Kinder Scout

Another return to Kinder. I know its not very imaginative, but I always enjoy walking on Derbyshire's highest location. This time I parked in the layby near Upper Booth and walked across the fields to Edale. I managed to slide on muddy grass as I stepped of the paving slabs to let a couple coming the other way get past and ended up with a muddy knee, sleeve and one cheek of my bum! I also managed to slightly bend the end of one walking pole but managed to straighten it again by carefully bending it while it was stuck in a gap in one of the field walls.
When I reached the junction with the start of the Pennine Way coming for Edale and the route up Grindslow Knoll, I washed off most the the mud in a small stream next to the path.
Repeating a section of yesterday's walk, I started up Grindslow Knoll, only this time it was quite a bit colder (just around freezing point) and the air was clear and drier so I was nowhere near as warm as yesterday.
As I was walking up the steeper stepped section of path near the top, I head an odd squeaking noise and paused to have a look around. I then spotted a large skein of geese flying in several “V” formations flying overhead from the direction of Grindsbrook Clough and the odd noise was their continuous “honking” as they flew!
At the top of the Knoll, I stopped again, like yesterday, but instead of to cool down, this time it was to put on a Mountain Equipment Shadow Hoodie fleece jacket as it was so chilly and I had now reached a windy section, Up to then there had been hardly any wind and I was walking uphill so just the Paramo Aspira smock I was wearing had been warm enough.
I also had a quick hot drink from my flask and then continued.
Reaching the top of Grindsbrook Clough, I turned left to follow the large stone slabs forming the pathway and headed in the direction of Crowden Clough to the west. I saw several runners heading along the path at the top of Crowden Clough and met on who asked if we were at Crowden Clough – it must have been some sort of event.
Continuing on, it became very windy and streams if mist were blowing across the plateau as I made my way through the natural sculpture park called The Woolpacks and near the large rock outcrop called the Pagoda I found a small bench-like clump of mossy grass by some boulders which was mostly sheltered from the biting wind and I sat there to eat my sandwich and have a hot drink. I put on my Paramo Torres gilet to keep warm and ended up leaving it on afterwards until I reached the top of the footpath down Jacob's Ladder.
As I was finishing lunch, there was a light snow shower and the wind seemed to increase. So I packed everything up and continued on my way following the path below Edale Rocks and then down Jacob's Ladder.
When I reached the bottom of the stepped section of the path just above the old packhorse bridge, I saw there mountain bikers coming down the bridleway section which this short section of path provides an alternative. The guy in the lead was walking wheeling two bikes along and a second guy was carefully walking slowly behind while the third followed slowly on his bike.
I asked the first guy if the guy walking had come off and he said that he had and had broken his cycling helmet so it must have been with some force. I asked if he had been knocked out at all and he said he hadn't and was happy to continue slowly.

I polished off the last of my hot chocolate from my flask and made my way back to my starting point.

Kinder Scout

Karen had been having pain from a bruised heel and as it was still playing up she decided to continue taking it easy so again I returned to Kinder Scout. I repeated the walk I did on New Years Eve: up via Grindslow Knoll down via Ringing Roger.
The weather forecast had bee for yet more wind and gales but these failed to materialise although it was misty on the top of the plateau.
I left the car park in Edale and started up Grindlow Knoll and found it fairly warm and sweaty. Although it was still cool at around 5 or 6 degrees Centigrade, with the mist the air must have been very humid, plus I was moving fairly swiftly up hill.
I stopped on the lee side of the Knoll to have a breather and cool down and also a drink from my flask. As I was sitting there on piece of insulating pad I always carry in my rucksack, I heard some voices and three walkers: two men and a woman appeared out of the mist following the path skirting the Knoll on the Grindsbrook side.
One of the men asked if I could read a map and pointed at Kinder Downfall on his map saying that was their destination. He then pointed at another location and asked if that was where we were. I didn't pay attention to exactly where he was pointing as I could see it was nowhere near Grindslow Knoll so I corrected him and showed him where we really were. They had followed the route up Grindsbrook from Edale and turned sharp left to get where they were.
He was surprised at how far out he was from where he thought he was! He pointed at the green dashed line following the original route of Pennine Way heading for Kinder Downfall and asked where that path was.
I explained that there was no path, that the line was only showing the route of a Public Right of Way and showed him the symbol for a path on the ground (black dashed line). He was happy with my suggestion of following the path from the top of Grindsbrook Clough on the slabs a or well-worn path following the plateau edge heading for the top of Jacob' Ladder seeing as they weren't confident at map reading nor had a compass and it was misty! They decided to do this and at the junction of the path which heads towards the Downfall, they would decide wheter to walk tot he Downfall and back to return to Edale via Jacob's Ladder or just go straight back to Edale via this route leaving the Downfall for another day.
I continued on my way around the top of Grindsbrook Clough and along the edge path heading towards Ringing Roger.

At about Noon, I stopped in the lee of a boulder to have lunch, then proceeded again towards Ringing Roger and then down back to Edale.

Kinder Scout

Yesterday was again wet and windy but I was on holiday from work and at home so it was a day spent indoors. Today Karen decided to also have a rest day so I had a walk on Kinder Scout. Up via Grindslow Knoll and down via Ringing Roger.

It was still showery and very windy and I suppose with the bad weather together with it being New Years Eve, I only saw half a dozen other people out walking.

Travel Back Home

As the weather was still wet and windy, we had breakfast and settled up with the B&B owner (£35 each per night). As the parking outside was restricted to certain hours, once we had packed the car we relocated I to the main town car park and then had a wander around various gear shops as well as have a snack in a café.

After this, we set off for home around lunch time.

Dow Crag from Walna Scar Track Car Park

An improvement in the weather luckily with a lot less wind and no rain despite a misty start on the tops. We drove to Coniston and at first tried two road turnings before choosing the right on leading up a steep lane ending at a metal field gate.
Through the gate is a rough car parking area at the start of the Walna Scar track and we parked here and got our walking boots on at the same time as several other walkers.
While the crowds made for the track leading northwards presumably all intent on the summit of the Old Man of Coniston, we followed the Walna Scar Road track westwards.
As we gradually gained height, we could see more and more of Coniston Water behind us and also into the far distance where the sun was glinting off the sea. The tops of the surrounding mountains were mostly hidden in mist and there were occasional breaks in the cloud allowing the sun to light up the cwm between the Old Man and Dow Crag highlighting the old quarries on both sides.
We paused to take photos and crossed a small packhorse bridge over a stream before starting up a steeper section of path.
Although there was a lot less wind than yesterday, there was still quite a bit of cold wind so we made use of a small abandoned quarry next to the path to sit sheltered from the wind and have a hot drink from our flasks.
Continuing afterwards, we reached a shallow col and a crossroads formed by two paths. Taking the right-hand choice brought us up towards the summit of Brown Pike and the start of a ridge geading towards the top of Dow Crag.
As the ridge bore the full force of the wind and there was some shelter offered by a small circular wall and again we sat in the lee of this rough and low wall to have another bit of hot drink while we saw the mist move around the side of the Old Man opposite us.
We continued along the ridge wearing extra insulation as the wind was very cold and quite a bit stronger at this height being careful to not approach the edge too closely as the wind was blowing in that direction and below were very high cliffs and gullies.
We passed another summit at Buck Pike and after a similar distance reached the highest point of the ridge and the more rocky summit of Dow Crag.
After balancing across boulders and rocky slabs the path continued northwards and then north-east dropping down to the col at Goat's Hawse. We found a well-sheltered spot next to the path part way down and sat there to eat our lunch.
As we were eating lunch the mist gradually lifted revealing the whole of the Old Man opposite Goat's Hawse.
After lunch we dropped down to the col and then made our way down the rocky steps forming the start of the path descending to pass close to Goat's Water and views of the large and dark cliffs on the side of Dow Crag.
As we were walking towards the lake of Goat's Water we noticed that every now and then the string wind would blow some of the water from the surface of the lake and then whip a cloud of water across the surface.

After passing the lake, the path eventually rejoined the Walna Track Road and we retraced our route back to the car park.

Walna Scar Road heading towards Brown Pike

Tiny shelter

Summit of Brown Pike

Summit of Buck Pike

Summit of Dow Crag

Old Man of Coniston from Dow Crag

Cliffs on Dow Crag

Goat's Water

Easdale Tarn from Grasmere

As we were both taking a break from work between Christmas and the New Year, Karen and I decided to spend a couple if days in the Lake District.
We had done this twice before in recent years, only we were joined by Keith and Pete Collins on those occasions. Pete and Keith were staying in the Peak District at the same time to go digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern.
As on those previous trips we stayed at Claremont House, a bed and breakfast accommodation in the centre of Ambleside. Unlike those previous trip, the weather wasn't very good.
Anyway, we set off from home in the morning and after 2 and three quarter hours parked in the village of Grasmere. The weather was extremely windy with frequent showers so the route would remain at low level and make use of the landscape to gain shelter from the south-westerly wind.
Leaving the car parked in a small car park belonging tot he church which had an honesty box for payment of car parking fees, which we did, particularly as it was cheaper than the main “pay and display” car park in the village, we followed Easedale Road bringing us to the start of a bridleway. The bridleway brought us along Easedale Beck which flows out of Easedale Tarn, which was our destination for the walk.
It was a very easy and pleasant walk (if you ignored the rain showers!) and largely sheltered from the fierce winds. The picturesque waterfall called Sour Milk Gill soon was in view and our route took us close by.
Sections of the path were paved with steps made from rough rock as the ground steepened and as we neared the tarn, we were exposed to the full force of the wind which wasn't only very strong, but was gusting quite a lot.
As we paused in the shelter of a large boulder by the outlet of the tarn we saw a couple out walking with a dog on the opposite side of the beck. They were looking at trying to cross the beck using large stones in the beck's bed but appeared to be hesitating.
They saw us and waited for us to cross, probably to see what would happen! We waited for a lull in the wind between gusts and Karen started stepping across the 4 metres or so of beck while I hurried across behind wishing I had me walking poles like Karen!
Luckily we made it without falling in and set off back towards Grasmere on another path on this side of the beck.
After a few hundred metres we found a good sheltered spot by a large boulder as had a short break to have some hot drinks from flasks and then continued onwards.
We met a bridleway which the path joined at a T-junction and followed this back to join another small road joining Easedale Road back in the village and on the way passed some miserable looking Herdwick sheep sheltering by some drystone walls.

Back in Grasmere the first thing we did after changing out of our boots was find a café to warm up and have a coffee!

A Walk from Grangemill

We joined a group of about a dozen people on a Peak District Mines Historical Society walk led by Tony Wood starting at the Holly Bush pub in the hamlet of Grangemill at the crossroads at the top of the Via Gellia.
Leaving the pub we started on the bridleway leading from the crossroads through fields above Grange Mill Quarry, which is part of the Limestone Way. We could see the full extent of the huge limestone quarry which is still a working quarry and mostly not seen from nearby roads. Continuing on the Limestone Way route, Tony pointed out the small rectangular building on the skyline ahead which was a Royal Observer Corps lookout location from World War II. This was used to spot German bombers heading towards Manchester and when they had been spotted, they could inform anti-aircraft guns further along the flight path.
After crossing a muddy recently ploughed field, we crossed the High Peak Trail and arrived at Manystones Lane after crossing another field and following a farm track.
We walked along Manystones Lane towards Harborough Rocks and after a short diversion into the field with a Public Footpath to see some old mine workings and a large mine shaft covered with concrete railway sleepers, we returned to the road and walked as far as the track leading through the works again back onto the High Peak Trail opposite Harborough Rocks.
We followed the old railway track which carries the High Peak Trail, pausing to view the collection of four new wind turbines recently installed on Carsington Pasture. These were in view for a large proportion of the walk and raised a bit of discussion amongst the group mainly along the lines of the unwanted visual intrusion so that some individuals can make a lot of money and not make any real contribution to saving carbon dioxide emissions.
We next followed the access road for the works next to the trail which are sited by one of the shafts into Golconda Mine. As the works are running throughout the week we weren't allowed to approach the shaft top but we could look at the old winding wheel which was displayed on a plinth outside a small office building.
After leaving the works we found ourselves on a wide vehicle track which led northwards and after walking along the track for a short distance, we left it for a footpath through a field gate leading us down a small muddy and wooded dale known as Marks Dale which leads to the the road in the Via Gellia.
On the way we had a look at an old ruined coe (the small building located by mine shafts where the miners used to store their tools and get changed into work clothes) and further along, another coe which was larger and next to a small adit with a corresponding adit on the opposite side of the small dale. Some had a look a short way into the adit, but the adit on the opposite side had been blocked by a collapse of surface soil not very far in.

Further down Marks Dale we reached the minor road going through the Via Gellia next to a layby and from here we walked up the road for a bit and then turned off on the small road leading through the hamlet of Ible and then down again back to our starting point for a quick drink and a bit of cottage pie at the Holly Bush. It was nice in the snug bar with a warm fire burning to warm up on a cold and windy day.