Hillocks Mine, Peak District

The two of us drove over to the Orpheus CC Cottage in the morning to meet Keith. We found some visiting cavers there but no Ken and Eileen because they are on holiday in Thailand. After breakfast at Monyash cafe, we drove up Derby Lane and I waited while Keith and Karen dropped down into Water Icicle Close Cavern to install a plastic box with a notepad and pen for cavers to record any problems with carbon dioxide.
Just after Keith returned to the surface, two cavers arrived having walked up from nearly in Monyash for most of Derby Lane and were planning on a trip down Water Icicle. Keith and Karen removed their wellies and oversuits and sat in the car on towels and we drove the short distance to Knotlow Triangle to find another car already there.
After getting changed back into caving gear, we headed for the adit entrance of Hillocks Mine and with Keith in the lead, down into the low coffin level leading to the first pitch. Keith met a group of five cavers in front (obviously it was their car we had seen parked) who were from Newcastle University Caving Club and were on their way into the mine.
We got to the little climb over a large lump of rock and fixed an electron ladder over it to make the awkward return journey easier and Karen and Keith dropped down the other side and waited for the others to descend the second pitch. I tried clambering down but found it needing some awkward moves with my weak shoulder so rather than risking injuring my shoulder I decided to wait for the short time it would take the other two to have a poke around the mine and return, which they soon did.
We retraced our route back to the surface and after washing ropes and tackle bags and hanging up wet caving gear to dry, returned to Winster for a meal at The Old Bowling Green and then home.

Walk in the Goyt Valley, Peak District

A shorter walk today. We drove the short distance from Buxton to the Goyt Valley and parked in
the car park near Errwood Reservoir. The small reservoir was quite choppy due to the cold wind blowing and we walked along the road on the top of the dam and after a short distance followed a path leading across a grassy field. Soon we arrived at a track following one side of the
reservoir, passing an old lime kiln, and we followed this towards the end of the valley at one end and then crossed over to the opposite side. The path climbed a short distance away from the
valley and passed through a gap in a gritstone dry stone wall.
Soon the ground got wetter and boggier and there were sections of raised wooden walkways which were installed to help prevent erosion which greatly assisted passing this section. The path then dropped down into another small valley with a small brook crossed by and old packhorse bridge. There was a plaque on the bridge saying that it had been relocated to this position after the area where it had been had been flooded to form the reservoir. Karen and I stopped by the bridge next to the brook to have a couple of sandwiches. After our lunch, we followed up the short steps to the quiet road leading from the car park by an old quarry and followed this back towards the car park. On the way we bumped into Jess Eades who we know from the Orpheus Caving Club. Jess was on walk also in the Goyt Valley from her home in Buxton. Soon we were back at the car and set off for home after a pleasant, if short, walk.

A Walk Along Derwent Edge, Peak District

It was milder than recent days but still chilly and the weather forecast was for a dry day. After a quick breakfast, Karen and I drove through Bamford and parked at Fairholmes car park between Derwent and Ladybower Reservoirs in the Upper Derwent Valley. We walked past loads of ducks which were waddling about, probably attracted by people feeding them bread and also some bird feeders below which were several ducks collecting bits of seed and nuts dropped by other birds.
After a short distance, we passed below the Derwent Reservoir Dam, which was used by the RAF "Dam Busters" Squadron during WWII for practising (see Operation Chastise" on Wikipedia), with a large amount of water cascading down the blocks of Gritstone, of which the dam was built from. After climbing up a short fleet of steps, we walked along the road which follows along next to Derwent Reservoir for a couple of miles before turning off to follow a footpath along the very picturesque Abbey Valley with Abbey Brook flowing down as one of the feeders to the Reservoir. This is a very pleasant and easy path which gradually rises along one side of the valley before reaching a flatter area which was a bit boggy. As we followed the gradually rising path, the views in to the distance opened out and we soon reached the feature known as Lost Lad. Lost Lad is said to commemorate a shepherd boy who lived in Derwent village, which was flooded in the 1940's to create Derwent Reservoir) with his widowed mother. One harsh winter's day, he set out to find his missing sheep but was caught in a blinding snowstorm. In the deepening snow and now quite lost, he scratched the words "lost lad" on a large rock before curling up beneath it for shelter. He never returned home. Three months later, in the spring, some shepherds noticed the pathetic message and found the boy's body. Here, we stopped for a minute or two by the cairn of stones and small circular column (which has a pantograph giving the names of surrounding hills and other features) so that I could fish out my hat and gloves from my rucksack as we were now in a strong and very cold wind.
Leaving Lost Lad, we soon we reached a set of old limestone slabs, which were recovered from various mills, and used to help control erosion of the peat moorland from all the traffic of passing walkers, and soon arrived at Back Tor which was only a short distance away and the half-way point of our walk. After spending several minutes seeking out a sheltered spot in the lee of the large gritstone Tor, we settled on a good spot and stopped to have a quick lunch. Afterwards we continued on our way along Derwent Edge with lovely views in all directions across this area of the Peak District. We passed more gritstone rock formations such as the Cakes of Bread, Dovestone Tor, Salt Cellar and the Wheel Stones of Coach and Horses.
we reached a crossroads of footpaths and turned right to follow the path leading back down above a coniferous wood past some fields and an old stone barn (with a date of "1647" above the door) to reach the road next to the reservoirs again which we followed back towards Derwent Dam and the car park.

Circular Walk around Abney Moor, Peak District

As I had a gift voucher from Xmas for "Outside" and their main shop is in Hathersage, we decided on a walk near that village. The two of us, Karen and I, drove to Hathersage and after spending my money buying a Rab Bergen jacket, we returned to the car park and got our boots on.
Heading out of Hathersage on a lane, we headed across fields following a Public Footpath heading for Leadmills Bridge near "The Plough" pub. Passing through the stile at the end of the bridge we followed the Highlow Brook for a short distance before heading up a short muddy path through a wood to follow the drive towards Broadhay Farm and then through a gate into more fields and a gradually rising path through woods to pass close by a house and onto another drive with good views back across the valley over Hathersage.
After a short stop for hot drinks from our flasks, we followed the small road soon arriving at a "T" junction near Highlow Hall, and then along the road for a short distance and again on a drive heading towards Oaks Farm. Before reaching the farm we followed on a continuing path leading to open moorland and an obvious pathway. Following this we found that it was fairly windy and we had been sheltered up to now and after a short break in the lee of a drystone wall we continued on passing low shooting butts until we reached Shatton Lane. Now the views across the Hope Valley opened out with views across to Mam Tor, Kinder Scout and Lose Hill. Following down the lane we passed beneath a small TV mast and at a gate, turned off the lane onto a bridleway with a horse rider coming towards us, we held the gate open as she passed.
The bridleway led back towards Hathersage and after passing through fields and crossing the Manchester to Sheffield railway, we crossed another field to arrive at Jaggers Lane and the short distance back to the car park in Hathersage.

Circular Walk via Chrome Hill, Peak District

After several days with the temperature either below freezing or at the most just about at freezing we woke up to find that there had been freezing fog overnight which coated everything with small, white ice crystals so that it looked like it had snowed lightly overnight.
The two of us drove the short distance to just over the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border to the very small village of Hollinsclough, once famous for its silk weaving cottage industry. We parked at a small parking place by the village school and followed the road for a short distance until we popped through a gate onto a bridleway which dropped down to frozen field. The way continued via a small ford which was luckily shallow, leading Karen and I via a small wood. We followed down a slope to a boggy area, which was luckily mostly frozen, at the bottom of the nearby small valley and then up the grassy slope the other side to a stone barn which had been recently renovated.
We followed along the valley side gradually dropping down until we met a small stream with several paths converging and a lovely old packhorse bridge, Washgate Bridge. This was part of an old packhorse trail along which some two hundred years ago “jaggers” brought their pony teams laden with goods in the days before canals and the railway. Unfortunately there were tracks from trial bikes, which should not have used this route as it is wither footpath or bridleway and meant for those on foot, horse or bicycle. 

We crossed over Washgate Bridge following the track which appeared to have been cobbled at one time but now with the cobble stones scattered probably as a result of trial bikes causing damage. The old packhorse trail wound its way up with several bends up the side of the valley, with the mist clearing revealing lovely views across the valley, until it gradually dropped down next to Leycote Farm. We continued on the track to a second farm called Booth Farm and then to a junction with the metalled track continuing onwards with a junction to another bridleway with the sound of a trial bike's engine nearby.
We followed the track for a short distance to enter a field by a gate and back into the fog. Following signposts marking the public footpath we dropped down the steep, grassy slope with the
fin shaped Chrome Hill looking out of the mist. The path starts along the side of the ridge of Chrome Hill and then follows up a slope to the other side but at a higher level. Soon the path brings you onto the top of the ridge and follows easily along the top. There was a short steep section of exposed limestone covered with hoarfrost like everything else, which looked like it would be very slippery but was easily avoidable by a path to one side and soon we were back on top of the ridge again. All to soon the ridge finished at the highest point of Chrome Hill which left a steep grassy slope dropping down the other side to a tree with a stile next to it and a memorial plaque to Bill Etches of nearby Dowel Hall Farm. Another section of smaller ridge led us back to the road which drops down from Dowel Dale and we followed this for a short distance and then down a track leading to Stannery Farm until we were back on tarmaced road which brought us after a short distance back to the school in Hollinsclough.

Circular Walk near Home

A shorter walk today and nearer home. Karen and I drove three or so miles to the hamlet of Gratton and parked. As we were putting on our boots, we were passed by a number of Triumph cars on some sort of run. We followed the road for a short while and then followed a Public Footpath through a farm yard and some fields until we again reached a lane. We followed this and left it at a sharp bend for a Bridleway which brought us to the a view point over Long Dale where we stopped for a short drinks break.
After the break, we followed Long Dale to the junction with Gratton Dale and along this dale until we arrived back at the road at Gratton which left a couple of hindered yards to bring us back to the car. After changing back out of boots we stopped off at the small cafe in Elton for a meal and then headed back a couple of miles to home in Winster.

Walking on Kinder Scout

After several days of freezing temperatures and with a dry forecast Karen and myself decided it would be a good day to have a walk on Kinder Scout as the peat would be frozen and the Downfall also frozen. We headed for Barber Booth in the Edale Valley and followed the route up Crowden Brook. Once we reached the plateau we had a drinks break and then headed across the middle of Kinder Scout heading North-east and then North until we arrived at Seal Edge with views down into the Snake Pass and across to Fairbrook Naze.
Taking a bearing from the map for the Kinder River bear Kinder Gates, we headed in that direction and once we arrived at the River we followed the frozen water for the three quarters on a mile of so the the Downfall. As expected, the Downfall waterfall was frozen but there was some flowing water anyway. After a lunch break in the shelter of some boulders, we followed the path along the plateau edge until passing near the trig point at Kinder Low we dropped down to the large Edale Rocks and had another short drinks break. Finally we followed down the path of Jacobs Ladder and along the road back to the car park at Barber Booth just as it was getting dark at half past four or so.