Snake Pass, Blackden Brook, Kinder Scout northern edge, Crookstone Knoll, Ollerbrook clough

Although running low on stock after a very busy period in the cafe we run in Bakewell, we decided that we MUST walk on Tuesday. Sue asked if we could go up onto Kinder Scout. For those of you that don't know, this is NOT a benevolent young lad in a uniform, but Derbyshire's highest point. Not a mountain in the accepted 'pointy' form, but a high plateau consisting mainly of peat - yes, the stuff you put on your garden! It can be a dangerous place in bad conditions (it has it's own mountain rescue service to prove the point), but today it was as benign and beautiful as I've ever seen it. We set off after parking the car on the A57 Snake pass, a winding road that runs between Manchester and Sheffield, to the sounds of skylarks and curlews. Oh what a delight this day was already. The streams down from the moor were looking quite healthy too after recent rains, so we had plenty of bubbling, dancing water sounds to accompany us on the climb up. So, we booted up, and got ourselves ready for the ascent up to 1,000 feet.

Don't forget, if you left click on any of the pictures, you'll get a larger version of it.

(Just click on 'back' to return to the blog afterwards)

This was where we were going - the Northern edge of Kinder Scout.
On day like today, where else in the world could be nicer?
Just time for a quick self-timer........
Before the serious stuff began.....

As I said, the streams were lively, and we saw a few nice waterfalls (VERY inviting on a warm day like today).

This is the lower approach to Blackden brook, so sheltered that even the May blossom was new here. In most places it had died off by now, but the height, coolness & lack of sunshine here stunts it.

Even Sue couldn't resist the water.

But the hard climb took its toll, and we had a rest stop.
WHAT a backdrop though.

As Sue said, when you sit and take the time to look (we quoted that 'what is this life, but full of care, we have no time to stand and stare' poem), you see all sorts. We spotted this very well camouflaged moth on a rock. Can you see it, centre picture?

(Left click to enlarge the picture)

The final push to the top - was all that hard work worth it......?

You tell ME.........

By the look on Sue's face, I have my answer.

Mind you, it DOES take it out of you a bit, so a lunch stop was now in order.
Sue.....SUE!.......are you awake???

If you can't beat 'em.........

Even in this inhospitable place, there's beauty. Bog cotton grows in huge patches, and seems to love the arid and acidic peaty conditions.

The wind up here can tear lumps out of you, I've BEEN up here when it's difficult to stand up. Not today though, today was just perfect, with a very light, cooling breeze on us.
Look at any of the rocks though, and you can see the weathering effect the wind and blown grit has on them.

The peat also suffers from the same thing, plus feet tend to wear it away quite badly.

The view from the edge to the Alport valley

At last we reach the turning point, Crookstone knoll. The path here does a 90 degree right, and heads West, towards Edale. The views all around from this point are stunning. This is Ladybower reservoir, Bamford and Stanage edges, plus Win hill.

As the path turns, you get the full view of the Mam Tor to Lose hill ridge. This is a zoomed shot of the footpath up Mam Tor. This local beauty spot is a victim of its own accessibility, and there's a LOT of erosion on it.

Now we had to get down off the plateau.

We decided on Ollerbrook clough, a steep but 'fun' way down!

It soon evened out though, and the decent became more relaxed. We hadn't seen another person for HOURS at this point, we had the whole world to ourselves.

No sooner had we reached the bottom of the clough, than the scenery changed.
We now had the verdant meadows and holiday cottages. A pretty variation to what we'd had on the top of Kinder.

Rhododendron lined the route now.........

.....and, as usual, the bees were taking advantage of the blossom on this warm day.

Lose hill, from the Edale valley path

...and Back Tor, it's face looking remarkably like a smaller version of the Southern face of Mam Tor. The limestone and gritstone of the Peak District meet at this point, so the whole ridge is relatively unstable, and there have been many landslips in the past. You can see the evidence of this one below the face, if you look carefully.

People often talk about the 'pearly gates', and I wonder if this would be MY version, if I went to heaven?

We then turned west again, and along the Roman road towards the car. This is looking back from the road.
One trial remained though.

We decided to try and pathfind the final couple of kilometres along the banks of the river, as the only alternative was to walk along the Snake road. I didn't fancy this, so I had poor Susie wading the river Ashop a couple of times before we finally got back to the car at 6:30PM. She forgave me later though, when I cooked her a nice Thai prawn curry!

A couple of videos from the walk;

The fantastic view as you top out Blackden brook on Kinder's Northern edge.

A cooling face wash in a Blackden waterfall.

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Garlic, orchids and cowslips. Ashford in the Water, Great and Little Shacklow woods, Deepdale, Taddington, High Dale, Brushfields

This Tuesday we had to go to the cash and carry for stock for the cafe, but we got back in PLENTY of time for a walk. We'd seen the bluebells a few weeks ago (see previous blog posting for pics), and now it was time to go and see if the wild garlic (Ramsons) were at their best. We set off from Ashford in the Water just before lunchtime. Here's a shot of the famous sheepwash bridge.

There were plenty of Dandelion 'clocks' along the way.

This one was a particularly good example.
We walked along the banks of the Wye before turning into Great Shacklow woods.
Very soon, we saw the swathes of white, telling us we had come at JUST the right time to see and smell the wonderful scent of the wild garlic.

The new ferns were also poking their heads up.
After the wonderful show of the garlic, we left Shacklow woods and turned up into Deepdale.
I know this dale to be very good for cowslips and early purple orchids. Again, we hit it on a good day, with the sun shining and LOTS of orchids & cowslips. This is a nice juxtaposition of the two.

A beautiful group of early purple orchids.

I don't ever recall seeing this before - it's what looks like an albino, or white, 'purple' orchid?

If anyone knows more, please leave a comment on this blog.

We left the dales and struck out on the lanes over the tops to Taddington.

The wall patterns around here are superb.

You have to wonder at the amount of work that went into building them though.

Not a 'clock' yet - this yellow dandelion caught my eye.

We shunned the main street through Taddington, preferring the leafy back lanes.

On a near perfect day, we crossed the fields and dropped into and out of High Dale. You can see the path up the far side of the dale, to the left of the finger post.

Some farmers just put up wire fences when a drystone wall falls or is knocked down. This one, bless him, prefers to reinstate the drystone wall, with a skill that will always be admired by me.

(NB - Sue and I have both done a drystone 

walling course with the DSWA)

They say that a drystone waller never puts down a stone he picks up, preferring to find a place in the wall where that stone fits. This results in a tight formation of stone which will, it is hoped, stand the test of time.

Looking back to Great Shacklow woods from Brushfield, above Monsal dale.

A derelict barn, with Wardlow Hay Cop hill in the background.

One of the closed tunnels on the Monsal trail.

I really wish they had 'open days' where the public could see behind these huge metal doors.

****NB, the tunnels have since been opened up****

After Monsal head, we walked along 'Pennyunk lane' and back to Ashford in the Water for a pint in the Bulls head. A lovely end to a smashing spring day.

This little Chaffinch sang us in to Ashford.

And this tree, in full blossom, was our waymarker back to the village.

Ashford church, in the evening light.

The bells were ringing full - what a beautiful welcome back!

You can hear the bells ringing in a short video (below)

Below is a selection of videos of the woods and bells etc.

A look at the profusion of wild garlic.

Deepdale side, FULL of cowslips & early purple orchids.

A walk through Shacklow woods, full of wild garlic.

The bells of Ashford in the Water ring out in the evening light.

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A walk through an English bluebell wood

As usual, I went to see the bluebells in the most FANTASTIC wood I've ever seen. It's at Oakerthorpe, near Alfreton, Derbyshire. I was actually maybe three days late, as they had JUST gone past their best, but they were still very impressive! See what you think. The text will be concise, as all the pics are of the bluebells. There are four short videos at the end of this blog entry, and you can click on them to watch them. Sorry they're not very high quality, but it's the best my digital camera will do. To be fair, it's really a stills camera.

This first shot is the path just after entering the wood. The scent is incredible and very strong! I just can't get enough of it though.

Looking back from the same spot - you can see the entry stile.

The bluebells stop abruptly after that stile?

The banks either side of the path are just a blue swathe.
I just can't tell you how much this annual pilgrimage lifts me!


The bees seem to like the flowers too. I'd love some of the bluebell honey, but I've never seen any for sale. I wonder why?

Here he goes - busy as you like.

Scientists say that the bumblebee CAN'T fly - it's not aerodynamically possible!

(Someone should tell the bee)

Looking to the right.


A low shot to show the concentration of bluebells.

I took my soulmate Sue with me - she loves the bluebells as much as me.

A low, close study of the lovely bluebell.

A huge blue swathe, all over the place.

A great close shot of a bee collecting his pollen.

Here he is, in full flight, looking for his next batch of nectar.

The most wonderful avenue I know!

At the end of the walk, a good view of Wingfield Manor, one of the many places the tragic Mary, Queen of Scots, was incarcerated.

Here are the videos - ENJOY!

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