Kinder

KINDER

Distance: 3.5 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Lukewarm sunshine

Walkers: Alan Hart, George Dearsley,

Apologies: Peter Beal, Jock Rooney(abroad), George Whaites., Lawrie Fairman (China), Colin Davison (holiday).

B Walkers: Geoff Spurrell, Tony Job, John Laverick, Mike Walton

Non-walking drinkers: John Eckersley. Frank Dudley, Peter Miles and Ivor Jones

Leader: Hart Diarist: Dearsley

Starting Point: Hayfield bus station

Starting Time: 10.58am. Finishing Time: 1.50pm

Shortage of numbers amongst the A Walkers led to a truncated walk, allowing more time for Mr Hart’s 67^th birthday celebrations at the Lantern Pike.

Harty, plus the B Walkers arrived by a delayed bus some 10 minutes late to the meeting point but non urgency was the order of the day.

The group set off together, across the main road that links Glossop and Chinley, past the Hayfield pharmacy and onto Kinder Road.

There was some early banter about the new period drama TV series The Village, which has been filmed recently in Hayfield. Some shops bore the hallmarks of being “aged” for use in a film set of a bygone era.

But only strangers to Hayfield would have known which ones.

The show is due on our screens next May apparently.

Within a few minutes Mr Hart and Mr Dearsley had left the B Walkers behind and the mapless duo relied on Mr Hart’s instincts to trace a route around the Derbyshire countryside, resplendent, as my picture below shows, in its autumnal hues.

Autumnal hues

While the B Walkers went up to the dam and back by a different but nearby track, Hart and Dearsley passed the Booth Sheepwash and then took a series of right turns, the first of which was sign posted Tunstead and Coldwell Clough.

At 11.45am we passed some ancient farm implements (pictured below) which had been black painted and kept in good condition, possibly for when spiralling energy prices force farmers to re-employ oxen.

Implements

At 11.53 Pie Time was declared.

We set off again at 12.05pm passing Bowden Bridge and returning to Hayfield via the Hayfield camping site.

At 12.22pm we reached the Kinder Lodge where some 15 minutes later we were joined by the B Walkers.

Jennings was £2.90 as indeed was the Old Speckled Hen.

Mr Hart left to complete the walk to the Lantern Pike while Mr Dearsley used his car to ferry Mr Spurrrell and Mr Job to the hostelry.

I am guessing the others took the bus.

The group were joined by non-walking drinkers John Eckersley. Frank Dudley, Peter Miles and Ivor Jones who shared in Mr Hart’s commendable birthday largesse.

Landlord Tom and landlady Stella laid on an excellent spread including pancake rolls, sandwiches and quiche.

Timothy Taylors was £3.22 and Harvest Pale £3.02.

The Wednesday Wanderers

Next week’s walk will start from the top car park at Brabyns Park, Marple Bridge at 9.35am.

The half way point will be the Hare and Hounds, Otterspool at 12 noon and finishing at the Royal Scot, Marple Bridge.