After walking up steps
next to the dam, we followed a track along one side of the reservoir
popular with cyclists.
After a couple of
kilometres, we found the footpath leading off into the Abbey Brook
valley which we followed. It's a very picturesque valley and very
enjoyable to walk along even with the cold wind and beginnings of a
light shower. We could see the crags on the skyline ahead were
beginning to be hidden by low cloud and mist.
Near the head of the
valley, the path swung around to the right (heading south) and began
to rise more steeply and became softer underfoot.
After crossing a
couple of stiles, the path swung to the left (eastish) and was paved
with old slabs and headed for the obvious small summit of Lost Lad
with its cairn and small stone column with a topograph on top.
It always seems to be
particularly windy at this location and after taking a few photos, we
continued along the slabbed path heading for the large gritstone tor
known as Back Tor some 500 or 600 metres away.
By now the light rain
had returned and with the temperature drop due to the increase in
height, it had turned to sleet and with the wind, it was blowing
across our route horizontally.
At Back Tor we found a
sheltered spot and sat on a couple of small boulders and ate our
lunch while being amused by the antics of some male grouse as they
flew a few feet up in the air and made their characteristic call of
“Ack”, “Ack, ack, ack,” “Go back, go back, go back”.
After we had finished
our lunch, the sleet luckily stopped and we continued on our way,
passing a curlew nearby.
The path continued to
be paved with stone slabs so was easy going as we passed the large
landmarks of Dovestone Tor, The Salt Cellar and when we reached the
next large tor of gritstone known as The Wheel Stones, we again made
use of their shelter to have a short break and some hot drink.
Luckily it was while we were sitting in this sheltered spot that
there was another sleet shower.
Continuing again
afterwards, when we reached a signpost, we left the path which
continued along the edge towards Whinstone Lee Tor, and followed a
path dropping down to join a bridleway which passed a field with
sheep and some lambs, including a pair of very recently-born lambs.
The muddy path
continued dropping down towards the Derwent Valley and the reservoirs
in the distance, passing a well-preserved small barn with the date
1647 over its door.
Nearby was an
unsurfaced track leading back along Ladybower Reservoir, soon
becoming surfaced with tarmac and in a couple of kilometres, we were
back at Fairholmes Car Park.
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