Rushup Edge

November 22nd 2023

RUSHUP EDGE, LORD’S SEAT, MAM TOR, HOLLINS CROSS, UPPER BOOTH

Distance: 9.02 miles

Difficulty: Much climbing.

Weather: Dense mist occasional drizzle, very windy to very very windy

Walkers: Andy Blease, Mike Cassini, Tom Cunliffe with Daisy, Dean Taylor, Dave Willetts, Simon Williams, Cliff Worthington

Apologies:  Alan Hart (still in former colonies) Mickey Barrett, Chris Owens (foot golf), George Dearsley (in Turkey), Mark Enright (wxxking), Alistair Cairns , Hughie Hardiman, Mark Bibby, Julian Ross

Leader: Cunliffe. Diarist: Cassini

Starting point: Lay-by on Chapel-Castleton Road next to Rushup Edge, Derbyshire.

Starting time: 9.38am. Finishing time: 2.05pm.

 View from Chapel Gate track into Edale 

From the lay-by at Rushup Edge we headed towards Castleton for a few yards before turning first left and then immediately right through two gates. We were now walking along a parallel footpath with the road on our right. The path took us through a series of metal gates and a sign pointing us towards Castleton and Hope (13mins), during this time and until our descent into Edale we were to use a poetic idiom ‘shrouded in the mist’ which meant we struggled to see ten feet in front of each other and any chance of a scenic view.

En route we passed Lord’s Seat, which stands 1,804 feet above sea level, we crossed two wooden stiles (37 and 41mins) and exited Rushup Edge to reach a road. As we crossed the road and started climbing Mam Tor the wind was at our back and helped guide us to the summit. But once we lost the shelter of the hill the crosswind increased in intensity and coupled with the mist/fog/drizzle, visibility was not great – Dave lost his footing and Cliff went up to perfect strangers on the summit firing expletives! – he thought they were Wanderers obviously!!

Mam Tor’s alternative name is Shivering Mountain, because of the landslips caused by its fragile shale surface. In 1979 the battle to maintain the A625 road linking Sheffield with Chapel-en-le-Frith on the crumbling eastern side of the hill was finally lost.

The remains of a late Bronze Age fort, from around 1200 BC, and an early Iron Age fort have been identified along with two Bronze Age bowl barrows. There are four show caves at the base of Mam Tor – Blue John, Speedwell, Peak and Treak Cliff Caverns where fluorspar and other minerals were once mined.

From its peak at 1,696 feet we descended in the mist strung out along the ridge path like polar explorers searching for Huskies none of the magnificent views could be seen and the walk was a test of our endurance as we battled the gale force wind towards Hollins Cross where we descended to Edale sheltered from the wind with the mist clearing – so I decided it was a good time to practice my forward roll on the slippery mudded surface.

Hollins Cross marks the middle of what was once known as The Coffin Road between Edale and Castleton. Before a church was built in Edale, the departed were carried over Hollins Cross through Castleton to Hope Parish Church for burial. The pall-bearers would stop for refreshment at the Cross, which disappeared mysteriously in 1905 (Merseyside Police were unable to trace the culprits)

Weather related we had a late Pietime at the Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in Edale. This was just after 11:40 so we decided as the Old Nag’s Head wasn’t yet opened to walk to The Ramblers Inn where birthday boy Dave (58) bought a round of teas and some pints of Farmers Blonde and Kinder Fall, which have risen 20% since 2021.to £4.60 a pint (2021 £3.90 )

We now faced our ascent through Barber Booth and up back to the path towards the cars. Leaving the pub at just after 1pm we reached the summit at around 2pm a gruelling hour's climbing but as Tom said that’s what you signed up for. He said that a couple of hours before the climb and said something slightly different when he emerged from the mist at the top .

Next week’s walk will start at 9.30am in Alderley Edge on Bradford Lane hopefully Chris Owen can provide more details as the car park previously used may now charge for parking.

Happy wandering!