Combes

 

                                                                     Map by Tom

                                                                        Pictures by Alan Hart

 scenery overlooking Combes Reservoir,

                                                       a fire engine converted into a mobile bar.

                                                    view of Castle Naze in the distance and 

views overlooking Combes Reservoir

Rushop Edge

 

Words and pictures by John Jones

On Wednesday i decided to keep with tradition and take a walk from the excellent "100 best Peak District Walks " book.. Tom had pointed this worthy tome to me last year and I managed to buy a dirt-cheap copy on "Fleabay".  

This one starts at the layby at the start of Rushop Edge approaching form Chapel.. I  was soon off taking a E direction along a fenced path skirting the road and soon onto the only track towards Rushop Edge. 

After a 1/2 mile of which I took a left (N) and soon a right at a cairn bringing me onto Chapel Gate in a gentledown hill direction ENE . As I wandered down I spotted a male Sparrow Hawk  while also taking in the wonderful views of Vale of Edale opening out before me.

 I  saw what looked like a straggling bunch of walkers lower down,one of which, a rather portly gentleman had a dog that looked like Daisy. I took a stile NE down to manor House Farm and tried to catch up with the walkers.

Past a sheep scratching post, I heard a curlew which it's warbling song. Past the farm and onto Barber Booth where I lost sight of said walkers and navigating N and E to Shaw Wood where I saw a WW2 pillbox base where I had a food break, and found a Holly walking stick roughly cut by some Hawthorn trees complete with sheep teeth marks. Any food will do in winter for a hungry beast.. 

Soon E onto Edale village and taking a right at the church graveyard I once again spotted the familiar ramblers and almost caught up with them at Ollerbrook Booth hamlet. I took a right turn S following a hedged lane where the nearby field had ewes with a multitude of black and mainly white lambs.. I crossed over the Hope Valley road turning right and a quick left and saw that one walker was way ahead.. (Just like Chris I thought). 

Steady climbing  SE up to Hollins Cross and lunch at the summit with it's fine views down to Castleton.. A helicopter was taking off from the gliding landing field with flagstones for the scheduled overhaul of the footpath from Hollins Cross  to Loose Hill. an ambitious job for the volunteers I think.The work is scheduled to take the next two months and paid mainly by the BMC. 

I took a right soon after the familiar group of four walking W  to Mam tor, Mam Nick and onto Rushop edge . This section of the path was quite busy with young uns .... Along the ridge taking either of the adjacent paths W and after Lords Seat and gradually downhill back to the start. There was no hurry with this wander and the weather was very good gracing us with afternoon sunshine. Another day to savour indeed.. 9 miles ..  0ver 4 hrs..

 Vale of Edale

A sheep scratching post

 Hollins Cross, Backtor and Loosehill

..Mum with Quadruplets

Snaking down into Edale

 .Walkers down to Mam Nick

Woo Dale

Words and pictures by John Jones

Chapel interior.. 

 Poisonous fungus, Sarcoscypha austriacia.

 Attractive Lodge by A6.

Haydale Cave

Teviot lambs

Celtic style war memorial, enlarge for reading.

Old Green Lane

On Thursday, 18th, I decided to try a different area from where I usually walk locally. I drove down Redgap Lane and parked up near some old farmhouse , now modernised and no longer a farm. I set off back a few yards then E along  walled lane , through a gate and into the start of Woo Dale .A gentle stroll down and upto the A6. I noticed a figure in front who was climbing up the hill side on my left. It looked like Jock?. I followed said person and on top continued towards Cheedale, where the path turned down over a mineral railway line and a familiar row of cottages by the Wye , which was in full flow. Over the river to an access road and taking a right in a W direction to Topley Pike Quarry, soon crossing over and up in a S direction past settling pools from the washing plant . Soon into and up a short steep gorge where I thought I noticed a rather portly figure slowly climbing above us..It was only on surfacing into a field that i recognised Tom  and Daisy !  Pie time ensued.with two skylarks regaling us from above.. A lovely sound indeed.. .. Soon we set off S past a country residence, across A 5270 towards Frogmorton. Down a walled track but turned right and right again down a delightful green land after passing a field with Teviot ewes with their youngish lambs, most in pairs.. We came off the lane W to a farm and the A5270 again, passing a sewage facility. soon off the road and over a stile past disused buildings and into haydale. The sun graced us then with it's presence and as we walked gently down we joined Horseshoe Dale, which was quite scenic .. We took lunch  then in a leisurely manner.. After we returned to our stroll we joined Deep dale  the valley walls of which enclosed us and steepened somewhat forcing us to walk along a stream bed which was not easy going. ..We crossed over a stile and the stream onto Midshires Way and to a tarmaced road near  King Sterndale,, giving the chapel a good perusal.. A lovely spot with celtic cross war memorial,, see pix.. Along the road to A6, at Wyevale, Soon over  and passing a lancet windowed lodge we climbed up to Pictor Hall complete with a bell tower and tree lined drive. Very posh soon along this drive we came out at Redgap lane again,, A superb stroll, one I thoroughly enjoyed ... It may have had something to do with the al fresco cup of tea and double helpings of Mary's delightfully tasty, fruit cake.

Stanley Moor

 Words and pictures by John Jones

On Thursday  I decided to take a local stroll around Stanley Moor area. leaving the bottom of Temple Road I soon came to Grinlow Wood Car Park. As i was taking the steep wood edged stairway I noticed a shape up ahead with a toy dog.. it looked like Tom!.. On arriving into the open above the Caravan site I realised it was and lo and behold another wanderer was nearby also. Jock deciding to grace us with his presence..Then  we rambled S..  ..across cattle grid and Grinlow road and soon onto Stanley Moor complete with shake holes..  Past the disused reservoir hidden behind the trees and into a small section of conifer forest, opening up on the disused mineral line .. E to a fork and staying on the line S. into a field below Thirkelow. A fresh sparrow hawk kill  by the stile..Across a tarmaced road and pie time, where we heard the first skylark  of the year... This brave song being on a day full of stormy weather and a biting cold strong wind,, On then and up to where a local farmer was feeding his pregnant ewes on hay and concentrate, The hail hit us then, and then some.. Luckily we were soon steeply descending down into a sheltered stream valley which was quite scenic and S still we swung a left to Booth Farm..(@ 4 miles )  Coming out on a metalled road which we walked Ne to a junction getting a good glimpse of Chrome Hill. Up onto the flank oh High Edge NE and down across another road ,past builders rubble and onto The Frith and  mines research complex.. keeping N, we came out eventually by an untidy scrapyard, (Was there ever a neat one?)and Harpur Hill industrial estate.. N past scrub land  where I found a dog leash and collar,Past some cottages and W the walking by the perilous Grinlow Road with a lack  of f/paths at times. Crossing soon and into a tiny bit of land where we took lunch.. . from there n to a horse field and electric fence taking a left going W, and up hill to Grinlow Tower, N down the other side, into a beech wood , playing fields and College road , Down which took us to  of temple road..

A typical clean kill of a Sparrowhawk.

Tom seeking shelter.into the valley

metalled road 

good view Chrome Hill

Sutton

 Moss fruiting bodies on Meg Lane.

 

On Thursday I decided to take a stroll from the Sutton area. I found a spot to park my unkempt Honda on someone's drive and soon headed off S. past a swing park (recreational area to you modernists ) and took a footpath Sw to Sutton Res'.. Then S along a metaled road uphill,past Croker House  and soon SE along a decent track ever uphill onto a ridge where Along and S I came to a radio mast being Croker hill, looking for a place to enjoy lunch i came across Chris!.. what a coincidence indeed!.. He stated he knew the way from here and I followed him E towards aptly named Wind farm where we could see three wind turbines, all of which were the Proven down-wind models. doing their bit for the environment . Down an ancient green lane Chris then got well and truly lost. Stating the dreaded words, " I swear there is a path here somewhere. " We became adepts at crossing barbed wire fencing. looking up from our circular tour I spotted a portly fellow walker who looked suspiciously like Tom?, complete with a muddy toy breed of dog.. He was obviously not as daft as I was wallowing about below,.. Eventually a good stroke of fortune appeared by the way of two local residents who politely guided us on our way. gratefully accepting their advise we walked through a picturesque farm (Lower Pethills )  and on to a decidedly  unpicturesque fenced track apparently ankle deep in a slurrified mud. S then each of us weighed down by our mud-covered boots onto Hollins Lane which we soon left at Rossen dale to go E steeply uphill past old mine workings ,pausing for a quick post lunch break.. with a not-bad view.. past Ridge Hall farm with it's proposed re-wilding areas and onto a delightfully named Meg Lane and NW down and into Sutton.. 8 & 1/2 miles.