Bugsworth

BUGSWORTH BASIN, PEAK FOREST TRAMWAY, WHITEHOUGH, HOPE VALLEY RAILWAY LINE, BRECK MEADOW, SHIREOAKS FARM, SOUTH HEAD, THE LAMB INN AT CHINLEY HEAD, CRACKEN EDGE, WOODLANDS BARN, COTE BANK, DOLLY LANE, BRIERLEY GREEN, THE NAVIGATION AT BUGSWORTH BASIN

Distance: 10 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate with one prolonged strenuous climb.

Weather: Dry with some cloud, some sunshine and a gentle breeze.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, John Jones, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh and George Whaites.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Mark Gibby and Hughie Hardiman (all self-isolating), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Lawrie Fairman (awaiting consultant's call), Chris Owen (digging)

Leader: Jones. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Outside The Navigation at Bugsworth Basin on The Peak Forest Canal.

Starting time: 9.51am. Finishing time: 3.09pm.

We assembled in ideal walking conditions outside an historic pub, enjoyed some more stunning scenery following last week's spectacular landscapes, visited an attractive country pub with pretty barmaids, and in addition to the usual flora and fauna we were closely inspected by an emu and a llama.

Led by JJ for the third week in succession we followed a new route for the third successive week and encountered some familiar landmarks along with some new ones.

All this came after an inauspicious start when Tom rang to say he had been delayed with a puncture to his front offside tyre. This proved to be the only minor mishap apart from a fall by Jock, who went sprawling after tripping over a root. Happily Jock was not only uninjured but he managed to carry on the story he was telling at the time without pause.

Our meeting point next to Bugsworth Basin was once the hub of a transport network moving lime, limestone and gritstone around the country. Lime is a vital ingredient in the production of cement, mortar, plaster, glass and soap. It is also used to “sweeten” soil, treats sewage and purifies water.

In the year 1808 alone, the basin provided enough limestone to fill more than 2,000 horse-drawn barges which could travel at 4mph.

Bugsworth Basin was also the scene of a murder when John Cotton killed his wife Hannah in the cabin of their narrowboat moored there in 1898. Justice was swift in those days. The murder happened on October 26, Cotton was arrested the same day, sent for trial at Derby Assizes, found guilty, sentenced and hanged on December 21.

Passing The Navigation Inn on our left we followed the former track of The Peak Forest Tramway, which brought goods to the barges in bygone days. It led us across the road to Whitehough (10mins) and another road (24mins), passing a water treatment plant on our left before reaching the end of the former tramway at Charley Lane (40mins)

We turned left and then right (43mins) at a wooden public footpath sign to the right of CJK Packaging. The path took us under two railway viaducts and over a wooden footbridge (48mins) to reach a road. Here we turned left (49mins) and immediately right, then swinging first left and then right. At The Cottage (51mins) we turned left through a wooden gate to cross a field.

After exiting the field we turned left (54mins) at a lane and then headed right uphill, crossing a bridge over The Hope Valley railway line (56mins). We passed Breck Meadow on our right (58mins) then followed a wooden public footpath sign right (59mins) before swinging left uphill.

After taking the right fork towards Shireoaks we stopped by a wall (67mins) for pies and port. Continuing we followed a sign for Shireoaks Farm (75mins), went through the farmyard and swung left along The Pennine Bridleway (83mins). We now followed signs for South Head in small groups and reassembled at the right shoulder (121mins) having established that nobody wished to make a quick diversion to the summit.

After passing an ancient stone gatepost on our right we went through a metal gate and turned left over a stone step stile (130mins). This was to be the start of our descent to The Lamb Inn. At this point Peter, whose medical condition is keeping him out of pubs at present, left us to find his own way back.

The rest of us went downhill through fields, crossing a wooden stile (136mins) and heading diagonally right across the next field before going through a wooden gate marked with a white arrow (140mins). Two more gates, one small and one large, brought us on to the main A624 road linking Glossop with Chapel-en-le-Frith. We turned right (147mins) and The Lamb Inn, an 18^th Century coaching house, was soon on our right (148mins)

At tables outside in the sunshine, some of us enjoyed pints of Wainwrights' cask bitter at £3-75 while others preferred pints of lime and soda ! I shall not embarrass the latter by naming them.

When our journey continued we crossed the main road and turned left. It was at this stage that Jock tripped, sprawled, clambered to his feet and continued without stopping for a moment in a story with which he was regaling us. We turned right at a wooden public footpath sign down a steep path through trees (150mins). We followed a lane towards a farm but just before the farmhouse we turned left through a wooden gate (155mins) and over a wooden footbridge across a stream.

The path took us through fields with other fields behind a fence on our left. From one of these fields we were first approached by a bird with long legs, huge eyes and large eyelashes which I identified as an emu from a previous visit. As we passed the next field a llama which I recognised came over to stare at us. It was like a reverse zoo.

Beyond the menagerie we paused for lunch (163mins) before setting off on the toughest part of our route. We turned right for a hill and headed up towards a road (172mins) where we turned right and then left (174mins) at a wooden public footpath sign up a flight of stone steps.

A steep climb took us to a stone step stile (180mins) and we continued the ascent of Cracken Edge until we reached the ridge (187mins) to pause for breath and photos of the view across the valley. Resuming (197mins) we turned left to reach the corner of a field at the end of the ridge (210mins). We turned right through a wooden gate and headed left downhill, reaching a road by the side of Woodlands Barn (222mins)

Turning right towards Cote Bank we forked left (230mins) away from the lane along a trodden grass track, crossing a wooden stile (232mins) to reach the end of a cul-de-sac. At the end of Dolly Wood Close we turned left (240mins) into Dolly Lane then right towards Brierley Green (242mins)

After passing Bugsworth War Memorial Club on our left (244mins) we turned left down Brookside to reach The Navigation (246mins) for pints of Timothy Taylor's Landlord bitter.

In 1960 the pub was run by taxi driver Bill Nadin and his girlfriend, an actress called Pat Phoenix. But they left the pub when a new soap opera called Coronation Street was launched and Pat was cast as glamorous divorcee Elsie Tanner.

Next week's walk will start at 9.55am from Bubnell Road, Baslow, Derbyshire. Travelling along the A623 from the direction of Eyam and Stoney Middleton, just before the roundabout going left for Sheffield and right for Bakewell, there is a small bridge over a river which leads to Bubnell Road. By car proceed to the roundabout, turning right towards Bakewell and take the first right into Bubnell Road, where parking is usually available near the parish church.

Jock will lead us on to The Chatsworth Estate and hopes to find a hostelry for us to visit as well.

Happy wandering !

                                                           Photographs by Alan Hart

Pictures by John Jones

Having a breather by South Head

Julian with a very skitty Daisy

mu close up

 Llama  

Easing up to Lower Cracken

.No gain without pain

Buxton

BURBAGE, CROMFORD AND HIGH PEAK RAILWAY, ERRWOOD RESERVOIR, FERNILEE RESERVOIR, ERRWOOD HALL, GRIMSHAWE GRAVES, SHOOTERS CLOUGH, STAKESIDE, BERRY CLOUGH, MACCLESFIELD OLD ROAD, BURBAGE

Distance: 11 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Light showers and sunny intervals.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, John Jones, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Keith Welsh, George Whaites.

Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Mark Gibby and Hughie Hardiman (self-isolating), Laurie Fairman (taking wife for medical check), Dean Taylor (hols)

Leader: Jones. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Bishop's Lane, Burbage, Buxton.

Starting time: 9.46am. Finishing time: 2.58pm.

The hills and moors overlooking Errwood Reservoir provided the spectacular backdrop for this challenging walk from the suburbs of Buxton. Although we endured our share of showers we also enjoyed some bright sunshine towards the end and the visibility was good throughout.

This enabled us to admire the stunning scenery in the Peak National Park and to learn some of the history of the area. It was a comparatively new route, having been tested just once during the early months of the Covid19 lockdown.

JJ handicapped himself by bringing the wrong map and then found one of his planned footpaths had been closed for forestry work. But his memory of the area ultimately triumphed as we found an alternative trail following advice from Jock.

The disappointing lack of pubs en route will be remedied next week when we plan to visit two hostelries.

From the far end of Bishop's Drive, Burbage, we headed uphill from the starting point at two ancient gateposts. Once again we were obliged by numbers to split into two groups of 5 or a sextet and a quartet. On some occasions we chose 4-4-2; on others a more adventurous 4-3-3 formation with three strikers upfront.

As Bishop's Drive appeared to be petering out (7mins) we turned left at a wooden public footpath sign and ascended a flight of wooden steps. We reached a wooden gate and turned right(11mins). Directly behind us on the skyline was the folly known as Solomon's Temple overlooking Buxton.

The path brought us to a junction with the closed and locked tunnel of the disused Cromford and High Peak Railway 100 yards on our left (21mins)

This railway, stretching 33 miles, was completed in 1831. It was designed to carry minerals and goods between Cromford Canal Wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. It was closed in 1967.

We turned right and crossed the moor along a well-trodden path, ignoring a wooden footbridge on our left leading to Goytsclough Quarry (44mins). By now Errwood Reservoir was beginning to emerge on our left. When we reached a fork in the paths we ignored one leading towards the reservoir but headed right slightly away from the water until we reached a road (72mins). Here we turned left and walked along the road which divided Errwood Reservoir on our left and Fernilee Reservoir on our right.

After reaching the far side we went straight on up a path opposite where we stopped for pies, port and damson gin kindly provided by Chris under a convenient tree (77mins)

After re-joining the road, with Errwood Reservoir on our left we reached a footpath on our right which JJ had intended to use to reach the ruins of Errwood Hall (91mins). However the path was closed for “forestry work” and JJ consulted Jock to confirm another path on our right would lead us to our destination.

By taking the next path and swinging right off it (99mins) we reached the ruins of Errwood Hall (101mins)

Errwood Hall was built in the 1830s by Samuel Grimshawe, a wealthy Manchester businessman and was occupied by his family for the next 100 years. The estate of 2,000 acres consisted of several farms, a school, a private coal mine, the hamlet of Goyt's Bridge and The Cat and Fiddle Inn.

Samuel's grandchildren were the last family members to live in the hall, which was partially demolished to facilitate the construction of Fernilee Reservoir in 1934. Stones from the hall were used to build the water treatment works below Fernilee Reservoir.

The hamlet of Goyt's Bridge and much of the farmland is now submerged beneath the waters of Errwood Reservoir – although the old packhorse bridge after which it was named has been relocated further up the valley.

Errwood was the second of two reservoirs built in the Goyt Valley, the other being Fernilee. Errwood was constructed by the Stockport Water Corporation for £1.5 million and work was completed in 1967. It is now owned by United Utilities and holds up to 4,215 million litres of water.

Fernilee was finished in 1938 for £480,000 and holds 5 billion litres. The village of Goyt's Bridge and Errwood Hall were destroyed to prevent pollution after Stockport Corporation Waterworks had bought the Grimshawe Estate.

A makeshift tin town was built to accommodate the workforce during construction. The creation of Fernilee Reservoir drowned the Chilworth Gunpowder Mill, which had manufactured chemical explosives from the 16^th Century until the First World War.

After looking round the ruins of Errwood Hall we continued uphill away from the reservoir, emerging at the start of Shooters Clough. At this stage we turned left (116mins) and climbed steeply uphill for a diversion to the graves of the Grimshawe family. In pride of place were the epitaphs to Samuel and Jessie Mary Magdelane Grimshawe.

In the absence of a pub stop, JJ generously produced bottles of beer which he had brought for us to share.

From here we took an alternative route down, reaching another ruined building where the path arrived at a plateau. We turned left to continue our walk along Shooters Clough towards Stakeside (131mins)

Swinging left at a gatepost (146mins) and pausing for photos of the magnificent view of the reservoir below, we turned right following a sign for The Cat and Fiddle pub (151mins). This brought us to a footpath sign (172mins) for Shining Tor on our right, back to Errwood or straight ahead for The Cat and Fiddle. We aimed for the pub, knowing it had been closed for more than a year and with no false hopes.

We turned left just before reaching a wooden gate (175mins) and soon stepped right through a gap in the fence to begin a lengthy descent.

Stopping for lunch at a stone wall (191mins) we realised some of our group were finding the stony track downhill difficult. Continuing we crossed a wooden footbridge and crossed a lane (211mins). We followed a green public footpath sign for Buxton and crossed a wooden footbridge on our right for Berry Clough (213mins)

At another wooden public footpath sign we followed the sign for Burbage (232mins).

At a wooden gate (246mins) we turned left along a stony track (250mins) which had once been the packhorse route to Macclesfield.

At the end of Macclesfield Old Road (266mins) we turned left along St John's Road, passing the closed Duke pub and turning left into Bishop's Lane to reach our cars (270mins)

Next week's walk of 10 miles will start at 9.40am from the road leading to The Navigation pub at Bugsworth Basin, Chinley.Meet outside the pub. We will be following the Peak Tramway to Chapel Milton, passing through Wash to go via South Head to The Lamb at Chinley for a bracer around 12.30pm.

Our journey back will be along Cracken Edge and Brierley Green aiming to return to the Navvy at about 2.40pm.

Happy wandering !

                                                              pictures by Alan Hart

Pictures by John Jones

On the Cromford and High Peak railway

On the ridge at Errwood valley

George pushing on

On to Berry Clough with Grouse moor patterns

Marple

July 15, 2002.

MARPLE, PEAK FOREST CANAL, STRINES THE FOX AT BROOK BOTTOM, HAGUES BAR, FLETCHER TOWERS, NEW MILLS GOLF COURSE, STONYPIECE FARM, COACH HOUSE FARM, BIRCHENCLOUGH FARM, THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT MELLOR, LINNET CLOUGH, MELLOR AND TOWNSCLIFFE GOLF COURSE, ROMAN LAKES

Distance: 9-10 miles.

Difficulty: Mainly easy with two stiff climbs.

Weather: Cloudy with frequent light showers.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, John Jones, Dean Taylor.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison, Lawrie Fairman and Jock Rooney.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Mark Gibby and Hughie Hardiman (self-isolating), Andy Blease, Julian Ross, Keith Welsh and George Whaites (hols), George Dearsley (in Turkey)

Leader: Jones. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Side of Strines Road on the Marple boundary.

Starting time: 9.37pm. Finishing time: 2.04pm.

The production of your diarist's magic waterproof pants was enough to bring a stoppage to the rain which had been falling until just before this walk started. The witchcraft did not last, however. The rain soon resumed and we spent most of the day hiking through drizzle.

JJ had created a new route linking together some familiar sections to provide an interesting diversion from our tried and tested walks which some critics decry as being tired and detested. He had certainly done his homework in the planning stages as we set foot on fresh pastures without losing our bearings or any of our members.

The only quibble was the lack of welcome at The Devonshire, where we were required to stand dripping in the doorway for ten minutes while the bar manageress searched in vain for our booking before allowing us inside the otherwise empty pub. Can it be only four months since we were allowed to enter pubs freely, choose tables for ourselves and order beer at the bar ? More to the point how soon will it be, if ever, before those halcyon days return ?

From the roadside we walked in the direction of Strines before turning right into Lime Kiln Lane (2mins). The road became a path which brought us out by Lock 16 on the Peak Forest Canal. We turned left to cross the bridge and joined the towpath with the waterway on our left (7mins). At Bridge 19 we crossed to the left bank with the canal now on our right until a green footpath sign on our left indicated the way to Strines (38mins)

Reaching a main road we crossed into Station Road (45mins) and admired Bruce's Clock on our left.

Thomas Bruce was a foreman mechanic at Strines Print Works which produced calico. He lived in Whitecroft Cottage nearby and made the turret clock in 1809 to time the arrival of the millworkers.

After passing the dove-coted pond on the left and 16^th Century Strines Hall on our right (53mins) we started to climb uphill, taking the left fork away from the station and ascending the rocky path which led us to one of our old haunts, The Fox at Brook Bottom (66mins). We turned right and after passing a bench in memory or Eric Burdekin we turned right (68mins) down a restricted by-way heading steeply down to the main road at Hague Bar (75mins)

We crossed this and JJ led us to a children's playground on our left where he was proposing to stop for Pietime. However the light drizzle had now become more substantial rain and we reversed back to the main road and turned right (81mins). As we reached the haven of two bus shelters on opposite sides of the road, the rain eased and we reconvened for pies and port (83mins)

Suitably refreshed we continued our journey of discovery, turning left at a public footpath sign (85mins) which led up a vertiginous route to a road where we turned right (91mins). This took us past on our left an eccentric modern gated house called Fletcher Towers which boasted an exterior clock, a Royal Mail style letter box, a red phone box and its own cannon !

Shortly after passing this we turned sharply left passing a house called Country Wynds before turning left to follow a yellow arrow (96mins). We crossed a wooden stile and continued uphill to enter New Mills Golf Course (105mins). Turning right we stuck to the right side of the course before exiting and passing Stonypiece Farm on our left (115mins). The lane took us past Coach Horse Farm on our right (123mins) before we turned left (124mins) along a restricted by-way. After crossing a road and heading towards Birchenhough Farm (137mins) we proceeded through the farm following a sign for Mellor Church.

The path took us through fields to the main road through Mellor (149mins) which we crossed and turned left to bring us to the shelter of the Davenport Arms at Mellor on our right (150mins). At this point Peter shamed his former profession as a journalist by eschewing a pint on the ground that Covid 19 was making it unwise for him to enter pubs. He left us at this point.

With the bar in sight our dampened spirits soared but, as another wordsmith once wrote, there's many a slip twixt cup and lip. Before we could get beyond the doorway an earnest-looking bar manageress was asking if we had booked. JJ confirmed that he had rung to make a booking in his name at 11am that very day. Apart from three staff the pub was empty. Nevertheless she kept us waiting for ten minutes while she searched repeatedly and vainly for the booking. At this point I was tempted to ask “Can we start again and pretend we don't have a booking ?”

Eventually she selected one of the dozens of empty tables for us and despatched an exceptionally tall young barman to take our order. With Dean deciding to forgo his usual pint of lager our round was two pints of Unicorn and one pint of Dizzy Blonde. This the barman laboriously wrote down in case it slipped his mind during his three-steps journey to the bar. Happily the beer itself was in excellent form.

Resuming our walk we headed up the road opposite the pub's front entrance and took the right fork towards Linnet Clough scout camp (155mins). We followed a sign for the main car park at Mellor and Townscliffe Golf Club (162mins) and stopped by some of the greensmen's equipment for a brief lunch (164mins). Continuing we followed a green public footpath sign for Marple Bridge (168mins) as we left the golf course and pursued a sign for Roman Lakes(180mins)

A plaque informed us we were in the former grounds of the massive Mellor Mill owned by Samuel Oldknow, a gentleman farmer who used the latest technology from the Industrial Revolution to earn his fortune (which he enhanced by selling fruit and vegetables from his garden to the millworkers !)

We proceeded along the track uphill and crossed a bridge over the River Goyt (190mins). This led us to a main road which we crossed into Oldknow Road (197mins). At the T-junction we turned left towards Strines and reached our cars (199mins)

Meanwhile the alternative walkers had an enjoyable seven-mile hike round Tittesworth Reservoir.

Next week's walk will start at 9.45am from Bishop's Lane, Burbage, Buxton SK17 6UN (Grid ref SK04733). Follow the A34 towards Congleton out of Buxton and after a mile, shortly before traffic lights, turn right. Park responsibly on the road and meet at gateposts.

Happy wandering !

pictures by John Jones

Strines Clock

Finally in the dry

Lunch break

One man and his dog

Ladybower

July 8, 2020.

BRIDGE END, HAGG SIDE, ROWLEE PASTURE, ALPORT CASTLE, BIRCHENLEE PASTURE, DERWENT RESERVOIR, SLIPPERY STONES, COLD SIDE, HOWDEN RESERVOIR, HOWDEN DAM, DERWENT DAM, FAIRHOLMES VISITOR CENTRE, LADYBOWER RESERVOIR

Distance: 13 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Weather: Cloudy with early mist: mainly dry with light drizzle.

Walkers: Peter Beal, Top Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, John Jones, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney, Dean Taylor, George Whaites.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison and Lawrie Fairman.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett and Alastair Cairns (isolating in Silverdale), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Gibby (isolating in Poynton), Julian Ross (hols in Wirral), Keith Welsh (hols in Devon)

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Bridge End car park, Ladybower Reservoir, Bamford. Alternative starting point: Fairholmes Visitors Centre, Bamford.

Starting time: 9.59am. Alternative starting time: 10.10am.Finishing time: 2.55pm.

In keeping with the lockdown social distancing rules, we immediately split into two groups of three and five for this clockwise walk around the Derwent, Howden and Ladybower Reservoirs. Needless to say this was purely accidental. Tom discovered his chosen starting point at the Fairholmes Visitors Centre had a pay-and-display car park. He elected to start instead from an alternative free car park a mile away, failing to notice that this car park had also been converted to pay-and-display in the 20 years since he had last visited it.

In the resulting confusion George, Tom and your diarist awaited in vain for latecomers at the Bridge End car park, whilst the other five wanderers, having passed the lay-by before Tom arrived, continued beyond Bridge End to park freely at a lay-by nearer the visitors centre. The situation was further complicated by the lack of phone signals in the area.

Happily the mobile blackout ended after half an hour when JJ managed to contact your diarist. They were already hot on our heels so we were able to await their arrival. The following descriptions and timings represent those of the leading trio.

Following last week's journey from Eyam, the historic plague village, on this occasion we were in the presence, so to speak, of more modern history.

In 1943 the RAF 617 Squadron led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, used Derwent Dam to prepare for the famous Dam Buster raids on Germany's Ruhr Valley. Lancaster bombers practised flying just 60 feet above the water in the Upper Derwent Valley so they could deliver the bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis.

Using two spotlights on the nose and tail which converged at an altitude of exactly 60 feet they were able to maintain their low-level attacks below the Nazis' anti-aircraft fire. Their bombs skimmed the water in front of the German dams before sinking and exploding next to them.

The Upper Derwent Valley is still used by the RAF for low-level flying practice.

From the side of the Bridge End car park we headed uphill along a public bridle path through conifers. After going through a wooden gate (17mins) we swung right with trees on our right and the valley to our left. We crossed a wooden stile at the right fork in the paths (29mins) and turned right briefly before heading left uphill (31mins) towards a ladder stile. It was at this point we heard from the lost legion and waited 18 minutes for them to reach us (49mins)

We now crossed the ladder stile, keeping a drystone wall on our left as we went through a wooden gate (56mins) into Rowlee Pasture.

We continued to walk to the right of a drystone wall until it became broken and low enough for us to step to its left (86mins). This path then took us towards the impressive looking but deceptive Alport Castle ahead.

The “castle” is in fact an Ice Age landslip more than half a mile long. Some of that erosion left behind piles of debris which from a distance gives the appearance of a castle.

On reaching a vantage point overlooking the part of the “castle” known as The Tower (99mins) we stopped for pies, port and damson gin kindly provided by Chris. Resuming we walked along a trodden path directly away from Alport Castle, soon reaching a number of grouse butts (106mins)

We continued, passing through a wooden gate into a wood (117mins) and reached a T-junction of paths.

Turning right across a stream (125mins) we then swung left over a bridge (126mins) and turned left along a road (128mins). Derwent Reservoir was now on our right. Continuing along the road we went through a wooden gate (163mins) and followed a bridleway to Slippery Stones.

At a fork we continued ahead along the cycle path (180mins) and reached a stone bridge at Slippery Stones (184mins) where we stopped for a brief lunch.

Resuming on the far side of the bridge we followed the cycle route as it went left then swung right to follow the reservoir on our right. We reached Howden Dam (230mins) and carried on with Derwent Reservoir now replacing Howden Reservoir on our right.

As we approached Derwent Dam, built in 1916, we forked right at a gate marked with a yellow arrow (262mins) and then followed stone steps down the far side of the dam to pass plaques informing us of The Dam Busters' connection.

Reaching the road next to The Fairholmes Visitors Centre (272mins) we turned left along the road, reaching Bridge End Car Park on our right (285mins). After de-booting we drove to The Ladybower pub at Bamford for pints of real ale – our first drink together since lockdown !

Meanwhile alternative walkers Colin Davison and Lawrie Fairman had walked from Taddington to Millers Dale past Litton to Cresswell Dale and back over hills to Taddington. They totalled nine miles in dry weather.

Next week's main walk will start at 9.30am from the road towards Strines from Marple which swings right after crossing the road-bridge over the Peak Forest Canal. We will be walking for 10 miles through Strines, Brook Bottom, Mousely Bottom with Pietime at Hague Bar and a livener around 12.30pm at The Devonshire Arms, Mellor, before returning via Linnet Clough.

Happy wandering !

Pictures by Alan Hart

The approach to Alport Castle

 Looking down on Alport Castle at Pietime

  A babbling brook

Howden Dam

pictures by John Jones

Out on top

Camouflaged shelter

Cosy internals.

Second break. 

Packhorse bridge below.

Howden Dam

Bouncing bomb details

It is a short life for a common shrew

At last! after 3 bloody months!.Cheers!

Eyam

July 1, 2020.

EYAM, STONEY MIDDLETON, DERWENT VALLEY, FROGATT, HAY WOOD, DERWENT HERITAGE WAY, GRINDLEFORD, COPPICE WOOD, LONGSHAW ESTATE, HARPER LEES, HAZLETON HALL, TORR FARM, STOKE FORD, BRETTON

Distance: 12 miles.

Difficulty: Mostly moderate with some strenuous climbs.

Weather: Cloudy but dry.

Walkers: Andy Blease, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Alan Hart, John Jones, Jock Rooney, Julian Ross, Dean Taylor, Keith Welsh, George Whaites.

Alternative walkers: Colin Davison and Lawrie Fairman.

Apologies: Mickey Barrett, Alastair Cairns and Mark Gibby (self-isolating), Peter Beal (having Covid test),George Dearsley (in Turkey) Chris Owen (preparing for cement delivery)

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.

Starting point: Upper car park at Eyam, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: 3.26pm.

In the fourth month of Britain's Coronavirus epidemic we started our walk from Eyam, the Derbyshire village which famously isolated itself when bubonic plague struck in 1665.

Eyam has become a tourist attraction as a result with a museum and a profusion of plaques informing visitors of the cottage where the first victim died and of the homes where other families suffered. One woman who survived lost her husband and six children in a week.

Estimates of the population of Eyam and its casualties vary dramatically but a 2016 survey reckoned that 36 per cent of the 700 villagers died.

Unlike other people who fled the outbreak, Eyam's church-going community heeded the advice of a minister who urged them to stay within the village so they would not infect outsiders. The inhabitants' self-sacrifice has been documented in books and film.

Compared to the previous week, when seven Wednesday Wanderers had walked under cloudless blue skies, this week nine hikers ignored the forecasts of intermittent showers and were rewarded with a dry day. Only a few miles away I am informed by Lawrie that the alternative walkers hiked eight miles from Shallcross in the Whaley Bridge area and around Coombes in the rain.

Because of our number and the lockdown rules the rest of us were obliged to split into groups of six and three with the trailing trio alternating its personnel from time to time.

Following last week's diary Tom has revealed an unexpected sensitive side to his nature so we will not mention any failings during this journey. Suffice to say his appointed navigator was dismissed after the first hour and ordered to hand over his map.

From the rear of the car park we passed a children's playground on the right and the rear of the parish church before emerging on The Causeway in the heart of the village. On our right we climbed up Lydgate (7mins) and saw our first plaque to mark the home of plague victims. The route then took us in a straight line uphill to fields leading towards the neighbouring village of Stoney Middleton. En route we passed The Dipping Stone on the boundary where the inhabitants of Eyam left money soaked in vinegar in exchange for food.

As we headed towards the main A623 road we turned left going to the left of St Martin's Church and passing first a traditional parish pump and then a building on the left known as The Roman Bath. A plaque informed us that the building had no connection with the Romans and might not have been a bath.

Some hundred yards beyond the “bath” we turned right at a green public footpath sign and followed the path with a stream on our right. We reached the main road and turned left (45mins). After crossing the road we turned right (51mins) at a wooden footpath sign to enter a field full of knee-high purple clover and foxgloves. As we headed left into the next field it was covered in yellow dandelions and buttercups.

We were now on the left bank of the River Derwent which was scarcely moving. At a bridge we climbed up and crossed it to reach the right bank and the village of Froggatt (62mins). Turning left with the Derwent now on our left we passed Bridgefoot Cottage into Hollowgate. The path led us into Hay Wood where we stopped for pies and port (81mins) by a picturesque pool surrounded by rocks which were ideal “furniture.”

Resuming we exited Hay Wood along Derwent Heritage Way, reaching a main road where we turned right into Grindleford (91mins). Opposite a church on our right we turned left at a green public footpath sign (92mins) with the Derwent on our left. We crossed a stream by a bridge (100mins) and entered Coppice Wood on The Longshaw Estate (108mins)

This took us beyond the wood to Harper Lees which we exited (118mins) and reached a main road (126mins). After passing The Plough Inn on our left (130mins) we turned right after a green electricity box (134mins) and headed up a steep hill on a single-track road.

We passed Hazelton Hall and Torr Farm on our left before crossing a wooden stile and footbridge to pass a footpath sign indicating we were heading via Stoke Ford to Abney (165mins). Just before Stoke Ford we turned left uphill to follow a green public footpath sign marked Gotherage Barn to Grindleford and Eyam (198mins)

Another long climb took us to three alternative paths marked for Eyam Moor, Eyam and Bretton (221mins). We followed the third path for Bretton, turning right over a stone step stile (231mins). This brought us through a metal gate where we turned left along a gravel track (247mins). We reached a road where we turned left (250mins). After 50 yards the road swung right but we carried straight ahead along a gravel track marked “byway open to all traffic” (252mins). After passing the distinctive telecom mast on William Hill we turned right over a stone step stile (265mins) into a field.

This was the start of a steady and sometimes steep descent back into Eyam through a series of gates and stiles until we reached a football field on our right (290mins). This provided a short cut to the path by the playground we had passed at the outset of our walk. The main group reached the car park (298mins), but the stragglers who had missed the short cut arrived 13 minutes later (311mins).

Tom will once again lead next week's walk starting at 9.45am from The Fairholmes Visitor Centre pay-and-display car park at Bamford, Hope Valley S33 0AQ opposite Ladybower Reservoir.

Happy wandering !

pictures by Alan Hart

Pictures by John Jones

Pie Time

Bloody big anthill...

 Froggatt Bridge

Ancient paved footpath