Hope

February 13, 2019.

HOPE, THE GRAND RIDGE (LOSE HILL, BACK TOR, HOLLINS CROSS AND MAM TOR), THE BLUE JOHN CAVERN, TREAK CLIFF TAVERN, SPEEDWELL CAVERN, GOOSEHILL HALL, PEAK CAVERN, THE CHESHIRE CHEESE AT CASTLETON, PEAKHOLE WATER, HOPE PINFOLD AND THE OLD HALL AT HOPE

Distance: 7-8miles.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous.

Weather: Blue skies and sunshine.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns, Steve Courtney with Luna, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Chris Owen and George Whaites.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett (in Australia), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Alan Duckworth (in Kent), Jock Rooney (in the Isle of Man)  and Julian Ross (family illness)

Leader: Beal. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Edale Road, Hope, Derbyshire, near The Old Hall.

Starting time: 9.46am. Finishing time: 2.05pm.

The Hope Valley is regarded as one of the most picturesque landscapes in Derbyshire’s Peak District because of the splendid sights from The Grand Ridge. Last month only two stalwarts attended and were rewarded for their stoicism by driving rain and poor visibility. This time ten A team walkers were given the benefit of unseasonably warm weather and fabulous views.

As we assembled Tom arrived with Daisy wearing a cute bow around the neck. For the purposes of clarification it was the black miniature poodle who was wearing the adornment. Steve Courtney also returned to our ranks with his black Labrador Luna for their first outing of the year.

Next week we are confidently expecting an even bigger turnout when Julian celebrates his birthday. Sadly he was unable to attend this walk because of injuries sustained by his mother-in-law in a car crash. We send our best wishes to Julian, his wife Dee and her mother, hoping for a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with them.

Heading up Edale Road, Hope, away from the village centre, we turned left at a green public footpath sign (4mins) which led us through gates and over stiles until we crossed a footbridge over the Hope Valley railway line linking New Mills with Sheffield (calling en route at Chinley, Hope, Bamford, Edale, Grindleford, Hathersage and Dore)

After crossing the track we started a steady climb up Lose Hill until we reached a cairn of stones (44mins). At this point the main group continued up to the top of Lose Hill before turning left at the summit and heading along The Grand Ridge passing Back Tor on the way to Hollins Cross.

George and your diarist turned left at the cairn, crossing three wooden stiles and watching a pair of hunting kestrels before entering the wood called Brocket Booth. On the far side we joined The Grand Ridge and made our way to Hollins Cross (79mins).

We were soon joined by our colleagues at the point where two pathways cross. A circular stone memorial was built here in 1964 to commemorate Tom Hyett of Long Eaton by his friends from the Long Eaton and District Rambling Group. Here we paused for pies, port and damson gin kindly provided by Chris.

Continuing we followed the ridge to Mam Tor, meaning Mother Hill, which stands at 1,696 feet and was once the site of a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hill fort (98mins)

Just before our descent reached the road (108mins) we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign and headed downhill in the direction of the distinctive eyesore in the area, Hope Cement Works. We turned right to pass The Blue John Cavern (119mins) before passing Treak Cliff Cavern on our left (132mins), Speedwell Cavern on our right (138mins) and passed the sign for Castleton (145mins)

As we did so the ruins of Peveril Castle were on our right. This 11th Century fort was the main settlement of the feudal barony of William Peverel, founded between the Norman Conquest of 1066 and The Domesday Book of 1086. The surrounding land was a gift from William the Conqueror. In 1223 the castle returned to the Crown but towards the end of the 14th Century the barony was granted to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. It fell into ruin in succeeding centuries and in the 19th Century Sir Walter Scott featured the castle in his novel Peveril of the Peak. It is now in the care of English Heritage and is a Grade 1 listed building.

Just before The Peak Cavern on our right we passed Goosehill Hall, which is a 17th Century manor house and a Grade 2 listed building.

Our advance party reached The Cheshire Cheese on the main road through Castleton on our right (153mins), where Barnsley Bitter cask ale costs £3-60 a pint.

One of our group, John Jones, waited to be served by a waitress who found it necessary to watch a kettle while it boiled before she could make tea or coffee. John exhausted his reserves of patience before announcing he would take his custom to The Peak Hotel nearby. Here was proof, if needed, that John would have an argument in an empty room.

Continuing our journey we turned right out of the pub and after some 200 yards we turned right at a green public footpath sign towards Hope (155mins). When we reached the railway line linking Hope Cement Works with the Hope Valley Railway Line at Hope, we paused for lunch (185mins)

Continuing this footpath eventually brought us to the right bank of a brook called Peakhole Water. We followed this until we reached a wooden stile leading to a road where we turned left (194mins). Passing the pinfold on our left, where lost sheep were once held until their owners claimed them, we reached The Woodruffe Arms in Hope.

After crossing the road we turned right for a few yards before heading left up Edale Road and reaching our cars to de-boot. From there we walked back to The Old Hall where pints of excellent Wainwrights’ cask bitter were available for £3-65. Details of next week's follow follow the pictures.

                                                   Photographs by Hughie Hardiman

Next week’s walk will start at 9.50am from Topley Pike at a lay-by next to a quarry opposite the entrance to the Monsal Trail car park on the A6 road out of Buxton towards Bakewell. We will be heading for The Church Inn at Chelmorton, hoping to arrive around 12.15pm for a livener. After returning to our cars and de-booting we will drive to the Wye Valley House Hotel (Wetherspoons) in Buxton for further refreshments.

We look forward to birthday boy Julian rejoining our ranks.

Happy wandering !