A Walk From Monyash Along Lathkill Dale

As usual, Keith and Pete joined us for a meal in the Miners Standard after they had their fill of digging for the day and spent the night at our place.

We were up in the morning and arranged to meet Keith and Pete in The Old Smithy Cafe at Monyash as usual before they resumed their digging while Karen joined me in a walk from Monyash, down part of Cales Dale into Lathkill Dale then back to Monyash.
While we were waiting in the café for the other two, who had stopped off at the Orpheus CC cottage on the way to collect some gear, the rain was coming down quite heavily. Luckily by the time we had finished it had stopped.

We said our “good-byes” to Keith and Pete then set off up the main road and then via a stile into the churchyard. This brought us to fields and via some more stiles to Fern Dale with much evidence of ground disturbance form old mine workings.

Continuing onwards through more fields and a walled track, we passed some fields below where Water Icicle Close Cavern is found and could see no sign of the others in the distance. Continuing on through a farmyard and past some well-preserved old stone-built pig stys, plus a small natural grotto in the limestone with and arched entrance containing a large crib scene ready for Christmas!

We followed the route onwards which brought us to the side of Cales Dale with what looked like a short mined adit and slippery limestone steps leading to a pathway along the dale side. Soon we were in the Dale bottom and at the resurgence of Cales Dale Cave which was issuing quite a bit of water, unsurprisingly with the recent rain.

Continuing onwards to the drop leading to a footbridge in Lathkill Dale, we had a short stop to have a hot drink (from flasks) then continued on along Lathkill Dale. Again there was quite a lot of water flowing in the stream-bed, with a number of springs flowing on the Dale side and on reaching the major resurgence of Lathkill Head Cave, again there was quite a lot of water.
Following onwards along Lathkill Dale, we passed an area with quite a lot of fungi growing in the grass. Soon we were back at the road leading out of Monyash. We followed this for the short distance back to the Cafe for more delights.
Again, I was wearing my Paramo Cascada trousers, TrekMates merino wool shirt and my Paramo Velez.

Kinder Scout Again

Karen was helping Keith and Pete at the dig in Water Icicle Close Cavern and I planned on a return visit to Kinder Scout.
The weather had turn colder in recent days and sleet or light snow was forecast with mist at higher levels. I was hoping then the peat bogs on Kinder would be frozen, as that is when it is best, but it proved not to be.

There was light amounts of snow laying in the fields as I got near to Buxton with a bit more in once past Sparrowpit. I continued through Mam Nick and parked in Barber Booth and headed up the road towards Upper Booth. I followed the route of the Pennine Way towards Edale village then turned towards the path leading up to the Kinder Scout Plateau via Grindlsow Knoll.
Near the top I arrived in the mist as I reached the cloud level and shortly afterwards found a couple out walking who since thay had no map or anything else didn't know where they were or where they were heading and had decided to head back down the way they had come, back towards Edale. When they heard me coming they asked where the path led and if they could get back to Edale another way. So I got them to follow me onwards the short distance to the top of the nearby Gindsbrook Valley, which we could have seen if it wasn't for the mist!

Once I had seen them off on their way back down via Grindsbrook Clough, I followed the edge path towards the top of Crowden Clough and then headed across the plateau following the course of Crowden Brook for a while. I disturbed two mountain hares, still in their summer colours, and also a few grouse who took off with their “Go Back!, Go Back, Go Back!” call.
I was in the mist with a couple of inches of snow all around, so to avoid walking in circles while avoiding the odd grough in the peat, I set the compass in a generally North-West direction which I knew would lead me to the edge path on the other side of the plateau in the vicinity of Red Brook.
After what seemed like a relatively short time, all the while keeping an eye on the compass, I arrived at the path as expected.
Turning South, I followed the path until in the region of Kinder Low, the path became indistinct and with the mist, it wasn't obvious which direction to continue to reach my intended goal of Edale Rocks. I saw the footprints of three or four others and followed them for a few hundred metres and passed near to a fenced off area I recognised from previous walks. The footprints continued but didn't seem to be going in the direction I expected. Of course I should have been keeping an idea on my progress on my map but hadn't been. So, to save time I got out the Etrex GPS and checked the distance and direction to Edale Rocks which I have stored on a previous occasion along with other various landmarks on the plateau. I was still about 730 metres away and not heading in the right direction, as I suspected, So I set the compass on a bearing of 226 degrees as indicated by the GPS and followed that and soon the Rocks loomed out of the mist in front of me.

I stopped for a lunch break at the Rocks and then followed the path down to the descent route: Jacob's Ladder.
On the way there was a clearing in the low cloud and views in the distance, and I stopped to take some photos. After this I continued on my way back to Jacob's Ladder and followed that path back down towards Upper Booth with the mist gradually clearing all the time. Back at the car I got my boots off and headed for home.
Near Youlgreave I got a text on my mobile phone and after stopping to check what it was, I found it was Karen who was letting me know she had resurfaced form Water Icicle and we arranged to meet at the Old Smithy Cafe in Monyash.
I was wearing my Paramo Cascada trousers, TrekMates merino wool shirt, Paramo Fuera Windshirt while walking up Grindslow Knoll and my Paramo Velez the rest of the time. Plus my Polar Buff as a hat. All perfect for the prevailing conditions.

A Walk by the Wye Valley

Hoping the weather would be drier today, we drove through Bakewell and along the A6 and parked at the “White Lodge” picnic site car park at the end of Monsal Dale. Leaving the car park, we crossed the A6 then followed path which went up steeply through woodland until we arrived at the top of the valley side with views opening out into the Wye Valley below. Unfortunately it was now that it started to rain!

The path continued across a wall stile leading us through a farmyard and then along a track and fields to a pass a second farm. We followed the dirt track onwards having to pause a couple of times to let several trial bikes get past us and then for some four-wheel drive vehicles coming in the opposite direction. We continued along the track, passing rough ground in the field on the left with evidence of mine workings and a rake (a large rift in the ground connected with limestone geology) until we arrived at the hamlet of Priestcliffe.

We could have taken a footpath which led down and then up towards the village of Taddington, but instead followed the minor road through Priestcliffe to cross the A6 and then into Taddington. There was a small stone-built bus shelter and although it had stopped raining not long before, we sat in the bus shelter and had lunch.
After lunch, we continued through Taddington village and then down a muddy bridleway to rejoin the minor road again. Passing another farm, we passed through a gate and through a stile to reach Dimmin Dale which was a bit muddy and wet soon reaching open ground with a small limestone gorge with a small stream flowing along the bottom called Demon's Dell. We sat on a slab of limestone and finished off the remainder of our flasks before dropping down towards the A6 again. We investigated a small cave shown on the map which was formed in a bedding plane, with a small chamber and muddy, wet floor. We continued on downhill on the path and were soon back where we had parked the car at “White Lodge” car park after a walk of about 6 miles.

A Walk from Tissington

Karen and I drove the short distance to Tissington and parked in the car park on the Tissington Trail. This is the bed of an old railway that closed in the 60's, but was reopened in 1971 as a bridleway open to horse riders, cyclists and walkers. Again the weather forecast wasn't very good and it started raining gently just as we set off down the trail towards Ashbourne.

We walked across the bridge over the A515 then followed steps up from the trail beside the next bridge, under which the Trail continued. Our route continued through a large caravan park and we saw a weasel running across the track ahead of us and a rabbit in the grassy area nearby. After following the route ahead, we walked a short distance along a minor road, then left that by following a path uphill which led us across several fields until we arrived at a small quarry with an impressive, large, square-shaped lime kiln. We stopped here for a quick drink break.
The route continued across more fields until we arrived at the short gully leading up from the road to Milldale with views of Dovedale below. We found a sheltered spot and had our lunch. Once this was finished we dropped down the gully and then followed the Milldale road uphill for a while eventually reaching the A515. We had to follow this for about 150 metres, but luckily the verge was quite wide as it is a busy road with cars speeding past. We left the A515 at a path leading down to a bridge on the Tissington Trail. Our route was beneath this bridge then through more fields until we arrived at the Alsop to Parwich road. As soon as we arrived at the road though, we left it again through a farm gate and down a leafy track. Not very far along the track, we crossed a style back into fields.
The route took us into Parwich village and after walking through the village, we were crossing fields again, first down to cross Bletch Brook via a small footbridge, then uphill eventually reaching a farm track which led us onto a bridge across the Tissington Trail. We followed on along the track leading us through a churchyard into the village of Tissington itself very nearly opposite the imposing Tissington Hall.
Turning left past the village duck pond and one of the wells which are “dressed” annually and were soon back at the Tissington Trail car park where we started earlier after a very nice walk of about 9 ½ miles.

A Walk Along Abney Brook

After a light breakfast at home, we joined Keith and Pete for more breakfast in Monyash Cafe and then afterwards left them to their digging while we drove via Eyam to park at a track leading off the road leading from Eyam to Grindleford via Sir William Hill.
We started of up the unmetalled road heading for a footpath which crossed Abney Moor but found that there was a large orienteering event going on and their starting point was the stile we were intending to cross! Never mind – we just decided to continue on our intended route but in reverse and hopefully the orienteering event would be finished when we were on our way back.
We branched off on another track, passing many competitors heading for the start of the orienteering, and passed where most of them had parked in a field with a large tent, trade stands and outside catering vans.
Soon we passed through the drive of a private house at Nether Bretton on a Public Footpath which led us along one side of the house, over a stile and then across a field. After another stile we started on a muddy path with steps which led down to a valley bottom with several other paths which could be seen, along with a number of competitors from the orienteering event heading in different directions while studying small maps which they were carrying. I suppose there were different routes for different competitors!
Anyway, we crossed a stream by using a footbridge and started up the other side of the valley. Luckily today the weather was much nicer with quite a lot of sunny periods, not too windy and no rain. Part way up the other side we had a sit down to have some drinks from our flasks.

We continued on our rout soon reaching the hamlet of Abney. We followed down the road through Abney for a short distance before following another Public Footpath which led us down the Abney Brook valley with some muddy sections to start with but soon the ground became firmer and drier. We stopped near the bottom to sit on a partially ruined and low drystone wall to have our lunch with the Brook flowing beneath us.
After lunch we reached Stoke Ford where we had passed on another recent walk and I took advantage of some long, wet grass to wipe most of the mud from my boots. Karen then noticed the small of mint and found some mint growing in the grass.
We crossed another footbridge and then followed a rising path giving views both back along the Abney Brook valley with the autumnal colours of beech and larch trees, but also Hathersage in the distance. We followed along the top of the valley with views of the orienteering control points on the other side of the valley, then crossed a stile in a drystone wall onto the moorland which we crossed to soon reach the stile we originally intended to use at the start of the walk. As we expected, the orienteering was finished and we crossed the stile back onto the section of unmetalled road and then walked the short distance back to where we had left the car.
Afterwards, we stopped off at Outside at Calver crossroads for a meal and then home.

Kinder Scout

Karen had been ill with a bug most of the week and gad decided to have an easy day on Saturday to continue recovering. The weather forecast was for strong winds and rain but I had decided during the week that I was going to go walking whatever the weather. So, it was a return visit to Kinder Scout.
I parked at the car park at Barber Booth and set off up the road past a farm to Upper Booth and then through a gate leading along the side of Crowden Brook. Continuing up the Crowden Brook valley I decided to avoid my usual rout along the stream bed after all the recent rain, plus I could see a group of walkers further up near the top so to avoid queuing at the short scramble at the top, I chose the steep section leading up towards Crowden Tower which avoids the Brook which brought me to the path which skirts the edge of the plateau of Kinder Scout.
So far it hadn't been very windy and there had been no rain either. Plus it was clear with no sign of low cloud or mist so I followed the continuation of Crowden Brook in a North-West direction hoping to reach the farther edge of the plateau in the vicinity of Kinder Downfall. I kept following the large stream bed, keeping an eye on the compass. This led me more in a westerly direction overall. When the stream bed petered out I rejoined the plateau and although there were short sections of very boggy looking ground, these were easily avoidable, and those which weren't avoidable were not very deep anyway. Luckily there were none of the usual deep groughs which you find on the plateau so it was relatively easy going.
Soon I could see the further edge of the plateau and also hills in the distance beyond. There was a prominent rock in roughly the right direction so I just continued heading towards this rock. Soon I was at the path which leads along the further edge of the plateau and I immediately recognised the Mermaids Pool (a small pool of water) below and the large incut into the plateau formed by Red Brook about 1 kilometre south of the Downfall.
About this time it started to rain a bit and I sheltered in the lee of a rock overlooking the ground below and had a drink from my flask. After this, I rejoined the path and followed it southwards passing the Trig. Point at Kinder Low and then onwards to the large formation of Kinder Rocks. Here I found shelter in the lee of the wind and rain and had a lunch stop to eat my sandwiches and finish my flask.
I had been looking at the map while eating my sandwiches to decide on which route to follow next. As it was still early in the day and I didn't fancy descending via Jacob's Ladder, I decided to drop down from Edale Rocks and follow the edge path past the rocks at Noe Stool and the scattered large and weathered gritstone rocks at The Woolpacks. Here I found that a large piece of gritstone ahd fallen over recently and broken into large pieces. I wondered if it had been pushed over purposely but it looked too large to have done that so maybe it was just continuing weather erosion had weakened the base it it had simply collapsed.
Anyway, I soon passed the top of Crowden Brook again with the rain now persistent and followed on the gritstone slabs forming the path until just before the top of Grindsbrook valley where I veered off to the top of Grindslow Knoll. I passed the cairn on top and followed down the other side until I reached the path up from Edale village with a junction to a path leading back towards Upper Booth. I followed this path until I was back at the road leading back to where I had parked at Barber Booth after a nice five hour walk despite the wind and rain, which wasn't as bad as had been forecast anyway.

A Walk in the Goyt Valley from Buxton

This was a relatively short walk of around 6 miles starting and finishing near the centre of the town of Buxton.

We parked near the lovely park of Spring Gardens and walked through the park and along the Serpentine Walk until we followed a short path through woods and then across part of the Cavendish Golf Course. There was a wide track to follow eventually leading past Watford Farm above the golf course which led to a path running uphill behind the farm. After reaching a large open area of moorland, we dropped down a valley side soon reaching an old section of the High Peak Railway by the closed Burbage Tunnel. As we were getting hungry and this was a suitable lunch stop, we sat next to the old tunnel entrance and ate lunch watching a few groups of people following the old railway walking dogs.
Afterwards we followed onwards down the Wildstoneclough Valley passing a group of kids having a rest (probably a “DOE” group) until we arrived at a track which we had walked along on a previous walk near Errwood Reservoir. This track led us above the reservoir and eventually to a steep minor road which once was part of Bunsall Plane associated with the High Peak Railway.
We followed the road downhill for a short distance then through a stile to a footpath leading through woods and a footbridge across a stream. We had a short drinks break near the footbridge and then started uphill following a path which gave us views back to the route we had followed with the Errwod Reservoir in the distance.
Up until now it had been cool but dry but we could feel a few drops after we crossed the main road (A5002) and passed through a gate. So we stopped for a minute while Karen got her Paramo Velez on. We followed the gradually rising path up the fields and after following a short vehicle track along the White Hall Outdoors Pursuit Centre until we met a tarmaced lane which was an old Roman road according to the map. This lane gradually rose uphill to reach its highest point at about 1,500 feet above sea level with views across to the Cat and Fiddle pub in the distance on the Macclesfield to Buxton road.
After the highest point, the lane continued downwards with views of Buxton in the distance below with the surface of the lane rough and unmetalled. This brought us back to the A5002 again and after crossing the road, we followed the grass verge for a short distance until the pavement started. We followed the pavement for a short distance until a narrow footpath led down past part of the golf course, then past the Clubhouse until we arrived back at the footpath through the woods we had followed earlier.
We only had to retrace our steps through the Serpentine Walks and Palace Gardens with a short detour when we accidentally passed the exit form the park we needed – but soon were back on the right track and also soon back where we had left the car.
I had been wearing the Paramo 3rd Element Jacket I had bought which arrived last weekend for the first time as well as the Osprey Kestrel 38 rucksack. The jacket was very good and removing the hood and sleeves part made an enormous difference being much cooler when walking uphill. The rucksack, as expected, was very good and very comfortable.

Wood Mine, Alderley Edge

Ashley of the “Alt. Tuseday” cavers arranged for a trip for some of us into West Mine at Alderley Edge. Karen had asked of it was OK for Keith and Pete to come along as well and was told it was alright but in the event, Pete was suffering from a cold and stayed at home.

We met at 10:00 in the National Trust car park next to The Wizard Pub and found a party from Crewe Climbing and Potholing Club, including Keith Joule, also preparing for a trip to West Mine.

A member of the Derbyshire Caving Club acted as guide and led us through the woods past the entrance to Wood Mine, which we had visited on a previous occasion, across a field to a small fenced enclosure containing the lidded shaft entrance to West Mine.

The lid was opened and we climbed down a short iron ladder and headed into the mine. Like other Alderley Edge mines, the main product was copper and the ore-bearing rock is sandstone so all the mine had been dug out with no natural cavities. Also like the other mines, it is relatively warm, a fairly constant temperature of about 10 degrees Centigrade (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Also it is fairly dry and mainly walking passages with very little crawling or climbing,

Highlights of the trip were Plank Shaft, which now has a sturdy bridge across it instead of a plank of wood as in years past, The Lion (a rock with the profile of a lion's head when viewed from one direction sadly inscribed with graffiti), the Green River (a small stream coloured with a lovely green/blue from copper ore), The Laundry Chute (a sloping chimney connecting two passages at different levels) which some climbed up for fun, The Hourglass (another climb, but shorter, which is made awkward by being the shape of an Hourglass) and Sphinx Chamber with miniature Pyramids and a Sphinx made from the sandy floor. Also there was a small chamber with a ceiling which looked like it was made from a mosaic of small stones but was due to the sedimentary material drying out.
We were about four hours underground, including a break for lunch. Afterwards we had lovely egg or sausage sand in the Tea Shop next door to the pub.
Afterwards Karen and I drove home to feed the cat and have a shower, then spent the evening at the Orpheus CC cottage for bonfire and fireworks.