Paul Lydon: Stanton Moor from Home

Yesterday had started with overnight snow and continuing snow showers through the day so I had taken a day off from work and stayed at home. This didn't stop my manager at work from answering my email that I had stayed at home due to the weather and the ongoing forecast for more snow and Met Office Yellow warnings, etc. suggesting that she had made it to work from Leicester and I should also turn up...

Anyway, this morning the roads in the village, at least Main Street anyway, which is part of a bus route, was much improved after several passes if gritting lorries. The sky was very overcast and there were more light snow showers and snow had begin settling on the road.

I decided to walk from home so as to avoid driving. Karen had already made her mind up to stay at home and spend the day cataloguing our various books (I have quite a lot, really).

So I got my boots and jacket on and set off out the front door, across Main Street and followed the Public Footpath in the narrow gap between the two houses opposite. At least I wouldn't take long to get to the start of the walk!

This footpath leads past several gardens and the rears of some other houses before arriving at fields.

There a continuing path which probably was used by the old lead miners many years ago going to and from work in the mines around Winster, which drops down to the the head of the beginnings the valley containing Clough Wood which leads down to Darley Bridge.

On the far side of this small valley, the path rises to a set of stiles, and I crossed the right-hand one which soon brought me to the tiny Stoop Wood. Now I had the virgin snow with no footprints other than several rabbits and some birds.

Crossing Clough Lane, the route continues along yet more fields and passes through the farmyard of a farm mostly comprising holiday cottages and a campsite.

The footpath has recently been channelled along a newish wire and wooden post fence skirting along the campsite and this brought me to a minor road from the nearby village of Birchover.

After crossing the snowy road and walking a few tens of metres, there is a wooden stile which brings you onto one of the paths across Stanton Moor.

I followed the route of the path with ankle deep snow until I arrived at the Reform or Earl Grey Tower, built by William Pole Thornhill and dedicated to the Reform Act 1832.

After taking a photo, I then made my way to the nearby Bronze Age stone circle known as the Nine Ladies Stone Circle. This is the best known of four such stone circles on the moor and is known for attracting Druids and other New Age types at Summer or Winter Solstice. While they are not exactly Stonehenge, the circle of knee-high sandstone rocks from the nearby area are certainly interesting and shows just how long people have lived in the general area.

After taking more photos of the quiet scene in the snow, I followed a path which eventually led me to the Cork Stone. This is one of several large rocks which have been given names and also include the Duke of York Stone (in which the legend "Y 1826" is carved), the Cat Stone, the Duchess of Sutherland Stone, the Gorse Stone, the Heart Stone and the Andle Stone. The Cork Stone has a set of footholds carved in it and also small iron stemples held into holes in the stone with melted lead to provide handholds to enable people to climb to the top of the 4 or 5 metre high rock. These hold must be ancient as the lower footholds have been worn into long grooves due to the large number of shoes and boots wearing away the rock.

After passing the Cork Stone, I followed a path which leads to another access point onto the moor from the same minor road I had crossed earlier. I walked a bit further along this road passing a working stone quarry and then followed a Public Footpath through a small car park to the village of Birchover by the Druid Inn.

After walking along the road through the village for about half its length, I turned right onto an adjoining road which passes the village recreation ground and arrives at Clough Lane where a junction is reached with a narrow track descending towards the road from Elton to Winster. Here are the village Stocks, which have been restored.

Part way along this narrow lane, there is a small gate and a footpath across several fields which brought me back to Winster and home.