A Walk by Millstone Edge from Hathersage

After breakfast at Outside in Hathersage and a quick visit to the other gear shops, we returned to Karen's car in the public car park and followed a route from the village leading towards the large gritstone feature of Higgar Tor.
As we reached the road, we crossed over to the other side and then followed a route across the moorland to arrive at one end of the gritstone crag, Millstone Edge.
We followed a path along the foot of the crag and stopped for a quick break next to the crag sitting on a boulder and had a hot drink.
Continuing onwards, we reached the road beyond Millstone Edge at Surprise View and after dropping down the road back towards Hathersage for a few hundred metres, we passed through a stile in the wall next to a gate and then found ourselves on a wide grass-covered track which once used to service the nearby quarry.
At one part of the track we passed many finished millstones made of the quarried gritstone which had been left when the quarry ceased working and never used.
The track led through a silver birch wood and then to another quarry at Bolehill where there was an inclined plane or steep slope leading down to the railway below near Grindleford.
We followed the steep inclined plane for a few hundred metres then along a footpath leading towards some houses in Gindleford near the railway station.
After crossing the railway line using a bridge, we continued through a few fields to reach on bank of the River Derwent.
We then followed the sometimes muddy path back to Hathersaage.

 Walking up an old track

 Higgar Tor straight ahead

 A section of Millstone Edge

 Old Mill Stones

 Silver Birch Wood

Looking down the Inclined Plane at Bolehill Quarry

Water Icicle Close Cavern

John G. had arranged with Karen to have another visit to the cave in order to do some sampling and to take some other geologists along to have a look. Bob D. had agreed to come along and help anyone who needed it to get in and out via the entrance shaft. Since Bob had arranged to do this, Dave W. asked if he could also come and have a look at the new extensions in his capacity as DCA Conservation Officer.

We all met up in the café in Monyash at 10:00 and after some had breakfasts and cups of tea, we drove to the end of Derby Lane. It was a straightforward drive as the ground was dry and frozen as the last few days had been cold and dry.

Once Karen plus the geologists and Dave had abseiled down the shaft Bob and I set up a tripod made of three scaffold poles over the shaft in case we needed to assist or haul anyone on the way out later.

It was a very cold day and quite windy so once this was done, we both returned to my car for shelter and chatted until a few hours later Karen popped out of the shaft.

Bob and I returned to the shaft in the field and found Dave was the next person to come up. He managed this with no problems and was soon back at John's car getting changed. Next John arrived and Karen abseiled back down to check the lock as apparently the others weren't sure if they had locked it properly.

Trevor (one of the geologists) arrived next then Karen again. The last remaining member of the party, Richard S., had asked if some ladders could be lowered down as he was happier coming up using them rather than prusiking. Bob had brought four new 10 metre ladders for such an eventuality and we attached three together and attached them to the bar belay but they weren't quite long enough so we attached the last ladder. Richard climbed up as we lifelined him using the scaffold poles as an anchor.

All were very happy with their trip underground and we said “good bye” and went our ways.

A Walk on Big Moor

This was a walk which Karen had done some time ago during the week with “The Wombles”, a small group who go walking in the Peak District every second Wednesday. It is the area of Big Moor some 4 to 5 kilometres North of Birchen Edge near Baslow.
Luckily there is a car park nearby at Shillito Wood, and its free! We left the car and first had a look at an ancient stone cross in the wood then onto the road for a few hundred metres. Leaving the road by Ramsley Reservoir (which is small and no longer a reservoir but left as a wildlife reserve), we walked past the reservoir along a rough vehicle track until we arrived at the busy Sheffield road, where we crossed to the other side and then through a gate to follow the continuation of the track on the other side.
After two or three hundred metres we took a slight detour to have a look at a nearby small stone circle and large cairn. Further along the track was a small, overgrown quarry next to a very small long and thin reservoir, where we made use of the shelter from the wind to stop and have a quick drink.
The track led onwards along Big Moor passing near the largest of the reservoirs we passed, Barbrook Reservoir with a nice stone-built house next to it. We could see a couple of men with dogs which were wearing fluorescent coats (the dogs that is, not the men). They appeared to be Search and Rescue dogs and were being guide by the men to run across parts of the moor as the men walked along.
It turned out to be a SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association) exercise as we later saw a notice fixed to a gate informing walkers about the exercise. In fact Karen works with one of the men and met him later on in the café at Calver Crossroads.
We reached the same main road we had crossed earlier and the track continued on the opposite side leading Southwards towards woods. We sat next to track on a grassy bank to eat our lunch.
After lunch we continued on the track leading through the woods and arrived back at a gate into the car park.

Old stone cross in woods

Stone Circle

Large Cairn

Sculpture on side of track

Guide Stoop

Small Reservoir

A Walk Around Combs Moss

I have often driven along the A6 road from Buxton towards the village of Dove Holes and looked at the moorland rising above to the west and wondered what a walk along there would be like. For many years there had been no Public Rights of Way on that moorland of Combs Moss but after having a look at the map I noticed the whole moor is now designated as Public Access land since the Countryside and Rights of Way Act was passed in 2000.
The map seemed to indicate there should be good views and as the weather forecast was for cold but clear weather, I had suggested to Karen that we try out a walk following the edge of the plateau formed by Combs Moss.
Following the A6 from Buxton to Dove Holes, we turned left at the crossroads in Dove Holes and followed a narrow road leading to nearby Combs village.
We parked in a layby by Bank Hall Farm below the rocky promontory of Castle Naze where there is a stile. Unfortunately, despite the good weather forecast, it was quite misty. We hoped this would clear up later.
There is a sort of worn path leading steeply up from the stile which brought us to the plateau fairly quickly passing the gritstone crag on the way. I have heard of this crag called Castle Naze before but have never climbed there though. This corner of the plateau had an Iron Age Hillfort and you could see an obvious large banking forming one boundary of the Fort with the remaining two boundaries of the triangular area protected by steep ground and cliffs.
At the top, we turned right and followed the Combs Edge in a Southerly direction, leading above the crag with a drystone wall also following the same way on our left.
Gradually, every know and then the mist thinned and we could see a little further and could see a valley leading past below the crag on our right.
Soon we arrived at what must be the head of this valley at Pyegreave Brook and after carefully crossing the iced up rocks where the brook began its descent into the valley, we followed a narrow worn path again along the edge of the moor as it turned towards the West.
Further along we reached a vehicle track apparently used by grouse shooting parties. There were plenty of grouse around as well. (Why is “Grouse” the plural of “Grouse”, “Mice” the plural of “Mouse” and “Houses” the plural of “House”?!) All day we could hear the cries of “Ack!, Ack-ackackack ! Go back! Go back! Go Back!” as grouse took of every now and then as we walked along. We could also hear shots far below in the valley but couldn't see where they were coming from due to the mist.
After a while this track brought us to two well-maintained small buildings. One had no door or windows in place so was obviously a rough shelter, while the second had locked shutters over the windows and a locked door plus a chimney. These must be used by shooting parties.
We sat on the low wall of a third, ruined building and had a drink. Mine would have been hot fruit tea but I had forgotten to switch the kettle on this morning while making breakfast poured the water in – d'oh! Anyway, despite being cold, it was still very pleasant.
Continuing on our way, still following the edge on the inside of a well maintained drystone wall, we could see the mist quickly rising and the hoped-for views started to make an appearance. Once the mist had cleared the day remained largely overcast with the odd, fleeting small break in the clouds allowing the sun through. I was still cold though with the ground frozen and a very cold, stiff wind.
After turning another bit of a corner, we could see the White Hall Centre (an outdoors activities centre) below and part of Errwod Reservoir in the Goyt Valley in the near distance. We could also see the narrow rough vehicle track leading past the White Hall Centre being a Roman Road and also the original route to and from Buxton with the more modern and much more winding road wending its way past.
We reached another gritstone crag, locally known as Buxton Boss, but not named on the map, with views to the large town of Buxton in the distance. As the area below the crag was sheltered from the wind, we decided to have a short break and eat our lunch there.
After lunch we climbed back up above the crag, still following the drystone wall and passed just above Moss House Farm, then followed the wall as it turned North-East, still following the edge of the plateau.
Arriving at the deepish ravine of Flint Clough, we followed this inwards for a short distance until we could cross to the other side and continue on our route along the edge.
Spotting a ruined small building next to the path, we made use of its shelter from the cold, biting wind to have another drinks break, the headed along Black Edge towards the next feature which was a white-painted Trig. Column.
Now heading North, we could see the A6 below with Dove Holes further along and the obvious point of Win Hill on the horizon and near that, part of Kinder Scout.
Passing above the rocks of Hob Tor, the path continued and we could see Combs Reservoir in the distance which had earlier been hidden by mist, as we passed above Short Edge.
Soon we were back at the embankment of the old Hillfort at Castle Naze where we could see our starting point and Karen's car in the layby far below.
After letting a couple of climbers past, we dropped down the steep route leading back to the stile. I had slipped a fortnight ago while returning from a walk on Kinder Scout and had badly bruised my lower back so had taken it easy last weekend and stayed at home to rest it. Today I was being careful on any icy rocks in case I slipped and aggravate the injury which had nearly healed.
At the bottom of the steep ground, not far from the stile, on of my feet slid on the frozen ground and in attempting to recover, I bent the bottom section of my left-hand walking pole and snapped it off! To add insult to injury, I ended up on the ground and jarred the bruised area causing a return of some of the pain which had gone. Damn!
Anyway, luckily it was only a bit of a jarring of the muscle and the pain soon went – the only permanent injury was to may walking pole!

Castle Naze

Walking along the edge of the plateau

Shelter used for shooting parties

Erwood Reservoir

Fern Dale, Lathkill Dale and Cales Dale

So that Pete and Keith could have a look at the area surrounding some mine shafts in the area, as they were not that far away from Water Icicle Close Cavern, they joined Karen and myself on a short walk in the Lathkill Dale area.
First was a trip to the Hitch 'n' Hike shop near Bamford so that Pete and Keith could pick up their prize for the longest section of new cave found in the Peak District for 2010, which was 200 metres of SRT rope.
After this we stopped off at Monyash café for lunch then parked at the public toilets at the top of Lathkill Dale while Karen, Keith and Pete had a quick look at the entrance to nearby Cascade Cavern.
That done, we moved on to the lane which leads from Monyash next to Derby Lane and walked along the lane until it narrowed to a walled footpath leading to a junction of footpaths at the top of Fern Dale.
We dropped down Fern Dale and had a quick look for the mine shaft entrances we were interested in, then continued down the remaining section of Fern Dale to where it intersects Lathkill Dale.
We followed the somewhat icy path along the floor of Lathkill Dale, stopping en route to have a look at the entrances to Lathkill Dale Resurgence Cave and Critchlow Dale Cave opposite.
Continuing onwards and feeling warmer now from our walking (it was a sunny, clear but very cold day with a biting wind), we crossed the small footbridge to Cales Dale then followed that, passing through the farmyard of One Ash Grange Farm to reach some fields which led back to the path junction at the top of Fern Dale.
Retracing our route along the walled footpath and lane, we soon arrived back at our starting point at Monyash.
A second visit to the cafe of course, then home.

Kinder Scout

It was another visit for Karen to Water Icicle Close Cavern to accompany some local cavers on a photographic trip. The weather forecast was for wind with showers in the morning but clearing later and temperatures around 2 degrees Celsius in the valleys and a few degrees colder on the tops. But also string winds.
It was my birthday and looked like another visit to Kinder!
As I drove along the road leading to the top of Winnats Pass, things didn't look very promising with low cloud covering the tops and reaching the cloud as I drove through Mam Nick.
Leaving the car at Upper Booth, I walked across to Grindsbrook Booth (Edale Village) with the low cloud I had driven through starting to clear and the sun making an appearance. As I approached the village, it became a lovely sunny day, at least for a while.

I decided to start on the ascent via Ringing Roger. The weather forecast was right about the wind though – as I was walking along the path on one side of the rocks forming Ringing Roger I was being blown around by the wind. At least there were no showers though, and the scenery was changing constantly as clouds rapidly move past the sun, covering and uncovering it repeatedly.
I was soon on the path following the edge of the plateau and here and there were traces of remaining ice just to make things interesting. It also began to get cloudy again, with the sun disappearing again. At least the cloud was high enough to keep the tops clear.

I followed the path, nowadays a lot easier going since the boggy areas have been paved with large stone slabs, and made my way past Grindsbrook Clough, the path to Grindslow Knoll, and was soon at the top of Crowden Clough.
I was getting hungry by now and as there seemed to be some sort of rain or sleet showers approaching, I found a sheltered spot by the rocks of Crowden Tower and sat there and ate my sandwich and drank my hot drink from a flask.
There was some snow falling, mainly as very small balls of ice like hailstones – I suppose they were hailstones – and this soon passed.
Afterwards I started down the steep, heather-covered hillside to join the path leading alongside Crowden Brook. At one place I was walking along the top of a low drystone wall and as I stepped off it at the end by standing on a couple of handy, but small and narrow steps, my boot shot off the higher one and I landed on my arse! That really hurt for a few minutes but luckily no damage – probably just a large bruise later.
I made my way along the path which eventually joins the road again by Upper Booth Farm and the it was just a short walk back to where I had started.
I had a mug of tea and piece if cake at the café inside “Outside” (that always sounds funny) in Hathersage, where I bumped into Jim Alder and a female companion.
I sent a text to Karen to tell her I had finished the walk and then got one from Keith saying he and Pete were heading for the café in Monyash as they had finished their underground activities for the day and Karen would soon be joining them, so I left Hathersage and stopped of at Monyash on the way home to have yet another mug of tea!

Chrome Hill

A short walk today. After calling in at the Orpheus Caving Club cottage to sort out a couple of things, Karen and I drove over to park near Chrome Hill at the foot of Dowel Dale neat the village of Earl Sterndale.
We walked up Dowel Dale which is a sort of smaller version of the limestone gorge of Winnats Pass near Castleon passing the open pot of Owl Hole at the top and the large road-side shake holes.
Following a rough track, we joined a concessionary footpath leading to the huge fin of Chrome Hill. Chrome Hill is the remnant of an ancient reef which surrounded a lagoon and is quite impressive.
We continued along the crest of the hill, luckily it was dry (with a bit of a cold wind) as the short sheep-grazed grass and patches of limestone can be slippery when wet.
Soon we dropped down the last bit of Chrome Hill leading to the small road below and then back to the car.

 Dowel Dale Resurgence

 Dowel Dale

 Walling around Owl Hole

 Chrome Hill

 Looking back along the crest of Chrome Hill

Nearing the bottom of Chrome Hill looking across to Parkhouse Hill

Kinder Downfall from Birchen Clough

The last couple of days were damp, foggy and miserable but with a weather forecast for a return to cold and clear conditions, it seemed like a perfect day for a walk in the Kinder area.
After parking at the small car park at Birchen Clough on the A57 (Sheffield to Glossop road), Karen and I walked across the road and went through a gate to a descending paved path leading to a small coniferous wood.
We followed a path through the wood which ran alongside the River Ashop and after passing a footbridge which crossed the river, we followed a rising path which returned further along the road.
Luckily there was plenty of room on the verge as we walked along the road passing the Snake Inn and then back into the wood via another gate signposted to Fair Brook.

Again we joined the path along the River Ashop – the diversion was due to a bungalow and garden which is located next to the road. At the confluence of Fair Brook with River Ashop was a second footbridge, which we crossed and then followed a path which led us along the wide valley running below the Northern edge of Kinder Scout.

Fair Brook runs off the plateau of Kinder Scout and there is a path which traces the route of Fair Brook as it leaves the plateau. This was a lovely route and near the top of Fair Brook there was a length of scrambling over gritstone boulders, avoiding the water-splashed parts as these were icy.

After a short break for a hot drink from our flasks, we following the channel of Fair Brook on the plateau as it wended its way South, we struck off on a compass bearing which led to the River Kinder near the rocky buttresses of Kinder Gates. In the distance we heard and then saw a helicopter, which appeared to be an Air Ambulance, which was circling and then landing. It seemed to be in the area of Kinder Downfall.
The river was largely frozen and we tended to stick to the path running alongside rather than slide along on the ice.

Soon we arrived where the River Kinder tumbles off the plateau at the rocky amphitheatre of Kinder Downfall.
After a pause to see if we could see any sign of the Downfall – which we couldn't from this angle – we continued on along the route of the Pennine Way as it followed the edge of the plateau in a North-Westerly direction.

Soon we saw the Air Ambulance which we had seen earlier and then heard its engine start up. As we approached, it took off and headed towards Manchester leaving behind a small group of walkers and a number of Mountain Rescue Team members. According to the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team website, a woman had broken her ankle and had become very cold leading to the call-out.

We had a short break sitting on some boulders and having more hot drinks and a snack before moving on. About a kilometre later, we arrived at a crossroads of the Pennine Way path with the Snake Path after clambering down a steepish section with rough, rocky steps.
After a section of path paved with large rocky slabs we continued along the path with some muddy and boggy sections for what seemed a long time. The Snake Path leads from Hayfield along Ashop Clough and after about five kilometres we arrived at part of the coniferous wood we had walked through earlier.
By now it was getting very dark – it was after 16:30 as we had started relatively late at around 11:30 - and in the wood it was even darker. So we stopped for a few minutes to get our head torches out and walked the last bit through the wood along the River Ashop to reach the footbridge we had passed earlier.

We crossed the River Ashop using the footbridge and then retraced our earlier route through the remainder of the wood back to the gate and then across the A57 to the car park arriving back at 17:05.