Monyash

May 20, 2015.

MONYASH, LATHKILL DALE, THE GEORGE AT YOULGREAVE, MOOR LANE, LOW MOOR WOOD, CALES DALE, ONE ASH GRANGE, HIGH HEALTH FARM, LIMESTONE WAY AND THE BULL’S HEAD AT MONYASH

Distance: 9 miles.

Difficulty: Easy.

Weather: Mainly cloudy with some sunshine and occasional light showers.

Walkers: Tom Cunliffe, Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney and Tips.

Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey), Julian Ross (attending funeral), Peter Beal (New England), George Whaites.

Leader: Fairman. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Lay-by off B5055 just outside Monyash, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 10am and 10.07am.Finishing time: 2.50pm.

We have become used to pessimistic weather forecasts predicting dire conditions, only for the reality to be entirely different. On this occasion the forecasts were good, but a cloudy sky rarely cleared and we were subjected to two prolonged showers.

Your diarist’s waterproof pants worked their usual magic on the first downpour, but they were powerless against a second lengthy period of rain.

Nonetheless we enjoyed some stunning scenery in one of the more picturesque areas of the White Peak District. We also spotted early purple orchids, cowslips and primrose in the meadows near the path, a brown trout under the River Lathkill and swans, coots, mallards and tufted ducks swimming on its surface. There was also a sighting of a dipper, which never fails to excite local birdwatchers.

We also spotted a single swallow, but failed to sight a second so summer has not officially arrived just yet.

A traffic accident and a police diversion delayed the arrival of your diarist and Colin, so there were staggered starting times as Lawrie and Tom set off at 10am, while Jock awaited our arrival moments later. By the time we were booted and suited, our scouts had built up a formidable lead, but we were able to rein them in before Pietime. This diary records the times of the late starters.

From the layby, we crossed the road, entered a gate by the left of public toilets, and started our journey towards Lathkill Dale.   Eventually the river sprung from underground on our right and our path was along the left bank of the river.

After catching up Lawrie and Tom we paused for pies and port on a convenient bank (51mins).Continuing along the left bank, we exited through a gate on our left (78mins) to face Lathkill Lodge. We turned right following a wooden public footpath sign marked Youlgrave and Alport (95mins). The sign is testimony to the fact that nobody is sure whether the village should contain a letter “e.” Other signs spell it Youlgreave so it must be optional.

Youlgrave or Youlgreave is the largest of three villages on the same road, the others being Bradford and Alport. It is believed the optional names mean “yellow grove” so I suggest everyone call it Youlgrove and have done with it.

The village has a distinctive water tank called “The Fountain” which used to contain 12,000 gallons piped up from the River Bradford. Next to the village post office is a house known as Thimble Hall. It contains two small rooms, one above the other, connected by a ladder.

We ignored a wooden public footpath sign on our left (98mins) , turning left at a sign for Youlgreave (101mins) and spotting a solitary swallow wondering why he had bothered to venture north so early. The road brought us to The George, opposite the 600-year-old All Saints Church with its massive tower which can be seen for miles in every direction (113mins).

The Theakstons’ Black Bull bitter at £3-12 a pint was in excellent form, even winning an accolade from our beer sommelier, Tom. However, Trip Advisor critics advise against eating here.

Resuming our adventure, we turned right out of the pub with the church on our left. After passing The Bull’s Head on our left, we turned right at The Fountain (115mins), passing Dawsons Cottage on our left and climbing steadily up Moor Lane.

After a long climb we passed Moor Lane car park on our left (140mins) and reached a road. We crossed it and went through a gap stile and a gate into a field (144mins). From here we were heading steadily downhill, entering Low Moor Wood (155mins).

At this point we encountered a couple who were two months into a charity walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats with their dog Barney. They carried their clothing and camping equipment on their backs in an effort to raise money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Readers of this diary can make a contribution online by clicking onwww.JustGiving.com/BarneysLongWalk

After exiting the wood we went through two more fields before reaching another wood where a farmer had kindly left a picnic table for hikers to stop for vittals. We paused there for lunch (161mins).

Continuing, we went through a gate marked with a yellow arrow, following a wooden public footpath sign for Cales Dale (163mins). We then descended a steep flight of stone steps (170mins), reaching the foot in a gorge (174mins), then climbing and taking the path to the left marked One Ash Grange on a wooden public footpath sign.

We passed a gate marked High Health Farm (178mins) and headed through a farmyard (181mins), passing a shrine in a cave on our right which housed a nativity scene. By following a wooden public footpath sign for The Limestone Way towards Monyash (182mins) we reached a similar sign marked Lathkill Dale (188mins).

Ignoring the sign straight ahead for Monyash, we took this path past a pile of slurry on our right and followed a yellow arrow on a wall which led us through fields to a drystone wall (199mins). We turned left here and the path led us back to our cars (209mins).

After de-booting, we drove half a mile to The Black Bull at Monyash, which was about to close at 3pm. We charmed the barmaid into serving us pints of Black Sheep at £3-20. Also on offer were brews called Hartington, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Easy Rider, no doubt in tribute to the many motor cyclists who use the pub.

Next week’s walk will start at 9.40am from the road alongside Danebridge, near Wincle, Macclesfield. We expect to reach The Rose and Crown at Algrave for a bracer about 12.15pm before finishing around 2.15pm at The Wincle Brewery.

Happy wandering !