Circular Walk around Abney Moor, Peak District

As I had a gift voucher from Xmas for "Outside" and their main shop is in Hathersage, we decided on a walk near that village. The two of us, Karen and I, drove to Hathersage and after spending my money buying a Rab Bergen jacket, we returned to the car park and got our boots on.
Heading out of Hathersage on a lane, we headed across fields following a Public Footpath heading for Leadmills Bridge near "The Plough" pub. Passing through the stile at the end of the bridge we followed the Highlow Brook for a short distance before heading up a short muddy path through a wood to follow the drive towards Broadhay Farm and then through a gate into more fields and a gradually rising path through woods to pass close by a house and onto another drive with good views back across the valley over Hathersage.
After a short stop for hot drinks from our flasks, we followed the small road soon arriving at a "T" junction near Highlow Hall, and then along the road for a short distance and again on a drive heading towards Oaks Farm. Before reaching the farm we followed on a continuing path leading to open moorland and an obvious pathway. Following this we found that it was fairly windy and we had been sheltered up to now and after a short break in the lee of a drystone wall we continued on passing low shooting butts until we reached Shatton Lane. Now the views across the Hope Valley opened out with views across to Mam Tor, Kinder Scout and Lose Hill. Following down the lane we passed beneath a small TV mast and at a gate, turned off the lane onto a bridleway with a horse rider coming towards us, we held the gate open as she passed.
The bridleway led back towards Hathersage and after passing through fields and crossing the Manchester to Sheffield railway, we crossed another field to arrive at Jaggers Lane and the short distance back to the car park in Hathersage.

Circular Walk via Chrome Hill, Peak District

After several days with the temperature either below freezing or at the most just about at freezing we woke up to find that there had been freezing fog overnight which coated everything with small, white ice crystals so that it looked like it had snowed lightly overnight.
The two of us drove the short distance to just over the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border to the very small village of Hollinsclough, once famous for its silk weaving cottage industry. We parked at a small parking place by the village school and followed the road for a short distance until we popped through a gate onto a bridleway which dropped down to frozen field. The way continued via a small ford which was luckily shallow, leading Karen and I via a small wood. We followed down a slope to a boggy area, which was luckily mostly frozen, at the bottom of the nearby small valley and then up the grassy slope the other side to a stone barn which had been recently renovated.
We followed along the valley side gradually dropping down until we met a small stream with several paths converging and a lovely old packhorse bridge, Washgate Bridge. This was part of an old packhorse trail along which some two hundred years ago “jaggers” brought their pony teams laden with goods in the days before canals and the railway. Unfortunately there were tracks from trial bikes, which should not have used this route as it is wither footpath or bridleway and meant for those on foot, horse or bicycle. 

We crossed over Washgate Bridge following the track which appeared to have been cobbled at one time but now with the cobble stones scattered probably as a result of trial bikes causing damage. The old packhorse trail wound its way up with several bends up the side of the valley, with the mist clearing revealing lovely views across the valley, until it gradually dropped down next to Leycote Farm. We continued on the track to a second farm called Booth Farm and then to a junction with the metalled track continuing onwards with a junction to another bridleway with the sound of a trial bike's engine nearby.
We followed the track for a short distance to enter a field by a gate and back into the fog. Following signposts marking the public footpath we dropped down the steep, grassy slope with the
fin shaped Chrome Hill looking out of the mist. The path starts along the side of the ridge of Chrome Hill and then follows up a slope to the other side but at a higher level. Soon the path brings you onto the top of the ridge and follows easily along the top. There was a short steep section of exposed limestone covered with hoarfrost like everything else, which looked like it would be very slippery but was easily avoidable by a path to one side and soon we were back on top of the ridge again. All to soon the ridge finished at the highest point of Chrome Hill which left a steep grassy slope dropping down the other side to a tree with a stile next to it and a memorial plaque to Bill Etches of nearby Dowel Hall Farm. Another section of smaller ridge led us back to the road which drops down from Dowel Dale and we followed this for a short distance and then down a track leading to Stannery Farm until we were back on tarmaced road which brought us after a short distance back to the school in Hollinsclough.

Circular Walk near Home

A shorter walk today and nearer home. Karen and I drove three or so miles to the hamlet of Gratton and parked. As we were putting on our boots, we were passed by a number of Triumph cars on some sort of run. We followed the road for a short while and then followed a Public Footpath through a farm yard and some fields until we again reached a lane. We followed this and left it at a sharp bend for a Bridleway which brought us to the a view point over Long Dale where we stopped for a short drinks break.
After the break, we followed Long Dale to the junction with Gratton Dale and along this dale until we arrived back at the road at Gratton which left a couple of hindered yards to bring us back to the car. After changing back out of boots we stopped off at the small cafe in Elton for a meal and then headed back a couple of miles to home in Winster.

Walking on Kinder Scout

After several days of freezing temperatures and with a dry forecast Karen and myself decided it would be a good day to have a walk on Kinder Scout as the peat would be frozen and the Downfall also frozen. We headed for Barber Booth in the Edale Valley and followed the route up Crowden Brook. Once we reached the plateau we had a drinks break and then headed across the middle of Kinder Scout heading North-east and then North until we arrived at Seal Edge with views down into the Snake Pass and across to Fairbrook Naze.
Taking a bearing from the map for the Kinder River bear Kinder Gates, we headed in that direction and once we arrived at the River we followed the frozen water for the three quarters on a mile of so the the Downfall. As expected, the Downfall waterfall was frozen but there was some flowing water anyway. After a lunch break in the shelter of some boulders, we followed the path along the plateau edge until passing near the trig point at Kinder Low we dropped down to the large Edale Rocks and had another short drinks break. Finally we followed down the path of Jacobs Ladder and along the road back to the car park at Barber Booth just as it was getting dark at half past four or so.

Walking on Kinder Scout, Peak District

Even though the forecast was for rain, and when it wouldn't be raining, there would be heavy rain(!) and because Karen sensibly decided to stay indoors, I decided to go walking on Kinder Scout!.
Setting off around a quarter past nine after breakfast I drove to Upper Booth in Edale and parked at the car park where there were a group of walkers gathered around a large gas stove perched on a box cooking breakfast! I put on my waterproof overtrousers and boots and headed up the road until I reached a farm where the Pennine Way follows through the farm yard. Following this path I arrived at what most know as "Edale" but is actually Grindsbrook Booth.

I had already decided to follow up Ringing Roger to gain the Kinder Plateau and this is what I did. There weren't many others around, unsurprisingly given the weather forecast. Following around the Eastern edge of the plateau I reached the point where a stream drops down a ravine at near the top of Grindsbrook valley and found that the stream was so high you couldn't just cross at the usual point but by heading upstream a short way, I was able to step across a gap with the water passing below.
I continued around the plateau edge until reaching the head of Crowden Book where I sat beneath the rocks of Crowden Tower and had a sandwich and drink from my flask for lunch. Afterwards I decided to follow down the brook to eventually reach the road and then walked the short distance back to the car park. I changed out of my boots and headed just after three in the afternoon for home where Keith was having coffee after having come up for the weekend for the Orpheus Caving Club Christmas Dinner which was happening that evening.
After a shower and a short rest, Karen and I headed for the OCC cottage and met around thirty others for the annual Christmas Dinner which was excellent as usual.

Yordas Pot

The morning was lovely with clear, blue skies and snow-covered hills and fields and cold. We had some breakfast and headed for Bernies as usual. While having more breakfast(!), others arrived who had traveled up in the morning including Boyd, Nikki and Matt Adlam Styles and Dave Phillips. The plan was for Notts Pot on Leck Fell and Boyd handed over the permit saying that he was only up for the day and was going walking. We were waiting for Robert and Phil to arrive but there was no sign of them. Realising that they had probably headed for the car park on the way to Leck Fell we all headed off for the same place. The car park had quite a lot of ice and we were wondering if we would make it the few miles up the narrow lane to the fell with all the snow and ice. We left some of the cars in the bottom car park near the main road and headed up the lane.
We had got past the farms and houses and although the road was fairly clear and the snow around it wasn't very deep, Mark's car came to and icy stretch and he couldn't continue. we parked up behind and tried pushing but didn't get very far. In the meantime I ran a quarter of a mile or so up the road to see if it was getting worse and found that it was. I headed back and found that Mark had managed to turn around via a gate into a field and we all headed back to the lower car park to talk about Plan "B".
I suggested Kingsdale as it would probably prove more accessible in the icy conditions and there are plenty of caves to choose from - we had plenty of rope which would have been needed for Notts Pot as well. Pete suggested the Yordas Pot Roof Traverse which we had done a few weeks ago: others suggested Jingling Pot. Since we had plenty of rope and time we decided to do both. Mark, Phil, Robert, Dave, Matt and I headed for Yordas Pot, Pete, Jess and Jim headed for Jingling Pot while Karen and Nikki decided to have a short walk nearby.
We headed into one of the middle entrances to Yordas Pot finding the water levels fairly low. Mark headed in doing the rigging and I followed close behind then the others. At the start of the Roof Traverse, I swung about on the rope a bit and tried traversing around and realised that my shoulder was still fairly week and I would probably not be able to cope with the more strenuous bits towards the end so I let the others pass and then headed back out via the middle entrance and found Karen in the spacious Main Chamber of Yordas Cave which is large and fairly flat with a large walk-in entrance. She had been wandering about with the small LED light on her keyring. We walked across the chamber to the Chapter House Waterfall to watch the others making their away along the Roof Traverse thirty feet or so above. The last of them seemed to have a lot of trouble getting past the deviation right at the end.
Dave had been last and had unclipped the deviation and could re-clip it so just abseiled down without getting too wet, unlike Matt! Once they were all down, they headed out via the Main Chamber and I thought I might prusik up and try and re-clip the deviation but I realised I would have ended up mostly in the waterfall to begin with and would have got very wet, so I gave up and followed the others out.
Matt had got pretty wet and headed back to his car while I followed Mark towards Jingling Pot followed by the others. It was difficult to work out where the Turbary Road track was due to the snow and the sun shining directly at us, but after wandering along we found it. I found Mark when near the Pot and he had found it very quiet with no answer to his calls - it is basically a blind shaft with a smaller side continuation and they should have heard him calling. He thought that the others must have resurfaced and we missed each other as they headed for Yordas Pot. Karen had Jim's car keys so she headed back to the cars in case he was looking for them and soon afterwards we heard the others who were still below in the Pot. Jess arrived at the surface after Mark, Phil and Robert had abseiled down followed some time later by Jim. By now Dave and I were still at the surface and getting pretty cold, so I headed back to the car with Jim and Jess to get changed. Once changed we headed back to Bernies leaving Pete and Dave to do the Yordas traverse and de-rig while Mark, Phil and Robert de0rigged Jingling Pot. Later most of us met in Bernies but only Matt and Nikki had got their before the kitchen had closed and managed to get the last order for chip butties in!

Caving Weekend Yorkshire Dales

I felt knackered when arriving home from work and Karen offered to drive. So we set off for the Yorkshire Dales at around 6:30pm and left a very cold Peak District to find an even colder Yorkshire Dales with quite a lot of snow lying on the ground from earlier in the week: luckily the roads were fine. We arrived at the YSS place in Helwith Bridge and found quite a lot of cars parked there with a large group from VMC (a mountaineering club?) busy cooking in the kitchen with torches as there was a power cut. They told us, from Alan Speight, that a group from Manchester University Speleological Club were likely to arrive later as they hadn't been able to get to Bull Pot Farm where they had intended to stay, so the Orpheus CC lot (us) could use the YSS Members' room.
We dropped our gear off and headed fro the pub: The Helwith Bridge, just a couple of hundred yards away. Here we found fellow OCC members Jim Alder and Jess Eades who were chatting to members of Bradford Pothole Club. There was a single emergency light in the bar with some candles, due to the power cut and despite having some cooked food, Jim was disappointed that he couldn't have any chips due to the power cut. After an hour or so the electricity came on and Colin the landlord turned the lights off as it was quite nice with just the single light and candles. Later on Mark Silo and Pete Wagstaff arrived along with Robert Protheroe-Jones and Phil Walker.