11/03/2021

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



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