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..
A sheep scratching post
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