Castleton

November 8, 2017.

CASTLETON, LONGCLIFF, TREAK CLIFF TAVERN, BLUE JOHN CAVERN, SHOULDER OF MAM TOR, SHOULDER OF LOSE HILL, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE AT HOPE, HOPE PINFOLD, PEAKSHOLE WATER AND THE CHESHIRE CHEESE AT CASTLETON

Distance: 7 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Sunny with blue skies.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Colin Davison, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tips, George Whaites.

Apologies:  George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (in USA), Hughie Harriman (job-seeking), Steve Kemp (medical tests), Chris Owen (decorating), Julian Ross (w*^king)

Leader: Davison. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The George in Castleton.

Starting time: 9.52am. Finishing time: 2.10pm.

For the third successive Wednesday, the weather gods smiled down upon us as we took to the hills around Castleton. Visibility was excellent and the views were magnificent. Even the approach to Castleton via Winnats Pass is spectacular, although it was also the scene of an ancient tragedy – of which more follows later.

Our start was delayed by the tardy arrival of Alastair, but what an entrance he made as he roared up in his shiny new silver Masserati. Daisy relaxed in a hammock in the back as though she was the Queen of Sheba.

Our route is known as the “cheesy walk” because it involves calling at two Derbyshire pubs called The Cheshire Cheese.

According to folklore, this is because the pubs in Castleton and Hope were used by farmers from Cheshire taking their dairy products to Sheffield. Entrepreneurial landlords called their pubs The Cheshire Cheese to indicate they would accept cheese as payment for board and lodging. 

Another piece of local legend concerns a wealthy young couple called Henry and Clara who eloped to be married in the Peak Forest, where parental consent was not needed. It is not clear whether they were on their way to marry or returning from the ceremony in 1768 when they were attacked by five local miners who ambushed them at Winnats Pass.

The pass is a cleft surrounded by towering limestone pinnacles and its name is a corruption of Wind Gates. The couple were robbed, murdered and their bodies buried so nobody knew what had happened. But on his deathbed, one of the five miners confessed to the crime. He also named his accomplices, one of whom had later fallen to his death, one had been crushed by a falling rock, one had committed suicide and the fourth had gone insane. The bodies of poor Henry and Clara were never found.

Facing The George we headed right to reach the main road and turned left to the Blue John jewellers’ shop where we turned left again. This took us past the Old Rope Maker’s Shop and a stream on our right. We went straight ahead uphill as the road became a stony track.

We went through a wooden gate (7mins) and a metal kissing gate (16mins). We exited Longcliff via a wooden kissing gate and crossed a road (22mins). After crossing a stile made of wood and stone the well-trodden path uphill became concrete (31mins) as we approached the entrance to Treak Cliff Cavern (33mins)

We followed the public footpath to the left of the cavern and turned right, going through a wooden gate (40mins) as we continued to climb. Our Magnificent Seven passed the Blue John Cavern (45mins) and reached a road where we turned right downhill (48mins). We went through a wooden stile (49mins) on our left and followed the track before crossing a wooden stile and stopping for pies and port (68mins)

Continuing, we were now on the right shoulder of Mam Tor where hang-gliders and paragliders were riding the thermals above us. To our right were expansive views across the valley, marred only by that notorious blot on the landscape, Hope Cement Works.

We went through a wooden gate (72mins) and walked along stone flags to reach Hollins Cross (77mins). This once marked the Coffin Route or Corpse Trail when the bodies of the departed were transported from Edale, where there was no church, to Castleton for Christian burial.

Instead of climbing Lose Hill, we took the lower route again along its right shoulder, crossing a series of wooden stiles and turning right downhill to reach a farm track (126mins). We turned left and then swung right downhill to reach a road (132mins). We turned right and reached The Cheshire Cheese at Hope, described as a 16^th Century Inn, on our right (136mins)

Here we enjoyed Moonshine cask bitter in welcoming conditions but at an eye-watering £3-75 a pint.

Resuming our journey we turned right out of the pub and emerged at a main road opposite St Peter’s Church, Hope (142mins). We crossed the road, turned right and then headed left just before The Woodroffe Arms. This brought us to Hope Pinfold on our right (146mins) where in days of yore stray sheep were held before they were claimed or sold at auction.

After lunch here we continued to walk away from Hope and turned right at a green footpath sign for Castleton (149mins). After going through a wooden gate (153mins) a stream known as Peakshole Water appeared on our right. We followed the path which crossed a railway track leading to Hope Cement Works (156mins)

Our party crossed a stone step stile, a wooden stile and went through a wooden gate to reach the main road (177mins), where we turned left. This soon brought us to our second Cheshire Cheese Inn on our left (180) and another warm welcome for both us and the dogs.

Pictures by Colin

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am outside The Church House Inn in Bollington. To reach this you should drive past The Spinners Arms opposite the public car park, pass Heathcotes’ butchers on your left and turn right at the next mini roundabout. The Church House is on the left and free parking is allowed on the road. We are pleased to announce that F.Smith baker’s shop opposite Heathcotes has reopened and is once again selling its orgasmic pies.

Our route will take us to The Robin Hood at Rainow, which has also reopened on Wednesday lunchtimes, at about 12.15pm to knock the froth off one or two, before we return to The Church House around 2.15pm for a final drink.

Happy wandering !