BUXTON COUNTRY PARK, GRIN LOW WOOD, GRIN LOW, HIGH EDGE RACETRACK, HARPUR HILL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, THE PARK INN AT HARPUR HILL, SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, GRIN LOW, BUXTON
Distance: 8-9 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Weather: Mixture of clouds, a shower, blue skies and sunshine.
Walkers: Andy Blease, Alastair Cairns, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Gibby, Hughie Hardiman, Alan Hart, John Jones, Dean Taylor, Dave Willetts.
Apologies: Peter Beal (walking in Yorkshire Dales), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Chris Owen, Jock Rooney (walking with B team), Paul Sidebotham (having covid jab)
Leader: Jones. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Temple Road, Buxton.
Starting time: 9.49am. Finishing time: 2.21pm.
Impressive scenery, a welcoming pub, good beer and an innovative route. This walk ticked all the boxes. JJ devised and led the expedition up some serious climbs which were rewarded with spectacular views.
Despite alarming forecasts of thunder and lightning we were subjected to just one shower which was once again dispersed by the donning of your diarist's magic pants. We then enjoyed sunny weather on the last leg of our journey in the afternoon.
During our travels we were welcomed by a friendly horse, an hospitable landlord and inspected an historic landmark.
After a four-minute delay caused by my tardy arrival due to traffic problems, we set off up Temple Road, turning left where it departed from the road ahead. At the end of Temple Road we headed right and crossed into Poole's Cavern and Buxton Country Park (6mins)
Carrying on we followed a footpath uphill which led us into Grin Low Wood (8mins). Here, JJ informed us, our ancient forebears lived in caves and quarried the limestone. After a stiff climb we crossed a junction passing a sign for Burbage and Grinlow Caravan Site. We exited the wood (20mins) and reached a lane where we turned right (24mins). As we did so the distinctive shape of Solomon's Temple stood in the distance on our left.
After crossing a bridge over a shallow brook we came to the end of a wall (36mins) and turned right. The path led us to a road where we turned left. To our right, Tom explained, was a blast testing tunnel used by the Health and Safety Executive, who owned the land, to check explosive materials.
It was at this point that the threat of rain became a reality. However the legendary powers of your diarist's waterproof trousers worked their magic again and the rain soon stopped. As we continued beyond a cattle grid we encountered a beautiful Palomino mare. She approached and nuzzled us in exchange for having her nose stroked.
We followed a path into a wood through a metal kissing gate (53mins), exited the wood and reached a road where we turned first left along a lane and then right at a public footpath sign (57mins). The path went through a wooden gate on our left (67mins) and took us to a wooden stile which we crossed on our right (70mins)
Two wooden stiles enabled us to cross a road and after crossing a third wooden stile we paused by a handy cluster of rocks for Pietime (77mins)
JJ then led us down a steep descent to a wide track near the valley bottom, where we turned left (81mins). We crossed a stream by a wooden footbridge (87mins) , crossed a wooden stile and went over a stone step stile to head through fields to the left of a farmhouse.
Two more stiles enabled us to cross two more fields to reach a lane where we turned left (98mins). As we continued we passed Chrome Hill on our right and then the High Edge stock car racetrack on our left.
We crossed a wooden stile marked with a yellow arrow (109mins) to enter a field which we exited by another wooden stile (116mins) and turned left along a lane for 40 yards. Then we turned right at a wooden public footpath sign, crossing a wooden stile (119mins) to enter the grounds of HSE (Health and Safety Executive)
Reaching a lane we turned right (124mins) then turned right again along a well-trodden grass path (127mins) which brought us out in the Harpur Hill Industrial Estate (137mins). We turned right, passing Annie's Cafe on our left before descending a flight of steps to reach a footpath which ran parallel to a track on our left (140mins)
Where the paths forked we turned left downhill (142mins). The path became tarmacked and we reached The Park Inn at Harpur Hill on our right (149mins)
We were given a warm welcome by the landlord and his staff. The draught Bass at £3-50p a pint was deemed excellent and was preferred to the Yorkshire Blonde bitter at £3-60.
As we left the pub, vowing to return soon, we turned left down Grinlow Road before turning right at a wooden public footpath sign (159mins). In the field beyond we stopped for lunch (160mins). Proceeding we went through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow, crossed a wooden stile and turned left (162mins)
Where the paths forked we carried straight ahead (167mins) and went through a wooden gate (169mins). At a gap stile we turned right and reached Solomon's Temple standing at 1,440 feet on the top of Grinlow Hill (171mins)
Solomon's Temple, also known as Grinlow Tower, is a Victorian folly bought by public subscription and a donation from The Duke of Devonshire. It is on the site of a Bronze Age barrow and replaced a landmark tower built by Solomon Mycock, owner of The Cheshire Cheese Hotel, in the early 19th Century. It had been reduced to rubble over the decades but the new building was completed in 1896 and restored again by public subscription in 1988.
After climbing the 20-feet high tower, posing for photos and admiring the panoramic views (174mins) we began our descent towards Buxton.
We went through a gap stile (176mins) and then through a wooden gate marked with a yellow arrow to enter a wood (182mins). Ignoring a path on the left we carried straight on, leaving the wood and walking through a sports field before turning left at Buxton Junior School (188mins)
This took us along College Road until we reached Temple Road on our left and returned to our cars to de-boot (194mins).
Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the unofficial car park on wasteland opposite The Wheatsheaf in Old Glossop. We will aim to reach The Anchor at Hadfield around 12.20pm for a bracer before returning at about 2.30pm for a final tincture at The Queens in Old Glossop.
Happy wandering !
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