After stopping off at the Orpheus CC cottage to have breakfast and collect ropes and tackle bags, Karen and I drove to Oxlow Farm near Castleton the had a trip down Oxlow Cavern to have a wander around East Chamber.
There was another party of four cavers ahead of us and although we had to wait a short while while they dropped into East Chamber and then climbed back up to the col at the stop of West Swirl Passage, they were soon on their way towards the West Chamber so we had East Chamber to ourselves.
Sunday 27 March 2011
Saturday 26 March 2011
Axe Moor from Derbyshire Bridge
After driving to the small car park at Derbyshire Bridge in the Goyt Valley not far from Buxton, Karen and I followed a path leading South to join a rough track heading East. Although the weather during the week had been mild with temperatures of 17 degrees (Celsius), it was quite a bit cooler today with the forecast temperature of around 8 degrees, but with a stiffish wind, it felt quite a lot cooler.
Last week I had bought a new Rab Sawtooth jacket as a fleece jacket had been too warm. With just a thermal shirt underneath, I found the jacket too cool, even though it was keeping the wind off. So, I stopped for a minute and put a micro fleece top on underneath.
When the track reached the A54 from Buxton we walked along the verge for a couple of a hundred metres then left the road at a stile to follow a path across Axe Moor.
We soon met a minor road by Dane Head and spotted a Skylark in the grass nearby which totally ignored us, unlike the many Grouse which we hear with their usual call of “Go back, go back, go back”. We had also seen and heard a group of Lapwings and heard a Curlew.
Continuing on the path and passing an old quarry we reached a fork with a path leading to the left and right. Our route lay on the path to the right.
After continuing on a path following a drystone wall across moorland until we reached a gate in the wall where a track began and led down past two farmhouses to eventually arrive at a rough track leading down alongside a stream which joined the very picturesque Panniers Pool at Three Shires Head.
We stopped here for lunch then continued on the path heading North along another stream which lead to farmland by a farm marked as “Holt” on the map.
Soon we reached ruins of small stone-built buildings marked “Reeve-edge Quarries” with a sloping mine entrance blocked by metal bars and an old stone-built square chimney not far away. These are the remnants of Danebower Colliery which was abandoned in the 1920's.
The route followed a grassy track which then curved back on itself below the large chimney and we followed a shallow ravine steeply upwards for a short distance to reach a stile by the armco barrier on the A54.
We crossed to the opposite side and then went through a gate which brought us onto a wide, rough track across the moorland for a couple of kilometres to arrive directly opposite the Cat and Fiddle pub which is the second highest pub in England.
After crossing the road (A537 or Cat and Fiddle road), we followed the road Northwards for about 300 metres to leave by a another wide and rough track leading past a Stake Farm. We stopped in the shelter of a hollow nearby to finish off lunch, then continued on the track until we reached a path leading off to the right by a drystone wall which headed downhill to Stake Clough and then through a section of felled wood by Deep Clough.
The path curved around past some ruined buildings and then headed South by the other side of the wood parallel to the River Goyt and its accompanying minor road below us. The path soon arrived at the minor road a little bit further on and after a few hundred metres we arrived back at our starting point.
Although it had been a bit misty to start with, the cloud base remained quite high and this meant we had plenty of fine views.
Last week I had bought a new Rab Sawtooth jacket as a fleece jacket had been too warm. With just a thermal shirt underneath, I found the jacket too cool, even though it was keeping the wind off. So, I stopped for a minute and put a micro fleece top on underneath.
When the track reached the A54 from Buxton we walked along the verge for a couple of a hundred metres then left the road at a stile to follow a path across Axe Moor.
We soon met a minor road by Dane Head and spotted a Skylark in the grass nearby which totally ignored us, unlike the many Grouse which we hear with their usual call of “Go back, go back, go back”. We had also seen and heard a group of Lapwings and heard a Curlew.
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| Damage on path from trail bikes |
Continuing on the path and passing an old quarry we reached a fork with a path leading to the left and right. Our route lay on the path to the right.
After continuing on a path following a drystone wall across moorland until we reached a gate in the wall where a track began and led down past two farmhouses to eventually arrive at a rough track leading down alongside a stream which joined the very picturesque Panniers Pool at Three Shires Head.
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| Old Pack Horse Trail |
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| En route to Pannier Pool |
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| Looking upstream from Pannier Pool |
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| Old Pack Horse Bridge at Pannier Pool |
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| Pannier Pool |
We stopped here for lunch then continued on the path heading North along another stream which lead to farmland by a farm marked as “Holt” on the map.
Soon we reached ruins of small stone-built buildings marked “Reeve-edge Quarries” with a sloping mine entrance blocked by metal bars and an old stone-built square chimney not far away. These are the remnants of Danebower Colliery which was abandoned in the 1920's.
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| Red Grouse peeking at us |
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| Chimney belonging to Danebower Colliery |
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| Remains of Danebower Colliery |
The route followed a grassy track which then curved back on itself below the large chimney and we followed a shallow ravine steeply upwards for a short distance to reach a stile by the armco barrier on the A54.
We crossed to the opposite side and then went through a gate which brought us onto a wide, rough track across the moorland for a couple of kilometres to arrive directly opposite the Cat and Fiddle pub which is the second highest pub in England.
After crossing the road (A537 or Cat and Fiddle road), we followed the road Northwards for about 300 metres to leave by a another wide and rough track leading past a Stake Farm. We stopped in the shelter of a hollow nearby to finish off lunch, then continued on the track until we reached a path leading off to the right by a drystone wall which headed downhill to Stake Clough and then through a section of felled wood by Deep Clough.
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| The Cat and Fiddle pub |
The path curved around past some ruined buildings and then headed South by the other side of the wood parallel to the River Goyt and its accompanying minor road below us. The path soon arrived at the minor road a little bit further on and after a few hundred metres we arrived back at our starting point.
Although it had been a bit misty to start with, the cloud base remained quite high and this meant we had plenty of fine views.
Sunday 20 March 2011
Longstone Edge
After parking on the road leading from Monsal Head into the small village of Little Longstone, Karen and I followed the road onwards into the village to leave the road on a footpath which brought us through a farmyard and into the fields beyond.
We continued on through the fields until we reached a rough track joining Castlegate Lane and Moor Lane where we followed the track eastwards past Chertpit Plantation until we reached a well-worn path leading upwards through gorse bushes to arrive near the opencast workings of Crossdale Mine.
Here we were on open moorland and continued along an path until we reached a second path which crossed at right-angles and passed between two large fenced of excavations.
I had a look at one of these large and deep holes and was puzzled as to how it was dug out. The sides were loose and very steep so unless a digger with a long extension arm was able to do it, I have no idea how it was done.
Here we took the path heading towards the right and through a stile into Open Access moorland of Longstone Moor. Soon we arrived near a cairn with a pole sticking out of the top which was on top of large mound which the map confirmed to be an ancient tumulus.
Passing the tumulus, we reached a five-way junction of paths and again turned right, now heading South passing the area of Watersaw Rake where we took advantage of a grassed-over hollow to shelter from the cold wind and have a hot drink.
Continuing on our way, with the village of Great Longstone in the distance ahead and below, we soon reached the minor road of Moor Lane where we walked uphill for a short distance, then joined a path which left the road on the right and brought us along the side of Longstone Edge until the path widened into a track and we arrived at a gate.
This was a good position to see most of the route we had followed and much beyond as well.
From here a narrow path led downwards across a field bringing us to a lovely little dale with grass-covered hillocks and small limestone outcrops.
The small dale continued into more open fields and then onto the road through the village of Great Longstone.
After following a section of road and then passing between some houses on a narrow path, we soon found a footpath sign which pointed the route across a few remaining fields with ewes and their recently-born lambs until we were back in Little Longstone. New-born lambs are a sure sign of Spring along with the sprouting daffodils and other flowers like Primroses and Celandines.
We continued on through the fields until we reached a rough track joining Castlegate Lane and Moor Lane where we followed the track eastwards past Chertpit Plantation until we reached a well-worn path leading upwards through gorse bushes to arrive near the opencast workings of Crossdale Mine.
Here we were on open moorland and continued along an path until we reached a second path which crossed at right-angles and passed between two large fenced of excavations.
I had a look at one of these large and deep holes and was puzzled as to how it was dug out. The sides were loose and very steep so unless a digger with a long extension arm was able to do it, I have no idea how it was done.
Here we took the path heading towards the right and through a stile into Open Access moorland of Longstone Moor. Soon we arrived near a cairn with a pole sticking out of the top which was on top of large mound which the map confirmed to be an ancient tumulus.
Passing the tumulus, we reached a five-way junction of paths and again turned right, now heading South passing the area of Watersaw Rake where we took advantage of a grassed-over hollow to shelter from the cold wind and have a hot drink.
Continuing on our way, with the village of Great Longstone in the distance ahead and below, we soon reached the minor road of Moor Lane where we walked uphill for a short distance, then joined a path which left the road on the right and brought us along the side of Longstone Edge until the path widened into a track and we arrived at a gate.
This was a good position to see most of the route we had followed and much beyond as well.
From here a narrow path led downwards across a field bringing us to a lovely little dale with grass-covered hillocks and small limestone outcrops.
The small dale continued into more open fields and then onto the road through the village of Great Longstone.
After following a section of road and then passing between some houses on a narrow path, we soon found a footpath sign which pointed the route across a few remaining fields with ewes and their recently-born lambs until we were back in Little Longstone. New-born lambs are a sure sign of Spring along with the sprouting daffodils and other flowers like Primroses and Celandines.
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| Fossils in a slab of limestone |
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| Great Longstone Church |
Saturday 19 March 2011
A Walk From Grindleford Station
Parking on the road approaching Grindleford Station, we walked past it and crossed the bridge over the railway pausing to look at the tunnel.
A short distance further along we left the road and through a style into Padley Gorge where we followed the gritstone boulder-strewn path as it wended its way along the Burbage Brook in the trees.
After crossing the river on a footbridge, we followed a zig-zag path leading to the path following the top of the ravine on the opposite side.
This gradually-rising path eventually broke out into the open moorland where we crossed the river again on one of a pair of footbridges and then along a path onto the National Trust's Longshaw Estate.
There is a path leading past a large pond with Mallard ducks and Coots leading past rhododendron bushes to follow below the Ha-Ha in in front of the impressive house where we stopped to have some cake and a cup of tea from the tea shop, sitting outside at a picnic table watching the Chaffinches, Siskins and Robins on the bird feeders.
After the short snack break, we walked down the drive for a short way and then followed a short path through the trees to bring us to the main road opposite the Fox House pub.
We walked on the grass verge along the road and after a few hundred metres, we left the road and then joined a wide dirt track as it made its way across the moor being the original Turnpike route until the modern road took a slightly different route nearby.
We followed the track for a while then left it at a footpath heading off across the moor towards the gritstone crag of Burbage with the always prominent feature of Higgar Tor looking like an upturned boat in the distance.
We walked long the top of the crag where there were quite a lot of rock climbers out making the best of the partly sunny but cool weather.
We stopped at the bridge to sit on a stone block by the wall to shelter from the cool breeze and eat our lunch.
Continuing afterwards, we crossed the stream beside the bridge and then headed for the higher of the two paths heading towards Higgar Tor. This led via a short steeper section leading to the bouldery plateau with views in all directions, even across to Mam Tor in the distance.
After crossing the small plateau, we dropped down the other side and headed for the smaller Owler Tor and then along a path leading down past the prominent gritstone feature known as Mother Cap.
Ignoring the obvious path leading to the nearby car park, we followed a second, narrower path which led to the busy road from Sheffield towards Hathersage, which we crossed and then joined an ancient sunken path leading down to the top of Padley Gorge.
We were soon back where we had been earlier in the day and retraced our route back down the Gorge.
Reaching the old Grindleford train station, which had not fulfilled that function for many years and is a café, we stopped for a meal. It's always been an eccentric place and still has many notes pinned to the walls directing staff and customers on what they should do and more important, what they shouldn't!
In the evening, after watching Ireland thrash England at rugby and preventing England's Grand Slam by winning 24-8, we went to the Nightingale Centre in Great Hucklow to see three videos in an event to raise money for DCRO and the Silence Mine Trust.
These were two films made by Dave Webb: “Mud and Water” and “High Rake Lead Mine. . . Reclaiming a Legacy” plus Mat and Nikki's “From Ore to Orchids”.
A short distance further along we left the road and through a style into Padley Gorge where we followed the gritstone boulder-strewn path as it wended its way along the Burbage Brook in the trees.
After crossing the river on a footbridge, we followed a zig-zag path leading to the path following the top of the ravine on the opposite side.
This gradually-rising path eventually broke out into the open moorland where we crossed the river again on one of a pair of footbridges and then along a path onto the National Trust's Longshaw Estate.
There is a path leading past a large pond with Mallard ducks and Coots leading past rhododendron bushes to follow below the Ha-Ha in in front of the impressive house where we stopped to have some cake and a cup of tea from the tea shop, sitting outside at a picnic table watching the Chaffinches, Siskins and Robins on the bird feeders.
After the short snack break, we walked down the drive for a short way and then followed a short path through the trees to bring us to the main road opposite the Fox House pub.
We walked on the grass verge along the road and after a few hundred metres, we left the road and then joined a wide dirt track as it made its way across the moor being the original Turnpike route until the modern road took a slightly different route nearby.
We followed the track for a while then left it at a footpath heading off across the moor towards the gritstone crag of Burbage with the always prominent feature of Higgar Tor looking like an upturned boat in the distance.
We walked long the top of the crag where there were quite a lot of rock climbers out making the best of the partly sunny but cool weather.
We stopped at the bridge to sit on a stone block by the wall to shelter from the cool breeze and eat our lunch.
Continuing afterwards, we crossed the stream beside the bridge and then headed for the higher of the two paths heading towards Higgar Tor. This led via a short steeper section leading to the bouldery plateau with views in all directions, even across to Mam Tor in the distance.
After crossing the small plateau, we dropped down the other side and headed for the smaller Owler Tor and then along a path leading down past the prominent gritstone feature known as Mother Cap.
Ignoring the obvious path leading to the nearby car park, we followed a second, narrower path which led to the busy road from Sheffield towards Hathersage, which we crossed and then joined an ancient sunken path leading down to the top of Padley Gorge.
We were soon back where we had been earlier in the day and retraced our route back down the Gorge.
Reaching the old Grindleford train station, which had not fulfilled that function for many years and is a café, we stopped for a meal. It's always been an eccentric place and still has many notes pinned to the walls directing staff and customers on what they should do and more important, what they shouldn't!
In the evening, after watching Ireland thrash England at rugby and preventing England's Grand Slam by winning 24-8, we went to the Nightingale Centre in Great Hucklow to see three videos in an event to raise money for DCRO and the Silence Mine Trust.
These were two films made by Dave Webb: “Mud and Water” and “High Rake Lead Mine. . . Reclaiming a Legacy” plus Mat and Nikki's “From Ore to Orchids”.
Saturday 12 March 2011
Alport Castles from Fairholmes
After leaving the car with the marauding ducks at Fairholmes we walked back up the road a short distance before turning off the road to follow a path rising through the woods to reach Lockerbrook Farm which is nowadays an Outdoor Centre which is in an isolated position but with tremendous views. There were kids enjoying outdoor activities in the nearby woods involving stacks of plastic beer crates and dangling from ropes in the trees.
From here we followed a track and passed a stile over a drystone wall higher up which we should have crossed but we kept on the track to a junction with a second one which led us below Bellhag Tor when really we should have been following a path above the Tor. No problem though as we followed the second track passing the well-preserved Ballhag Barn until we found a stile leading into Open Access country below Bellhag Tor in Rowlee Pasture.
We could see a path ahead on the tussocky (I don't know if that is a word but the ground was largely tussocks of grass) Pasture. Following this path we gradually gained height along the valley side until we met the path we should have been on all along which was paved with the large limestone slabs you see often nowadays on many paths in the Peak District.
This path led along Rowlee Pasture following the Ashop valley down below with a lone Buzzard soaring nearby until we reached the huge landslip which is known as Alport Castles.
We sat on a hummock of ground overlooking the Castles and had a hot drink and snack then followed the narrow path wending its way down from Rowlee Pasture to reach Alport Castles Farm.
From the farm we followed a track on the opposite side of the River Ashop until we reached the main A57 road. Crossing over the busy road, we continued on the track on the far side after crossing the river on a concrete weir as the nearby footbridge had collapsed recently and luckily the water was very shallow.
The track continued until we arrived at a fork with the right-hand side continuing onwards below Blackley Hey. Our route was the left-hand fork dropping down to cross a bridge over a leat formed from gritstone blocks which carries water to the nearby Derwent Valley reservoirs. Then onwards crossing the river again at Rowlee Bridge to again cross the A57.
On the opposite side of the A57after passing Rowlee Farm we followed a short, steep grassy path which formed a more direct route than the adjacent winding rough track, brought us to back to the track we had been following earlier near Bellhag Barn.
From here we retraced our earlier route back to where we had started at Fairholmes car park where the marauding ducks were still mobbing people who had bough biscuits or pieces of lovely home-made cake from the shop in the car park.
From here we followed a track and passed a stile over a drystone wall higher up which we should have crossed but we kept on the track to a junction with a second one which led us below Bellhag Tor when really we should have been following a path above the Tor. No problem though as we followed the second track passing the well-preserved Ballhag Barn until we found a stile leading into Open Access country below Bellhag Tor in Rowlee Pasture.
We could see a path ahead on the tussocky (I don't know if that is a word but the ground was largely tussocks of grass) Pasture. Following this path we gradually gained height along the valley side until we met the path we should have been on all along which was paved with the large limestone slabs you see often nowadays on many paths in the Peak District.
This path led along Rowlee Pasture following the Ashop valley down below with a lone Buzzard soaring nearby until we reached the huge landslip which is known as Alport Castles.
We sat on a hummock of ground overlooking the Castles and had a hot drink and snack then followed the narrow path wending its way down from Rowlee Pasture to reach Alport Castles Farm.
From the farm we followed a track on the opposite side of the River Ashop until we reached the main A57 road. Crossing over the busy road, we continued on the track on the far side after crossing the river on a concrete weir as the nearby footbridge had collapsed recently and luckily the water was very shallow.
The track continued until we arrived at a fork with the right-hand side continuing onwards below Blackley Hey. Our route was the left-hand fork dropping down to cross a bridge over a leat formed from gritstone blocks which carries water to the nearby Derwent Valley reservoirs. Then onwards crossing the river again at Rowlee Bridge to again cross the A57.
On the opposite side of the A57after passing Rowlee Farm we followed a short, steep grassy path which formed a more direct route than the adjacent winding rough track, brought us to back to the track we had been following earlier near Bellhag Barn.
From here we retraced our earlier route back to where we had started at Fairholmes car park where the marauding ducks were still mobbing people who had bough biscuits or pieces of lovely home-made cake from the shop in the car park.
Sunday 6 March 2011
Visit to the New Extensions at Water Icicle
I met a group of four cavers for a trip into the new extensions in Water Icicle Close Cavern. Typically, today was dry and mainly sunny unlike yesterday when I went walking.
Saturday 5 March 2011
Kinder Scout
Karen was visiting family and friends in Rugby since Thursday and she was returning later this evening so I took myself off to Kinder again.
The weather was misty and drizzly but the forecast was for it to improve through the day. Unfortunately, the forecast was wrong and the drizzle and light rain remained for most of the day.
Leaving the car at Barber Booth, I followed the road leading towards Jacob's Ladder and turned off at the path by the farm where the Pennine Way is signposted as it heads towards Jacob's Ladder on its way from Edale to Kirk Yetholm.
The path follows Crowden Brook which flows down from the Kinder Scout plateau via Crowden Clough and I followed it to reach the lovely but short scramble near the top which brought me to the path which skirts the southern edge of the plateau.
It had been clear lower down but on the plateau it was quite misty as I followed the path all the way around above the village of Grindsbrook Booth until I reached the path dropping beneath the rocky gritstone ridge of Ringing Roger.
I paused at a promontory which overlooks the village and a large proportion of the Edale Valley which is at a bend in the zig-zag path leading down from Ringing Roger via The Nab and had a drink from my flask and a snack.
Afterwards I continued down to the village and the near The Old Nags Head Inn followed the start of the Pennine Way back across several fields until I walked through the farmyard belonging to the farm where I had left the road earlier in the day.
All that remained was to walk the short distance back to where I had left the car and then after a quick stop in Hathersage for lunch at the café at Outside, I headed for home.
The weather was misty and drizzly but the forecast was for it to improve through the day. Unfortunately, the forecast was wrong and the drizzle and light rain remained for most of the day.
Leaving the car at Barber Booth, I followed the road leading towards Jacob's Ladder and turned off at the path by the farm where the Pennine Way is signposted as it heads towards Jacob's Ladder on its way from Edale to Kirk Yetholm.
The path follows Crowden Brook which flows down from the Kinder Scout plateau via Crowden Clough and I followed it to reach the lovely but short scramble near the top which brought me to the path which skirts the southern edge of the plateau.
It had been clear lower down but on the plateau it was quite misty as I followed the path all the way around above the village of Grindsbrook Booth until I reached the path dropping beneath the rocky gritstone ridge of Ringing Roger.
I paused at a promontory which overlooks the village and a large proportion of the Edale Valley which is at a bend in the zig-zag path leading down from Ringing Roger via The Nab and had a drink from my flask and a snack.
Afterwards I continued down to the village and the near The Old Nags Head Inn followed the start of the Pennine Way back across several fields until I walked through the farmyard belonging to the farm where I had left the road earlier in the day.
All that remained was to walk the short distance back to where I had left the car and then after a quick stop in Hathersage for lunch at the café at Outside, I headed for home.
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