October 25, 2023.
CURBAR, BASLOW EDGE, WELLINGTON MONUMENT, WHITE EDGE, TRIG POINT, WHITE EDGE MOOR, THE GROUSE AT FROGGATT, FROGGATT EDGE, FROGGATT PINNACLE, CURBAR EDGE, THE BRIDGE AT CALVER
Distance: 9 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Weather: Misty start giving way to bright sunshine and blue skies.
Walkers: Micky Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Mark Enright, Mark Gibby, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Dean Taylor, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington.
Alternative walkers: Peter Beal, Jock and Keiran Rooney with Milly.
Apologies: George Dearsley (in Turkey)
Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Lay-bys at the top of Curbar Road two miles from Calver, Derbyshire.
Starting time: 10am. Finishing time: 2.45pm
Your diarist shamefully forgot his pen and a replacement donated by Mike ran out after ten minutes. Consequently this week's report will be short on words and long on photos: so much the better I hear you shout.
There was an excellent turnout of a dozen walkers on a misty morning and this number swelled to 15 when we were later joined by the three alternative walkers. Our hearts go out to Peter, who will be 75 next Wednesday, for making the effort to appear this week and buy a monster round. He was holding a premature celebration because of other commitments on November 1. We wish him many happy returns.
The contrasting photos below show how the weather changed during the course of the day. They include contributions from Mike, Tom and Simon as well as my own.
From the lay-bys we headed uphill before turning right at a footpath (4mins). As we followed the track we were obliged to overtake a herd of sharp-horned Highland cattle who were grazing on or next to the footpath. They clearly did not realise these footpaths are for the use of bipeds and not quadropeds.
Highland Cattle and Wednesday Wanderers
After a leading group overshot our left turn they retraced their steps and we then had a short steep climb to bring us on to Baslow Edge and reached The Wellington Monument.
The Wellington Monument
The Wellington Monument on Baslow Edge was erected by a local army man named Dr E.M. Wrench in 1866. It is thought he wanted to counterbalance the memorial to naval hero Admiral Nelson on Birchen Edge two kilometres away.
The memorial has a gritstone ashlar cross on a square gritstone pedestal founded on a natural outcrop. It is engraved “Wellington. Born 1769. Died 1852.”
From here we continued towards White Edge, stopping for Pietime (70mins) en route.
Near the Trig Point at 365 metres we were joined by Peter in time for a group photograph.
Mike, Simon, Mark, Peter, Dave, Cliff, Alastair, Tom, Chris, Dean, Micky and Mark
From here we descended through White Edge Moor towards Froggatt. En route we saw some vivid examples of temperature inversion where the cold of the ground collided with warm air to create mist in the valleys below.
Clouds and blue skies above: mist below
By the time we reached The Grouse at Froggatt (currently for sale at £2 million) it was warm enough for us to sit outside in the beer garden (135mins). We were joined by Jock and Keiran for pints of Boon Doggle and Marstons' Pedigree bought by the birthday boy.
Resuming we turned right along the main road before crossing to follow a public footpath leading to Froggatt Edge (148mins)
We stopped for lunch at Froggatt Pinnacle (160mins) and then continued along the ridge with the valley below on our right. On reaching a footpath (175mins) we turned right and descended along a rocky path. Unfortunately Mark Gibby and Micky had become detached at the rear but were guided back to the cars (205mins) by Peter on a slightly longer alternative route.
Four of us then drove to The Bridge at Calver for further refreshment.
Next week's walk will be dubbed The Laurie Fairman Memorial Walk in memory of our fallen comrade whose funeral so many of us attended last week. This was one of Laurie's favourite Wednesday wanders.
We will start at 9.50am from Monyash going through Lathkilldale to Youlgreave where we will be aiming for a livener in The George at about 12.20pm and returning to The Bull's Head at Church Street, Monyash (DE45 1JH) around 2.30pm.
To reach the starting point take the A515 out of Buxton towards Ashbourne and Monyash is signposted after 6 miles to your left. Pass the Bull's Head on your left and continue for 400 yards to a lay-by on your left opposite public toilets on the right. We will assemble there.
Happy wandering !
Pictures by Tom Cunliffe
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