and there are stiles in the walls. This is a rather impressive adit, or mine entrance, created by man. It's the only 'over and under' one I know of.

This is the entrance to the more impressive, and natural, cave in Deep dale. It's quite a deep one and, although I've never been right into it, I have ventured as far as I thought safe with a torch. The thing with caves is, you need the right gear, and also overalls, as they are very muddy places! We saw rare moths inside (no bats though) and humorous graffiti with obviously spurious dates. You know the sort of thing; 'JOHN SMITH 1723' (written in biro!).

The sky had cleared by now, and a lovely blue sky and warm sun was ours.

Deep dale is scree sided for a lot of the way, and negotiating it is a careful affair.

The warm temperatures had some fooled - this was one of many ladybird, and other insects, that were abroad that day.

Please go to part three (below)