Castleton

Leader: John Jones. walkers, Chris , Jock with Tip, Dean, Tom with a streamlined Daisy, (After last week's photo Tom's wife apparently ordered that the dog be spruced up with a close shave ).

The day started grey ,damp with a depressed feel mostly in part due to the dreaded China virus,(see Trump for details ).Among many government decrees that we should not congregate or  even enter dens of iniquity we decided to say a big F---off and carried on as normal adults ...Nevertheless a decent turnout of seven of us including two females I might add set off from bottom of Whinnats North Westerly past Treak Cliff mine and Odin with it's superb dressing wheel intact.. Having had enough of the bloody mud day after day etc,, I had decided to stay well clear as much as humanly possible so it was a relief to walk on the tarmaced road on the side of the "Shivering Mountain " Mam Tor... Soon degenerating into a discorded trail of twisted segments slowly finding their way down into the valley below.akin to a strewn domino effect.. Nature can be impressive sometimes.. At the top of the bits of tarmac we accessed a proper road with cars etc and past Blue John mine we took a right through a gate and upward to Mam Nick following the course of the spoil strewn  lead mine once worked there. I found a piece or two of genuine Blue John Which Chris was happy to receive in order to take home and get some "Brownie Points " from his wife...Soon we were on top of the famous hill fort taking in a fairly decent view of 360 degrees ..The skylarks were competing for ground space and in full song and young buzzard was spotted above the pine trees by Back Tor, The rain had more or less eased and the sun tried to show itself as we took an early lunch before Hollins Cross which was an ancient coffin route .  At this point Jock left us and took a short cut through the woods walking parallel with our lofty position up Back Tor and soon onto Lose Hill (where I believe a battle was "lost".once.. Finding our way down we rejoined with Jock and soon onto a narrow country lane and onto Edale Road to the "Cheshire Cheese " Pub..The Abbeydale Moon shine was very good indeed and Tom much enjoyed his toilet break. Poor sod didn't half get ribbed for a call of nature.. On from there and into Hope where we crossed over the road  walking past the church and famous Pin Fold before turning right in a Westerly direction along Peakshole Water.. Then over the quarry mineral line , 2nd Bite, and descended into the muddiest and shittiest stile crossings I have had misfortune to experience in many a year..Soon rejoining the water course which near Castleton a stench of Sheep dip,(organophosphate ) assailed our nostrils from nearby farm. Soon onto the road and into yet another Cheshire Cheese with the same ale . to wind down the day..Overall a good day to be out...9 miles total distance,,. next weeks walk as follows;- Meet at car park.09.30 hrs, old Glossop opposite the Wheatsheaf pub   . The pub on route will be The Anchor,12.30 ish and final watering hole will be the Queen's around 2.30.. Happy Wandering.... And if you indeed "wander" you get to see more..!............

pictures by John Jones

Round house casting on Mam Tor 

Back Tor

The ugly Castleton Cement Works

All the bloody mud you need

Hope Pinfold notice of terms.