Topley Pike

TOPLEY PIKE, MONSAL TRAIL, WYE VALLEY, CHEE DALE, MILLERS DALE, BLACKWELL HALL FARM, FIVE WELLS FARM, THE CHURCH AT CHELMORTON, AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES’ QUARRY AND THE WYE VALLEY HOTEL (WETHERSPOONS) AT BUXTON

Distance: 7-8 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Dry, cloudy and misty on high ground.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Steve Courtney, Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart and George Whaites.

Apologies: Chris Corps, George Dearsley  and Jock Rooney (all w*^king).

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Lay-by near entrance to Aggregate Industries’ quarry at Topley Pike, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: 2.07pm.

A sirocco wind gave our cars a coating of sand from the Sahara Desert while a mist severely reduced our visibility on a scenic route devised by Colin to visit a pub chosen by your diarist. 

Dusty Spring Field 

(courtesy of Colin Davison)

The best efforts of Mother Nature failed to dampen our spirits, however, as we reached both our targeted hostelries on schedule.

The only compromise to the elements was a majority decision not to climb to the top of one of Derbyshire’s highest hills, which was the site of ancient burial grounds, known as barrows or tumuli. It was felt that the exertion involved would not be rewarded with the spectacular panoramic views available on a clear sunny day. 

The decision was not unanimous and our leader’s bottom lip was seen to quiver momentarily.

From the layby at the side of the A6, we crossed the main road and walked to the start of The Monsal Trail with the River Wye on our left. We passed Topley Pike Wood and then the Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire premises on our right (14mins) before crossing a wooden footbridge over the Wye.

Turning right on the far side of the bridge by following a yellow arrow we took a path a few feet from the river, which was now on our right. We spotted a pair of grey wagtails and large quantities of an attractive hyacinth-shaped weed called butter burr.

The pleasant path alongside the river was littered with slippery rocks on dry land as well as a series of stepping stones where the river overlapped the trail. We crossed the Wye (39mins)by a wooden footbridge and briefly followed a wooden footpath sign for Millers Dale before re-crossing to the left bank (40mins) to continue our journey.

As the path led us briefly away from the Wye, we crossed a wooden beam (55mins) over Wormhill Springs and followed a footpath on the far side which took us right to complete a hairpin turn. We were now leaving Chee Dale to enter Millers Dale.

Lawrie was feeling a troublesome knee injury so we stopped for Pietime (62mins), although Tom and Steve had forged ahead and failed to hear our cries to halt nor three blasts on your diarist’s whistle. 

Colin had just declared that he had no signal to alert the breakaway group when his phone rang ! Consequently the information was relayed, the mid-morning break was held in two groups 400 yards apart and Lawrie’s knee made a full recovery.

We were reunited and crossed the Wye (68mins) by a concrete bridge. On the far side of the river we began a steady climb which brought us to a drystone wall. We turned left and Colin pointed out a series of mounds which were the remains of a 2,000-year-old settlement.

There was evidence of diggings, presumably by treasure hunters armed with metal detectors. We continued a more gradual walk uphill with a drystone wall on our right until we reached a gate on our right marked with a yellow arrow (81mins). This led us through a field which we exited through another gate marked with a yellow arrow (84mins).

After reaching a drystone wall we turned right for 30 yards and then left (89mins) following a pebbled track. We passed The Farming Life Centre on our right (94mins) and emerged on a lane with a caravan park on our left. We exited Blackwell Hall Farm and turned left downhill (98mins).

This led us to the B6049 Buxton-Bakewell road which we crossed and headed uphill towards Taddington. We crossed a wooden stile on our right to enter a field (100mins) and headed diagonally right to reach a drystone wall. Keeping the wall on our right we emerged on the A6 (109mins).

We went straight across and over a stone step stile to enter the left side of a spinney, which we left by another stone step stile (110mins). Yet another stone step stile took us on to a stony track (117mins) where we turned right to follow it. After swinging left, we took a grass path on our right (120mins) to the left of a drystone wall.

After crossing a stone step stile on our right (121mins) we followed the direction of a yellow arrow on a broken fingerpost which ultimately led us through the yard at Fivewells Farm. We emerged on a lane and turned left. At a crossroads in the paths, we dog-legged across to follow a wooden footpath sign for Chelmorton (133mins).

The path brought us out at Bank Pit Spring (141mins). This, a sign informed us  (and I want no sniggering at the back ), was known locally as “The Illy Willy Water.” It lay at the end of Grove Rake, an important lead-mining site, so it may have put too much lead in the villagers’ pencils.

We may never know. What we do know is that 50 yards beyond the spring is The Church pub (142mins), where the Marstons’ bitter was in excellent form. The landlord, having originally told us it cost £3 a pint, corrected himself and said it had gone up to £3-10 a pint following the recent budget. It was hard to follow the logic of this in view of the fact that our munificent Chancellor had knocked a penny OFF the duty on beer.

However, with a roaring fire and good ale, we decided against further interrogation. Tom was of the opinion that he sold his beer too cheaply anyway !

We were joined, moments after our arrival, by Peter B, who had been attending a routine blood test that morning and then walked to Chelmorton on a direct route from Topley Pike. This was the way we were later to take back to our cars.

As we left the pub we turned right, passing on our left the Chelmorton Parish Church of John The Baptist. Built into the hillside of Chelmorton Low, this is claimed to be the highest church with a spire in England. It earned that title when a 15^th Century spire was added to its 13^th Century tower. This includes a weathervane in the form of a locust – a reminder of John The Baptist’s time in the wilderness. (Perhaps we should adopt this ourselves, Ed.)

Fifty yards from the pub we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign and followed a path which led to a road. On its far side we took the footpath sign slightly to the right (152mins). We crossed a stone step stile (157mins) and stopped at a convenient fallen log for lunch (162mins).

Continuing with a tricky descent, we passed a wooden public footpath sign which led to Deepdale on our left (177mins). The narrowing path took us past the entrance to the Aggregate Industries’ quarry on our left (182mins) and back to our cars (183mins).

After de-booting we drove to the Wye Valley Hotel of Wetherspoons in Buxton to have one for the road.

More pictures courtesy of Mr Davison follow

George walks on water

Rock of Ages

Petasites hybridus

Alan & George

A Bridge Not Far Enough

Next week’s walk is a radical departure from our norm when shall meet Tom at 10am at Piccadilly Station. 

The rendezvous will be under the station clock in what promises to be a scene reminiscent of “Brief Encounter.” Whether Tom will be playing the role of Trevor Howard or Celia Johnson remains to be seen.

In any event, he and Julian have promised to lead us on what they describe as “a murder mystery tour” along the footpaths, towpaths and byways of central Manchester. We are advised that trainers will suffice for this journey, although one suspects drinking boots may be required.