Monyash

August 7, 2019.

MONYASH, LATHKILLDALE, BANKS OF THE BRADFORD, THE GEORGE AT YOULGREAVE, ONE ASH FARM, THE BULLS HEAD AT MONYASH

Distance: 11 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cloud, sunshine and rain.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Alastair Cairns with Daisy, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Jock Rooney with Tip, Graham Stone.

Apologies: Andy Blease (in Anglesey), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Laurie Fairman, Hughie Hardiman, Julian Ross and George Whaites (medical appointment)

Leaders: Various. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The Bulls Head at Monyash, near Buxton , Derbyshire.

Starting time: 10.15am. Finishing time: 3.30pm.

Loss of memory caused this to be a test of memory. Having arrived without notebook or pen I was unable to find a volunteer to take over the diarist's role. Consequently this week's ramblings will be mercifully brief. 

Hopefully the accompanying photographs will give some idea of the beauty of this area of towering cliffs above a gently-flowing river alongside footpaths strewn with slippery limestone rocks.

The start was delayed by my late arrival after going on a circuitous route to avoid diversions which had blocked the A6 between New Mills and Chapel-en-le-Frith, along with several other routes which had been flooded by the previous week's torrential rain. Happily the restrictions which applied because of damage to the dam at Todd Brook Reservoir were finally lifted by the time we drove home.

At the start we were amazed to see Daisy, Tom's black miniature poodle, with her new summer haircut. She looked even tinier than usual in Tom's mighty paws. Once again we had a Magnificent Seven walkers along with three canine chums.

With The Bulls Head – still lacking its apostrophe – on our left we walked out of the village until we reached a lay-by on our left and public toilets on our right. At this point we crossed the road and went through a gate into Lathkilldale. The river runs underground for some distance before emerging  on the right of the public footpath. We followed it until we reached a bridge and stopped for a late Pietime, accompanied by tawny port.

Continuing we reached a building where we turned right to reach the far bank of the Lathkill and turned left. We carried on in this vein until we reached a road bridge where we turned right over the river. We followed the road as it swung left and went uphill before we turned left at a public footpath sign.

This brought us to a bridge where we turned right towards Youlgreave but crossed the road immediately, went through a gate and passed soaring cliffs on our left before reaching the left bank of the River Bradford.

Following the river on our right we reached a footbridge and crossed it to head up Church Lane into Yougreave, emerging to the left of the parish church and facing our destination, The George. By now the sun was shining and we enjoyed pints of Robbies' Dizzy Blonde cask bitter on the trestle tables outside the front door.

Our thirsts suitably quenched we turned right out of the pub's front door, crossed the road and passed The Bull's Head on our left before heading right at a distinctive round building. This was the start of a long uphill climb until we passed a car park on our left and reached a main road. 

We crossed this to our right and went over a stile – the first of many which led through fields, one of which was waving with barley. On reaching a flight of stone steps we plunged downhill into a steep valley before climbing the other side and following a path on the left for One Ash Farm.

After going through the farmyard we followed signs for Monyash, ignoring those for Lathkilldale, hoping to be led back to The Bulls Head and our cars. Sadly Alastair and I lost our way somehow and had to resort to some gymnastics  to scale walls and fences to find our way back. Our chums, who had been trailing behind us, arrived at The Bulls Head before us. We were happy to discover that the pub, which used to close at 3pm sharp, is now open all day.

Next week's walk will start at 9.35am from the road outside The Sportsman on Kinder Road, Hayfield. We expect to reach The Lamb at Chinley around 12.15pm for a bracer and be back at The Sportsman for a further tincture at about 2.20pm.

Happy wandering !