Saturday, 10 March 2012

Three Shires Head

Leaving the car parked in the small car park near Derbyshire Bridge in the Goyt Valley area not far from Buxton, we followed a route across moorland southwards after hearing and watching a Curlew flying past overhead.
After about 300 metres, we passed through a gate onto an old track which led us eastwards and soon joined the Buxton - Macclesfield (A537) road.
We crossed the road and after going through another small gate, we followed a track on the moor heading southwards, soon passing an old coal mine mineshaft and then we joined a broader track sign posted “Dane Valley Way”.
Soon we arrived at a minor road and we continued following the Dane Valley Way along this road for a short distance then it left the road and again headed across moorland.
After passing an old quarry, we walked along a track leading below Orchard Farm and passing the drive leading up to Black Clough Farm, the route followed a rough track leading down a narrow valley which soon led us to Three Shire Heads and the picturesque Panniers Pool where an ancient pack-horse bridge crosses the River Dane.
We sat on a rock on the river bank near the bridge which was sheltered from the rather cold wind and had our lunch.
Afterwards, we followed the true right-hand bank of the River Dane heading northwards and after a while passed an old coal mine entrance with the obvious spoil heaps of Reeve-edge Quarry higher up on the other side of the valley. The path led passed a short square-shaped stone-built chimney which was in excellent condition despite its obvious old age.
We crossed the nearby A54 main road and then through a gate onto more moorland with a wide track leading eventually to the Cat and Fiddle pub, the second highest pub in Britain, located next to the A537.
We crossed the A537 and followed along side it to the south-east for a few hundred metres then along a minor road which led us soon back to where we started.
Old Coal Mine Entrance

Frog Spawn

An Old Packhorse Bridge

Another Old Packhorse Bridge at Three Shires Head

An Old Mine Adit

Old Mine Chimney

Looking Back Down the Valley

Cat and Fiddle Inn


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