Chaffinch on a Signpost
Near Ricklow Quarry we heard a sheep continuously bleating to our right. Karen went to investigate and found a sheep which had got itself tangled in a wire fence. Before Karen had reached the sheep, it had freed itself and run off. So, we left the sheep to do its sheepish things and we followed a rising path on our left which brought us through part of Ricklow Quarry and then along the edge of Lathkill Dale.
View Down into Lathkill Dale
There were lovely views down a long stretch of the Dale and we could see the numerous walkers below threading their way along the path in the bottom of the Dale while we had our path to ourselves.We continued on our way, pausing at vantage points to take photos. We reached the limestone tower of Parsons Tor with the opening of Lathkill Top Cave down below. We passed an optional way down to the Dale bottom opposite Cales Dale via steep steps and a path wending its way along the side of the Dale and continued to a smaller Dale joining from the left.
After following a way down steepish grass to reach a path following the subsidiary Dale's bottom we passed by a cave passage leading below a large Rake and soon were at the River Lathkill and the bottom of Lathkill Dale.
We turned up the Dale and followed the river bank passing Coots and Moorhens nesting on little islands of twigs in the river.
Moorhen on Nest
Reaching a scree slope leading to what looked like a small rock shelter and small opening which we had seen earlier from the top of the Dale side, I scrambled up the scree and investigated. The suspected rock shelter turned out to be just that and the opening below a clump of greenery proved to be to small to enter despite all the bare soil indicating something at least regularly went in and out of the hole.Sliding back down the scree slope to rejoin Karen, we continued on our way until we reached the footbridge across the river to the foot of Cales Dale. Following a group of walkers along the path up Cales Dale, we branched right towards One Ash Grange farm while the others crossed to the other side to follow stone steps up the Daleside.
We followed the rocky path along a small limestone crag, up rocky steps and past a small passage which looked like it was possibly a trial dug out by miners in search of lead but was only a few metres long.
Limestone Steps
Fossil Coral on Steps
Soon we were at the farmyard of One Ash Grange and passing the small limestone grotto, which still has its Christmas Nativity figures! After looking at the small stone-built pigstyes with their stone feeders, we passed through a gate with a cattle grid and then along a farm track leading higher up Cales Dale.
Old Pigstyes
We had considered taking a three mile detour round-trip to have a look at the stone age monument of Arbor Low but decided to forgo that option today. So, we took an alternative path which led across several large fields. At one particular field Karen went to investigate a circular drystone wall (which turned out to be surrounding a large Dew Pond) while I continued slowly, until Karen caught up, down towards our target: the stile in the lower corner of the field.As I was walking down the field, an aircraft approached and passed over head and seemed to be a Spitfire! It must have been returning from or heading to a display somewhere. I then spotted a reddish-brown hare in the adjacent field and shouted to Karen and pointed to it as she made her way towards me.
Spitfire
We soon reached a narrow enclosure between drystone walls with a well-worn path which gradually widened to become a farm track. We followed this for a short distance back to the village of Monyash at the junction with Derby Lane.
Monyash Village Pond
After a quick look at the mere (Village Pond), we headed straight for the café again, this tome for an ice cream.
I was wearing Inov8 Roclite 315 for the first time to try out a lightweight alternative to boots, Keela trousers and Osprey Kestrel 38 rucksack
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