Walk on Stanton Moor

Karen had BCA and OCC 60th Anniversary Document to do plus the weather forecast wasn't very good so she stayed at home while I headed towards Birchover and onto Stanton Moor. I followed a path leading past the Reform Tower and on to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle. After some photos I headed via the trig point towards the small quarry near the Cork Stone and had some tea from my flask.
Afterwards I followed the path down to Birchover popping out opposite the Druid Inn. I decided to have a look around Rowtor Rocks behind the pub and had my lunch of cheese and pickle sandwiches there. This ia a curious place with all sorts of carvings and even hollowed-out boulders made into rooms. Following the path past the Old Vicarage and near Rocking Stone Farm I then headed down to the road and followed the track up to Robin Hood's Stride where I clambered up to sit in a sheltered spot at the foot of one of the large upright blocks at the top. While finishing off my flask of tea I watched a bank of drizzle move in and then headed back down the track to the road and retraced my way back up the path from the road to a junction with another path which I then followed towards Birchover.




There was a ruined building of some sort with on gable wall made from a large upright boulder which had inscriptions from the 18th and 19th centuries. I followed the path until I reach Birchover Lane and then followed Clough Lane back to where I had previously joined the lane and back into the fields leading back to the footpath bringing you into Main Street in Winster opposite home.

Short walk near Winster

Karen and I headed towards Birchover intending to drop down into Clough Wood for a circular walk but I was wearing an old pair of boots (Karrimor KSBS) to try them out and found them very uncomfortable - which is probably why I hadn't worn them for years! So we headed back fro home via Birchover Lane thus shortening the intended walk.

Exmoor

Another sunny, warm day. After breakfast at the hotel we packed up and got sandwiches for lunch at the small supermarket in Lynton and drove to park near a ford in Horner Woods. We followed the stream always keeping an eye out for red deer (or any other deer) but saw none. After a lunch break at a small bridge we followed a road uphill for a short way and then a gradually-rising path leading to the top of one side of the valley and then with wide-spreading views back to the ford and the car.

Exmoor

Another sunny, warm day. We had a nice circular walk to the Hoar Oak along Cheriton Ridge which is a very wide grassy slope and after lunch at the Oak and watching a hunt go by (on horseback), returned via the Hoar Oak Water at the valley bottom back to where we had parked.

Exmoor

Another sunny, warm day. We walked via the Sparrow Walk along one side of the East Lyn to have lunch at the National Trust centre at Watersmeet. This is a good spot to see birds as they all try and swoop in and gather crumbs and leftovers from tables in the garden! Afterwards we returned along the opposite side of the valley. In the evening we had a nice meal in The Green House restaurant.

Exmoor

The two of us drove down to Lynton in Karen's car arriving at the North Cliff Hotel in the afternoon. Right next to the hotel is the Cliff Railway which is really interesting as it uses gravity to move the railcar up and down the steep rails connecting Lynmouth and Lynton which are separated by quite a difference in height. After unloading the car we walked in the sunshine along the coast path to the Valley of the Rocks and then followed past the cricket pitch and the grassy car park where there were a large number of goats and a few ponies grazing. We followed the road back to Lynton and after some tea at a cafe, returned to the hotel.
In the evening we drove the short distance down to nearby Lynmouth and had a meal at The Rising Sun.

Kinder Scout, Peak District

Karen was in Rugby for until tomorrow morning and despite the forecast of rain, I decided to go walking on Kinder Scout. I originally intended to start from Edale car park (really Grindsbrook Booth as "Edale" is the name of the valley). I arrived there just after 9:30 in the morning and found it was now £5 to park and I didn't have the right change as I expected it to be £3.50. So I moved further up the valley near Barber Booth and parked in the large lay-by - which is free!
After parking and putting my boots on, I headed up the road and left it just after a small bridge through a small gate. This led to a footpath next to the stream and through some fields to arrive in Crowden Valley. Continuing along Crowden Brook I kept near the water and could see plenty of signs of recent high water levels where gravel and sand had been swept along by the brook and parts of the path had been damaged.
Reaching the head of Crowden Brook, I climbed the short but enjoyable scramble on gritstone and popped out in the Kinder plateau. Now, despite the forecast for rain, it was misty and windy with
occasional light rain and the boggy bits were very boggy so I followed the edge of the plateau where the going was firmer until I passed through the collection of gritstone boulders known as "The Woolpacks" which have been worn by the weather into a huge variety of sizes and shapes. Not long after this I left the plateau edge and headed fro the large gritstone outcrop known as "Edale Rocks" and stopped to have lunch.
After lunch, I dropped back down from Edale Rocks and headed down the path to intersect with "Jacob's Ladder" which is the usual route from Edale via the Pennine Way long-distance footpath. Following down Jacob's Ladder I was passed by several people pushing and carrying mountain bikes, which didn't look like much fun, and dropped below the mist and wind and after crossing the old packhorse bridge, followed the path until I reach the narrow road back to where I parked the car.