I'm a keen hillwalker and hill-bagger based in Derby, UK. I also enjoy orienteering, running and playing euphonium in a brass band, but those are not likely to feature so often on my blog.
Bec and I went up to the Dark Peak for the day, hoping to dodge the showers after a very wet Saturday spent indoors. We parked in Hope village and took the direct route from there up to the summit of Lose Hill, enjoying the views towards Mam Tor and Winnats Pass. We were surprised that the path was deserted until we were almost at the top.
Mam Tor
Once we’d taken in the views over Edale for a few minutes, we had cooled down in the breeze and continued along the ridge, over Back Tor and down to Hollins Cross. The section from Back Tor onwards has recently been improved with new stone pitching and gravelled sections, which should help manage the very heavy foot traffic that this ridge sees!
Edale and Grindsbrook from below Back Tor
From Hollins Cross, we followed the bridleway down to Edale village, then re-ascended the other side of the valley, taking the path towards Grindsbrook then branching right on the zigzags up to Ringing Roger, where we paused for lunch in a spot behind the rocks that was much less sheltered than we hoped! The sun did come out for some good spells though.
Edale from The NabBec on Ringing Roger
After lunch, we continued east along the edge of Kinder Scout, pausing briefly to admire some pretty cascades in Jaggers Clough, then descended the path east to Hope Cross. The gentle ridge back up to Win Hill made for easy progress, with just a few spots of rain falling on Hope Brink. This just left a final steep descent via Thornhill back to Hope.
Looking over Ladybower Reservoir to Derwent Edge
A good day in the local hills, pretty much entirely dry despite the forecast of showers. The air clarity was particularly good, making for excellent views of the Hope Valley, Edale, Woodlands Valley and Ladybower all day.
Bec and I took a weekend trip to Wales to enjoy some hillwalking and scrambling. We got a fairly early start for the drive across from Derby on the Saturday morning, enjoying clear and quiet roads, and arrived in Rhyd-Ddu at around 10:15am. As Bec had requested somewhere relatively quiet, I had picked the Nantlle Ridge as a very scenic option with its well defined rocky ridges and sea views.
The walk starts with a steep and unrelenting ascent of the grassy slopes of Y Garn, gaining 400m of height in around 1km. We paused now and then to enjoy the views back over Rhyd-Ddu to Snowdon and Yr Aran, and of Moel Hebog to the south.
Yr Aran, and Moelwyn Mawr in the distance
Once past Y Garn, the first section of ridge proper, to Mynydd Drws-y-coed, gives the best scrambling of the day – easy rock to clamber over on a narrow arete. Just beyond the summit, we had lunch in a sheltered hollow on the west side of the ridge, where it was easy to forget about the cool easterly breeze!
Bec on the ridge to Mynydd Drws-y-coedHeather and crags on Mynydd Mawr
After lunch, we continued west along the ridge, over Trum y Ddysgl, then Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd, then Craig Cwm Silyn, which is less grassy and more rocky and heathery on its upper slopes. The views of the Lleyn Peninsula, with the sea both sides, were excellent in the unbroken sunshine, as were the mountain vistas of Mynydd Mawr to the north and Moel Hebog to the south. The Moelwynion and Rhinogydd were visible more hazily in the distance.
The ridge to Craig Cwm SilynBec near the summit of Craig Cwm Silyn
The next section of walk was the toughest, as we took a pathless route down the southeast ridge of Craig Cwm Silyn to the foot of Cwm Dwyfor. It was worth it for the very pretty plunge pools and clear waters of the Ceunant yr Nant, and a little later the stream down Cwm Dwyfor itself, where we paused to enjoy the solitude and sunshine by a small waterfall.
Cwm Dwyfor and Moel Lefn, with Bec photographing the water
Then we had a bit of an ascent back up Cwm Trwsgl to Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor, passing various interesting mining remains, followed by an attractive descent through the northern reaches of Beddgelert Forest and a final traverse across the hillside back to Rhyd-Ddu. And so ended a very good day’s walking in perfect weather, passing only a handful of other people, and pausing in lots of beautiful spots to enjoy the surroundings.
It was only a few minutes’ drive to our accommodation, a ‘Shepherd’s Hut’ wagon in the corner of a campsite near Caernarfon. After checking in, we headed into Caernarfon to pick up supplies for breakfast and fish and chips to take back to the hut for dinner. The hut proved to be a cosy and comfortable base for the night. We had a bit of drama the next morning as the gas boiler for the hot water started to smoke as we washed up then for a couple of minutes had flames licking out of the top! We hastily switched off the Calor-gas supply and transferred all our belongings from the hut to the picnic table outside, but the fire had put itself out by the time the campsite warden turned up a minute or two later! He was surprisingly calm and it transpired that this is a repeat occurrence due to robins nesting in the boiler when it’s left unused for a few days! I feel they ought to bird-proof it rather better!
Bec cooking breakfast at the Shepherd’s Hut
Bec had said she fancied some more challenging scrambling, so we headed to Tryfan for our Sunday walk. Arriving late-morning after our leisurely start, I was surprised that there were only a few unclaimed parking spaces by the A5 at the foot of the mountain – far, far busier than it had been the other side of Snowdon the previous day!
We took our time as we made our way up the North Ridge, pausing frequently to enjoy the dramatic scenery and for Bec to compose herself after the more ‘interesting’ sections, and on the Cannon Rock for the classic photo opportunity. I was pleased that Bec got herself up the mountain without major difficulty or hesitation, and enjoyed the sustained, not-too-exposed scrambling.
Looking over Llyn Ogwen to Pen yr Ole WenBec above the Ogwen ValleyCannon Rock and the Ogwen ValleyBec near the summit of Tryfan, with Carnedd Llewelyn in the distance
We paused for lunch just beyond the summit, then descended the easier southern slopes down to Llyn Bochlwyd. From there, it was just an easy walk of a few kilometres down the path to Idwal Cottage and back along the road to the car.
Y Garn and Elidir FawrBec below Tryfan
The drive home went well, taking around 2h45 via Shrewsbury, and we enjoyed Domino’s pizza back home in Hilton to end the weekend. It was great to get away to some proper mountains again after a few months staying near home, and to be able to give Bec the opportunity to try some more strenuous and challenging hillwalking and scrambling, which I am sure she really enjoyed. We were very lucky to have perfect sunny weather throughout, and it was lovely to take our time enjoying the mountains and each other’s company.
Bec invited me to meet her two sisters and their partners on a walk from Rushup Edge. We got an early start and met just after 8am in a layby above Rushup Hall. From there, we took the ‘Chapel Gate’ bridleway up onto Rushup Edge then down to Barber Booth.
Descending Chapel Gate
Then we followed the Pennine Way up Jacob’s Ladder to Edale Cross, and back down the other side into the Sett valley – a route that brought back memories of many visits on CUHWC trips to Edale.
Looking back to Edale from Jacob’s LadderThe Sett valley
The final section of the route took us back up onto the ridge north of Mount Famine, then followed the traversing track south of the peak then north of South Head. We returned to our start point via the deep gully of Roych Clough – a path I’d only followed once before, and that way back in 2010!
Re-ascending towards Mount FamineRoych Clough
A good walk in warm and sunny weather, and also lovely to meet some of the people Bec has talked about a lot.
I squeezed a lot into this long weekend and perhaps it doesn’t fit neatly into this single blog post! I thought it would be fun to do something with Bec other different from the walks and runs we’ve enjoyed so far, and we settled on a day trip to York, which it turns out is less than 90 minutes’ drive from Mansfield. I think I was still at primary school the last time I visited the city, so my memories were very faint! I picked Bec up mid-morning, and we had a good clear drive up the A1 to a surprisingly quiet car park just outside the city walls.
We didn’t have any particular itinerary for the day, and of course all the indoor attractions were not open, but we found there was plenty to explore in the fresh air for a few hours. We started by taking a stroll into the city centre and around the Minster, then got excellent take-away burritos for lunch from a stall in the Shambles market, followed by cakes from a nearby bakery. We spent the afternoon walking the full circuit of the city walls, which were open with a clockwise one-way system. These gave lovely views over the cathedral and castle, and in many areas had pretty daffodil-covered embankments below.
York Minster from the City WallsYork MinsterLooking along the City WallsDaffodils and blossom trees below the walls
The next morning, Bec plucked up the courage to meet a few of my local friends for an unofficial Long Eaton parkrun. I had agreed to pace Dave in a PB attempt following his recent spell of structured training. He was targeting between 21:30 and 22:00, and we finished right at the bottom end of that range. Jeff also knocked around a minute off his 5k PB.
After coffee and cakes by the play area (for Jess), Bec and I headed off to the Peak District for an afternoon walk. I had selected the Roaches as a good destination in response to Bec’s request for a more strenuous walk. Sadly the sunshine of Long Eaton gradually gave way to cloud and sleety showers as we drove west. We sat in the car for a few minutes, hoping it would pass, then gave up, wrapped up in our waterproofs and set out on the walk regardless. We made a rapid ascent of Hen Cloud, followed by the descent and mildly-scrambly reascent to The Roaches. The sleet generally got more persistent over time, then turned to snow – which was more pleasant! We had a quick lunch under the shelter of an overhanging boulder, continued as far as where the lane crosses the ridge, then opted for the short route back to the car along the lane, with a decent white covering on the ground. A more adventurous little outing than I’d expected!
Looking back to Hen Cloud from The Roaches
On Sunday, I had arranged to meet up with Ruth for another walk. This time our chosen destination was a bit closer to Ruth’s than mine, so I had a 1h40 drive up, mostly on the A50 and motorways. We parked in Belmont, a few miles north of Bolton, and found it had also been snowing significantly there the previous afternoon and evening, with a good covering down to valley level. We started with an ascent of Winter Hill – not my first visit, but still unfamiliar ground as I’d ascended from the west side last time. After the steep descent to Hordern Stoops, we were surprised to find a pitched stone path, and plenty of others using it, all the way north along the ridge to Great Hill.
Winter Hill, from Spitlers Edge
From there, we descended east then climbed back up onto Cartridge Hill, a new Hump for me, for lunch. We took a scenic detour north to the Jubilee Tower on Darwen Hill, where we were surprised to find the spiral staircase open and available for ascent to the top of the tower, a good viewpoint over Blackburn and Darwen, with the Forest of Bowland, Yorkshire Dales and Pendle Hill beyond. We then made our way south, following footpaths over Darwen Moor then past Belmont Reservoir, where there were sailing races going on, and back to Belmont village. I wonder if this will be my last English snow of this spring!
Looking over Blackburn from Jubilee TowerWinter Hill over Belmont Reservoir
Following the recent relaxation of lockdown restrictions to allow local day-trips, I was keen to spend as much as possible of the Easter weekend enjoying the great outdoors a little further from home than has been possible so far this year.
On Good Friday, I headed to the Peak District for a walk from Monyash, which I found to be very quiet despite starting at midday on a Bank Holiday! Apparently others are not yet making the most of their new freedoms! My route went down Lathkill Dale all the way to Conksbury. I enjoyed the limestone crags, mossy boulders, and the very clear waters of the River Lathkill.
The most dramatic stretch of Lathkill DaleThe small waterfall on the Lathkill
I then doubled back along the rim of the dale to Over Haddon, pausing for lunch on one scenic overlook. From the village, I took to footpaths across the pastures to Magpie Mine – my first visit except one at running pace on a recent Peak Raid event – then through Sheldon and down into the Wye valley near Ashford in the Water. From there, I followed the footpaths up the valley through Shacklow Woods, then ascended Deep Dale right to its head, finishing with a few more upland pastures back to Monyash.
Looking up the River Lathkill from my lunch spot above ConksburyA classic White Peak pastoral scene, near Monyash
After the walk, I met up with Bec for a run around the parkrun course at Brierley Forest, followed by fish and chips for dinner.
The next morning, Bec drove down to my house mid-morning so we could travel up to the Peak District together for a walk over the ‘Dragon’s Back’, starting in Longnor. We started by crossing the Dove valley by Beggar’s Bridge, then ascended via Hitter Hill to Earl Sterndale. From there, we turned west to descend to the foot of Parkhouse Hill, which we traversed by the crest of its narrow ridge. I was glad that Bec enjoyed the easy scrambling and awkward, steep gravelly descent.
Chrome Hill, from Parkhouse Hill
After Parkhouse Hill, Chrome Hill, although larger, always feels a bit of an anticlimax. It does offer better views though, both back to Parkhouse Hill and ahead towards Hollins Hill. We paused for a leisurely lunch part way along the ridge.
Looking back to Parkhouse Hill from Chrome HillLooking northwest past Hollins Hill from our lunch spot
We looped around the western slopes of Hollins Hill to descend to Hollinsclough, then used a mixture of bridleways, lanes and footpaths to return to Chrome Hill, crossing the River Manifold on improvised stepping stones. A lovely day out in the sunshine with good scenery and great company.
On Easter Sunday, I met up with Jeff, Helen and Amina for a 15km trail run on Cannock Chase. We started at the main visitor centre and headed into the southeastern corner of the Chase, slightly extending a route I ran in the autumn. Afterwards we went back to Amina’s garden for bacon sandwiches and cake.
Monday was another sunny morning, although with a bitterly cold wind and few early snow flurries! I drove up to Thorpe for a morning walk around the rim of Dovedale, avoiding the main valley path to keep away from the crowds. Just short of the car park, I noticed the car had reached 100000 miles, so paused to record the occasion.
100000 miles, just outside Thorpe!
The visibility over Dovedale and the surrounding pastures was superb as I walked along the footpaths past Bostern Grange and then down into Milldale, with great views of Wetton, Gratton, Narrowdale and Wolfscote hills. Once I’d crossed the river and climbed back up the other side of the valley, I headed back south, the cold wind now behind me, via Bunster Hill and Thorpe Pastures, and so back to the car.
Milldale, Wetton Hill, Narrowdale Hill and Gratton HillLooking through the trees to Hazelton ClumpThorpe Cloud, from the slopes of Bunster Hill
To conclude the Easter weekend, on Tuesday I drove up to the north of the Peak District for a walk with my sister, roughly midway between our homes. Ruth and I met in Old Glossop at 10am and began by walking up the Doctor’s Gate path to reach the Pennine Way south of Bleaklow, in warm sunshine.
Ruth on the Doctor’s Gate path
We took the scenic detour across the moor to Higher Shelf Stones and its B-29 plane wreckage – a site that has become a bit of an unexpected tourist honeypot in the last year of travel restrictions – then continued north to Bleaklow Head, pausing in one particularly sheltered grough for lunch out of the very cold wind. The cloud gradually built as we continued, and the sunshine less warming!
Ruth among the wreckage on Higher Shelf StonesThe summit of Higher Shelf Stones
From Bleaklow Head, we descended the Pennine Way all the way into the Crowden valley, with light snow now falling much of the time, then took the disused railway path down the valley past the reservoirs to Padfield. From there it was just a short walk along the lanes at footpaths back to Old Glossop.
A good day in some wilder hills, and it was great to spend a few hours catching up with Ruth, not having seen her since Christmas. We agreed to meet again on Sunday, the last day of her Easter holidays.
I’ve been trying online dating for the last few months and have recently been forging a friendship with a lady named Bec. After six weeks or so of regular video dates through lockdown, we decided it was acceptable to meet up for a couple of walks near the Derwent Valley, roughly half way between our homes.
For our first face-to-face date, we met in Wirksworth and walked along the High Peak Trail to Harborough Rocks, returning via Brassington and Carsington villages.
Harborough RocksLooking back to BrassingtonCarsington Water
The following weekend, we met again in Crich and walked both sides of the valley via the memorial, Holloway, Lea Woods, Alderwasley, Shining Cliff and Crich Chase.
Daffodils near WakebridgeThe Cromford CanalCrich Chase
I drove a few miles for a Sunday morning stroll north of Derby. My route started through Allestree Park, the golf course still quiet but lots of families enjoying the perimeter paths.
Allestree Park Lake
Then I passed through Quarndon, which brought back memories of the two years I spent renting a studio flat at Quarndon Hill when I first moved to Derby – a very exclusive address for such a low budget! From there, I dropped down through the fields to Duffield, with good views over the Ecclesbourne Valley.
Looking up the Ecclesbourne Valley from below Quarndon
The final stretch was along the Derwent riverside path back to Allestree: rather muddy in parts, and sadly they have recently felled a lot of trees alongside the railway line. Nevertheless, it was good to be out in the fresh air somewhere slightly different for a couple of hours, and with only a few spots of rain.
The River Derwent, near Burley Hill. Particularly brown today!
I reached the weekend with 24 miles left on my ‘Run for the Trees’ challenge, and settled on a 14-mile walk on the Saturday, to leave a final easy 10-mile run with the bubble on the Sunday. With an invitation for lunch with the bubble in Hartshorne, I decided to drive the few miles to start my walk in Milton, which gives access to a good range of undulating trails in the northern reaches of the National Forest.
I started by heading across the fields to pick up the bottom of Red Lane, and followed that up to Repton Shrubs, where I took a scenic detour through the middle of the woods, rejoining Brook Street for a bit before making another detour through Hartshorne Woods to the village.
Me in Repton Shrubs
After lunch and an extended chat, I continued on my way, initially southeast towards Smisby, then northeast through Pisternhill Plantation and down into Calke Park – a popular spot for a lockdown walk and social distancing requirements meant getting stuck in slow-walking traffic in places!
Calke ParkA colourful tree-stump
Having left the park at Ticknall, I followed familiar bridleways through the edge of Robin Wood, then down to Foremarke Hall and back over the fields to Milton.
Foremarke Hall. The school has recently been re-branded as ‘Repton Prep’.
After 11 weeks of intensive marathon training, I finally picked up a minor injury and needed to rest my sore right ankle and calf. Happily, after a few week-days of proper rest, it felt strong enough for some long local walks, which meant I was still able to make use of the first warm and sunny weekend of 2021.
On Friday afternoon, I tested the ankle out with a short walk around Hilton village and back through the Nature Reserve.
Hilton Nature Reserve
Feeling no ill effects from Friday’s stroll, I committed to a long Saturday walk to the bubble’s house in Hartshorne and back. Heather had also suggested meeting for a stroll and chat, so I took the outward route via Burton, reached by a route I trod often last Spring: along the lanes through Egginton, along the Trent and Mersey canal, then through the streets of Burton. There was a lovely display of purple and white crocuses in the churchyard at Egginton, and I enjoyed the reflections all along the canal.
Crocuses in the churchyard at Egginton
Heather joined me for the next few miles of my walk towards Hartshorne, as far as Bretby, before returning home alone while I continued. It was great to catch up having not done so face to face for a couple of months.
Heather, in a deserted Burton Golf Course
Once at Hartshorne, I spent 90 minutes or so chatting with Jeff and Helen over lunch in the garden, before hitting the trails again for another three hours back home, via Foremark Reservoir, Repton, Willington, and another section of the canal, and finally the lanes back through Egginton.
Me by Foremark ReservoirWith no boat traffic and no breeze, the reflections on the canal were just as good in the afternoon
On Sunday morning, I decided to drive a few miles north of Hilton to start my walk in Longford and explore some unfamiliar bridleways north of there into Osmaston Park. These were muddier than I expected and not, as I had hoped, suitable for incorporation into my long road runs from home. They might make a good summer trail running route though! The sections through Osmaston Park were very attractive, with the deciduous woodland, parkland, watermill and lakes.
The mill at Osmaston ParkOsmaston Park
To conclude the weekend, on Sunday afternoon I popped over to Repton for a stroll with Dave, plus three-week-old daughter in sling. This actually included quite a few footpaths I had not previously trodden, over Askew Hill, and the fields southwest of the village. Baby conveniently slept for almost the entire walk!
It’s felt strange to spend a week on holiday at home in Derby – something I don’t think I’ve ever done before! I entertained myself with a mixture of running and walking, including two snowy walks in the Peak District that I’ll discuss here!
On Wednesday 30th I headed to the southwest of the Peak District, hoping to find snow on The Roaches. To avoid driving on ungritted minor roads, I started my walk in Leek, which had a fair amount of snow even in town. It’s not far from the edge of town to Tittesworth Reservoir. I followed the perimeter path along the eastern shore then ascended through farmland to Upper Hulme – and decided the road would actually have been fine!
Sadly the cloud base was low and my walk over Hen Cloud, The Roaches and Back Forest was in mist throughout: nice crunchy snow underfoot but no views! I dropped out of the cloud for a while as I descended to Danebridge and followed the River Dane down to Gig Hall, then climbed back up via Gun End to Gun (back in the mist). That just left a gentle descent via Gunside and the Hillswood farms.
Snowy and misty on The RoachesI dropped back out of the mist near Hangingstone FarmLooking towards The Cloud from the slopes of Gun
On Saturday 2nd, the forecast was for a sunny morning, gradually clouding over, so I got a prompt start. I fancied walking in snow again, so I headed up to the high ground of Bleaklow, starting at the car park just up the road from the Snake Pass Inn. I ascended onto the ridge by the path up the rim of Oyster Clough, then worked my way northwest through the snow over Over Wood Moss to eventually reach the Pennine Way – it felt a long way on this rough, pathless ground in a good covering of snow!
Sunlit clouds over Kinder ScoutOver Wood Moss, with Grinah Stones in the distance
I was surprised see see that there was a well used and heavily trampled path through the snow up to the B29 wreckage on Higher Shelf Stones – apparently this has become a bit of a lockdown tourist attraction! This made the ascent much quicker and easier than I expected. I continued north to Bleaklow Head, then turned back south to follow the Pennine Way all the way down to Snake Pass and back up across Featherbed Moss to Mill Hill. The sections within about 1km of the pass were very heavily trodden with the snow compacted into very slippery ice, so I mainly walked beside the path on this stretch!
Heading towards the Snake Pass and Featherbed Moss, with low cloud draped over Kinder Scout beyond
Light snow began to fall as I crossed Featherbed Moss, and had become heavy snow by the time I reached Mill Hill. I had planned to stop for second-lunch here, but thought it better to press on down the Snake Path through Ashop Clough to the car before the road got too tricky! I found a couple of inches of snow on top of the car but was relieved to find the road still easily passable with care. Slushy roads and overly-cautious drivers made for a slow drive home!
Ruth and I had hoped to spend the Christmas travel window in the southern Highlands but our plans were thwarted by the last minute reduction of that window to a single day and total closure of the Scottish border to non-essential travel. Instead, we therefore spent the week at her house in Natland and entertained ourselves with a selection of local walks and runs.
Sunday was wet and windy so we opted for a local trail run rather than a trip into the high fells. We started in Kendal and ran together up onto Cunswick Scar and then south along the ridge over Scout Scar. Ruth dropped back down to Kendal for a 10k loop while I continued south past Sizergh Castle and then through Levens Park and back up the old canal to Natland, around 20k in total. The strong southerly breeze made it hard work with a headwind much of the way, but thankfully the rain held off save a couple of showers towards the end. At the end of week 2 of my 16-week marathon training plan, it was good to get the long run ticked off in such scenic surrounds.
On Monday we headed to Patterdale for our walk, with the best of the weather forecast in the northeast Lakes. We parked by the George Starkey Hut and set off across the valley to Side Farm, surprised to find that Ullswater had flooded this far up the valley and had to splash through up to six inches of water on the track. I was surprised to get across with dry feet! We then followed the scenic traverse path parallel to the lake shore, over Silver Crag and on to Martindale where we paused for lunch. Although the forecast had been for improving conditions, the cloud had gradually dropped through the morning, and our return route over the top of Place Fell was mostly in thick and damp mist, with few views until we dropped back out of it at Boredale Hause for the short descent back to Patterdale.
The flooded track to Side FarmLooking back along Ullswater towards PatterdaleDropping down into Boredale
Tuesday was a drier and brighter day. We started at the head of Langdale, where Andrena joined us for our ridge walk over Pike o’Blisco, Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell. The ascent of Pike o’Blisco was mostly in sunshine, with excellent views of the Langdale Pikes and down the valley towards Fairfield. After passing Red Tarn, we walked in mist for some of the ascent to Crinkle Crags, but were rewarded at the summit where we broke out of the top of the cloud for a few minutes and enjoyed some impressive cloudscapes. The clouds gradually lifted again as we continued past Three Tarns and up Bow Fell, such that we had intermittent views west to Scafell Pike and northeast towards Helvellyn. Bow Fell is surely one of the finest viewpoints in the Lake District, and the air clarity this day (when outside the cloud!) was superb. We descended via the Band to reach the car just before sunset.
Langdale, with Helvellyn (in cloud) and Fairfield in the distanceLooking over Browney Gill to the Langdale PikesInversion south of Crinkle Crags
It was wet and windy again on Wednesday, so we didn’t go out together. I made the most of a pause in the rain for an interval training session on the flat and almost deserted lanes of the Lyth Valley. The upwind intervals heading northeast were much slower than the downwind ones to the southwest!
Christmas Eve was forecast to have the best weather of the week and so it proved for our walk around the Coledale Horseshoe. We parked in Braithwaite and chose to walk clockwise, starting with the ascent of Barrow. Snow had fallen the previous day to leave a clear snow-line at around 600m, and the ground was frozen hard at all levels. We first reached the snow on Causey Pike, and walked mostly on the white stuff from there all the way around to Grisedale Pike. Once again, the visibility was superb and we enjoyed views of the snowy, sunlit summits of the Northern Fells and the Helvellyn ridge as we continued over Scar Crags to Crag Hill, as well as towards Scafell Pike and High Stile.
Skiddaw and Blencathra, from the summit of Causey PikeCrag Hill, from SailRuth on Crag Hill, with Helvellyn in the distance
The snow had drifted fairly deeply on the west side of Crag Hill, making for an enjoyable descent before the climb back up Grasmoor, whose northern crags looked grand today. Hopegill Head also gave fine views, east over Grisedale Pike to Skiddaw, south over Coledale Hause, and north over the Solway Firth to Criffel – as clear as I’ve ever seen it! The descent from Grisedale Pike brought us quickly back below the snow-line and onto frozen turf all the way back to Braithwaite. It was unusual to walk all day in the Lakes with no sign of a thaw at any level! Despite the sunshine, it had been bitterly cold in the north wind, and we had not wanted to take our gloves off for more than a moment at any point!
Looking over Whiteless Pike towards Scafell Pike and High StileThe view from Grasmoor towards SkiddawCrag Hill, from Sand HillRuth at the summit of Hopegill Head
We were keen to get out for a walk on Christmas Day, and chose to head to the Yorkshire Dales where we could get up and down Ingleborough before lunch, leaving plenty of time for preparing the Christmas dinner afterwards. The morning started with hazy sunshine that gradually turned to high level cloud as we ascended by the good track from Ingleton – a popular choice as we must have passed around 50 people in total. Having taken in the views from various points around the summit plateau, we descended towards Little Ingleborough and from there took the boggy path (hard frozen again today!) back to the lane and Ingleton.
Heading past Crina Bottom towards Ingleborough
We had a lazier start on Boxing Day with more rain expected in the hills. I jogged into Kendal mid-morning to have a go at the MapRun orienteering course around the town centre before jogging back to Natland for a relaxed afternoon and dinner of Christmas leftovers.
All in all, a lovely relaxing week in some familiar but very scenic places – a pretty good consolation prize to ease the disappointment at not being able to make a trip to the Highlands this winter!
Heather and I met up for an afternoon walk and chat in the Derwent Valley, starting in Crich village. We started by walking up to the Memorial, and were surprised to find the tower open for visits, with good views all around from the very windy top!
Looking over the Derwent Valley from the top of the Memorial tower
We then continued around the rim of Cliff Quarry and descended into the valley via Duke’s Quarries and the Cromford Canal.
Heather in Duke’s Quarries
Having crossed the river, we took the lane up to Alderwasley then made our way through Shining Cliff woods to Ambergate.
The Park Plantation at Alderwasley
That just left the climb up Crich Chase back to the village, the clouds finally breaking to give a little evening sunshine and a little redness in the sky before sunset. Great to catch up over a muddy stroll in the woods.
Heather in Crich ChaseAlmost sunset at Chadwick Nick
The MWIS forecast teased that there was an 80% chance of the higher summits in the Peak District being above the cloud today, although the Met Office mountain forecast didn’t make the same prediction. I decided to take the chance and opted to walk around the Edale skyline, starting near Mam Tor as it’s the quickest point to drive to.
The initial ascent to Mam Tor brought disappointment as, although you could see clearer skies above, the summit was not quite high enough to get any views. Quite a few photographers had set up with tripods and were waiting patiently for improvement, but I decided to press on along the ridge to Lose Hill and hope for better luck on the higher ground later in the day. I did get a better glimpse of the inversion from part-way down to Hollins Cross.
The best view I got from the Mam Tor ridge
I dropped out of the mist part-way down Lose Hill and had an hour or so in the clear as I crossed over the valley. I chose not to visit Win Hill today, instead ascending the easy-angled track from Fullwood Stile up to Hope Cross, with murky views up Edale.
Edale
I re-entered the cloud on the ascent of Crookstone Hill and the first few kilometres along the edge of Kinder Scout did not bring any improvement. However, as I passed over Upper Tor, the skies to my right (over the plateau) started to clear and my hopes of good inversion views were raised. The section from Grindslow Knoll to Edale Head gave the best conditions, mostly above the cloud, and I enjoyed some dramatic cloudscapes over Crowden Clough and upper Edale.
The plateau was clear near Grindslow Knoll, with Grindsbrook Clough full of cloudLooking over the inversion from near Pym ChairInversion over EdaleDramatic cloud conditions below Edale Head
Descending to Edale Cross took me back into the mist, and visibility remained poor for the remainder of the traverse over Brown Knoll and Rushup Edge. Overall, a lot of walking in mist today, but well worth turning out for the one hour of views in the early afternoon!
Today I went for a long walk in the Dark Peak, starting in Bamford and circumnavigating all three of the Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs. The walk started just before 9am with a steep ascent up onto Bamford Edge. Some heavy drizzle blew through as I walked along the Edge, producing a rainbow in front of Win Hill for a while, but had mostly passed by the time I got to the classic viewpoints over Ladybower Reservoir.
A rainbow in front of Win HillLadybower Reservoir, from Bamford Edge
I dropped down to cross the A57 near Cutthroat Bridge then re-ascended the bridleway onto Whinstone Lee Tor to gain the easy path along Derwent Edge, which gave rapid progress all the way past the various rocky outcrops to Back Tor, my high point for the day. By this point there was a lot more sunshine around, and I enjoyed good views over the Howden Moors as I descended past Lost Lad towards Howden Dam.
Howden Moors, from Lost LadHowden Dam
I followed the reservoir tracks right around the north end of Howden Reservoir and back down the west side as far as the track up to Alport Castles, which I followed, pausing for lunch half-way up. With only a couple of hours until sunset I didn’t hang about long admiring the crags, but pressed on down the easy ridge to Lockerbrook and from there down the track past Hagg Farm before re-ascending the other side of the Woodlands Valley to Hope Cross.
The Tower at Alport Castles, with Alport Dale belowEarly-evening sunshine over Edale and Kinder Scout
The steep ascent now done for the day, I made quick progress up the easy ridge to Win Hill, reaching the summit around half an hour before sunset. Another drizzly shower passed through at exactly the right time to give a very intense rainbow, one end over Ladybower Reservoir and the other in front of Bamford Edge. Once I’d taken this in for a few minutes, I was just left with the steep and muddy descent to Thornhill and across the fields to Bamford, trying to strike the right balance between going fast to get back before dark and not falling over in the sticky mud! I succeeded in not falling over and was just able to reach the car without needing the headtorch!
A double rainbow over Ladybower
A long day out, 38km in total and over 1100m ascent, but plenty of easy tracks and paths meant it only took 7 and a half hours. The low autumn sunshine and rainbow-producing showers made for a very scenic day in the hills.
Ignoring the MWIS’s warning of hail showers, I assumed the regular weather forecast for sunny spells would be correct and headed up to the Eastern Peak District moors for a long trail run from Baslow – my longest run ever, in fact, at 31km! I’ve signed up for my first marathon at the end of March (Covid rules permitting) so I’ll need to do lots more long runs in the next few months.
It’s always good not to have too many navigational breaks when out running, so I followed a route that was mostly very familiar from past walks. This started steeply uphill to Wellington’s Monument, then crossed the moor to White Edge, quite cold today with a strong southwesterly breeze.
Wellington’s Monument
The slight descent to Longshaw brought some respite before climbing back up again along Burbage Rocks and around to Overstones at the southern end of Stanage Edge.
Looking up to Carl Wark and Higger Tor, from the south end of of Burbage RocksThe trig point on Overstones, with Kinder Scout in the background
From there, I descended via Higger Tor, Over Owler Tor and Millstone Edge to Grindleford Station, then ascended back up through the woods to the northern end of Froggatt Edge. That just left the relatively easy run along Froggatt, Curbar and Baslow Edges, with a bit of a zigzag on the final descent to get the distance over 30km!
Looking up the Derwent Valley from Millstone EdgeThe woods above Padley Gorge
A good day to be out in my local hills, with plenty of sunshine and no showers. The running was pretty hard going with lots of mud, uneven rocky ground, and around 800m of ascent and descent, so my pace wasn’t that fast and the 31km took me around 3h10, plus about 15 minutes of short stoppages for water, snacks and photographs.
I went on a few dates with a lady named Charlotte, from Worcester. It didn’t work out, but I thought I’d share a few photos of the places we visited anyway: the Malvern Hills (walking from Great Malvern over the Worcestershire Beacon to Pinnacle Hill and back), the Cotswolds (walking a loop from Broadway to Snowshill and back), Cannock Chase (walking over Brindley Heath, past the German Military Cemetery and through Sherbrook Valley), and Stratford-upon-Avon (walking down the river to Welford and back the other side).
Looking south from Worcestershire BeaconLooking towards the Black MountainsBroadwaySnowshillGerman Military CemeteryFungiShakespeare’s church, in StratfordA statue of Shakespeare
Having returned from Scotland on the Wednesday, I spent a couple more days staying at Ruth’s house in Natland. Thursday was a total wash-out but I did venture out for a mixed trail and road run from the door in the morning. In the afternoon we went for a short stroll around Kendal Castle.
Kendal Castle
Friday was a much brighter day. Ruth was heading off to Northumberland for the rest of her half term so I went for a solo walk around the Fairfield Horseshoe, starting in Ambleside. I went clockwise, starting with the valley walk through Rydal Park, and ascending via Nab Scar. Once over Heron Pike I took a bit of a detour down the side-ridge to Stone Arthur, partly as I hadn’t been there for ages and partly to allow the summit of Fairfield time to fully clear of cloud! This worked well and everything was clear by the time I got back onto the main ridge at Great Rigg.
Rydal Water and Grasmere, with the Coniston and Langdale fells beyondThe Central Fells
Excellent visibility made for great views from Fairfield in every direction: north to Helvellyn, east to High Street and the Pennines, south to the Coniston Fells and west to Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Langdale. A man asked me what the peak he was looking at was (Helvellyn) and got a more detailed description of the view than he anticipated!
Looking south from Great RiggLink Cove, with the Far Eastern Fells beyond, and the Pennines in the distance
From there I made good time on the long, gradual descent over Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Low Pike, and back into Ambleside. I dropped by the Patricks’ house for a short doorstep chat before the drive back to Derby – a drive that took 90 minutes longer than normal owing to the closure of the M6 following an accident at Preston.
Ruth and I took a five-day trip to the Highlands to bag a few more Corbetts at the start of her half term holiday. We drove up as far as Perth on the Friday evening and stayed in a Travelodge for the night, which was far enough north for our drive to Garva Bridge, up the valley from Newtonmore, to be manageable before our walk the next day. As it turned out, the forecast was for improving conditions as the day went on, so we had quite a leisurely start and set out walking at around 10:30.
The first section was up the lane along the glen to Melgarve, getting the lower-level walking done first to give the hills time to clear a bit. From there, it was a fairly steep, pathless ascent over fairly easy ground to the ridge of Gairbeinn. A shower came through as we ascended, transitioning from rain to sleet and eventually snow as we gained height and the temperature dropped. It settled for long enough to make the ground white as we traversed the ridge over and beyond the summit, but soon melted again as the sun came out as we descended east.
The River Spey at Garva BridgeRuth on the ridge of Gairbeinn
A pair of parallel lines of fence posts made for easy navigation across the high plateau, and also kept us clear of the roughest and boggiest ground, so we made good time to Meall na h-Aisre, our second Corbett of the day. From there, reports on WalkHighlands had revealed that a new track had been built to service an underground cable from the nearby wind farm, not yet marked on the OS maps, and we were able to pick this up not far below the summit and follow it all the way back into the valley, leaving just a couple of km back along the lane to the car.
Looking back to Gairbeinn, the snow already having melted in the sunshineThe summit of Meall na h-Aisre
We headed to Glen Nevis SYHA for the night, where we had a smart and comfortable twin room. The next day we set ourselves two more Corbett objectives, a bit of a drive apart but each only a walk of around 3 hours. We set out from the hostel before dawn as the forecast was for the weather to deteriorate through the afternoon this time. First up was Meall Dubh, an obscure but prominent hill in the area between Glen Garry and Glen Moriston. Much of the hill has been covered with a new wind farm, and the sprawling service tracks have made the ascent of the hill from the west much quicker and easier than it used to be! We picked a route using the tracks where convenient, but cutting directly up the hillside to avoid large zigzagging detours. The tracks led us around 1km south of the summit, from where it was a simple climb up grassy ground to the summit – sadly in mist but we had enjoyed views over Loch Loyne and Glen Garry during most of the ascent. We returned by a similar route with a couple of variations that turned out to be rougher and boggier than the ascent route! A few spots of rain had blown through at times but not enough to need waterproof trousers.
Looking over Glen Garry and Glen Albyn to the Monadhliath
Second up for the day was Carn Dearg, east of Glen Roy. We parked and crossed the bridge over the River Roy at the foot of Coire na Rainich, then followed the east bank south as far as Brunachan Bothy, pleased that the rain had still not arrived. From there, it was a steep and pathless ascent up Coire Dubh and from there up the west ridge of Carn Dearg to the summit. From there it was a short walk north into the very steep head of Coire na Rainich. Once down this awkward and very slippery ground, it was an easy walk down the rest of the corrie to the car. Light, wind-blown rain gradually increased through the walk, but never amounted to much really, and we were happy to end the day without seriously-wet gear.
Coire DubhColourful autumn foliage in the lower reaches of Glen Roy
On Monday we had booked onto the afternoon ferry from Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris). With another early start for the drive from the hostel, this gave us just enough time to nip up a Corbett Ruth needed at the bottom of Glen Shiel – Sgurr an Airgid – in the morning. Although we set out in the dry, this was the wettest walk of the trip with light but persistent rain soon setting in. A good stalkers’ path made for easy going up to the bealach and from there up the ridge right to the summit, and an equally easy descent. Sadly, low cloud prevented views, except looking over Loch Duich from the lower slopes.
The head of Loch Duich
A further 90 minute drive got us along the coast to Kyle and all the way across Skye to Uig, with a little over an hour to spare before last check-in for the ferry. The crossing was surprisingly smooth after windy weather over the weekend, and we were greeted on the approach to Harris with a very intense rainbow over Scalpay.
A rainbow over Scalpay
Once disembarked in Tarbert, it was only a few minutes’ drive to our hostel accommodation in Drinishader. We were pleased to find that we had the whole hostel to ourselves, including use of the self-catering kitchen. We spent the evening eating, drinking tea, and drying out all our wet gear in front of the coal fire.
Another early start was called for on Tuesday, as a band of heavy rain was forecast to arrive on Harris around noon, and we were keen to get as far around the An Cliseam Horseshoe as we could before it arrived. It was only a short drive to Gleann Sgaladail from where our walk would start at sunrise (a not-too-uncivilised 7:30am!). The first part of the ascent was on the ‘Harris Walkway’ path up onto the shoulder of Tomnabhal. Easy grass and slabs led us from there to the top of Tomnabhal, with good sunrise views east over Loch Seaforth from part-way up.
Looking over Loch Seaforth to Caiteseal
The top was in cloud though, so we took a bearing down to the bealach before climbing steeply but easily back up onto the summit ridge of An Cliseam. Frustratingly, we could tell that the summit was just a few metres too low to enjoy inversion conditions, and we had to make do with just fleeting glimpses of the hills and lochs both sides. However, descending west to the next bealach brought us back out of the cloud, with very good views south to Loch a Siar and north over the corrie.
Clear views over Loch a Siar
A small but well-trodden path led us easily over Mulla Fo Dheas to Mulla Fo Thuath, where the cloud cleared out fully to give good views west to the neighbouring Graham, Uisgneabhal Mhor – looks like a good hill for another day! After a scenic lunch break looking north over Stuabhal and Loch Langabhat, we continued over Mullach an Langa and then east over pathless but fairly easy ground to Gleann Sgaladail. By then, the summit of An Cliseam had cleared and we enjoyed looking up at it, but only for a short while before we could see that the expected rain had reached the higher parts of the ridge. Pleasingly, however, we made it all the way down the valley to the car before the rain reached the lower ground, and completed the entire walk without getting wet at all! A really good day (well, morning!) in these attractive hills.
Uisgneabhal MhorStuabhal and Loch Langabhat
We returned to the hostel for the afternoon to drink tea as the heavy rain passed over. As it had cleared out again by 3:30pm, we decided to pop across to the west coast to enjoy the end of the day on the celebrated white sands and dunes of Luskentyre Beach. This proved a great decision as the sunset was spectacular over the bay to the southwest. A beautiful end to the day and our short visit to Harris.
Luskentyre BeachSunset from Luskentyre Beach
In the morning, we caught the early ferry back to Skye. The plan had been to tick off another Corbett in Glen Shiel, but Ruth’s knee was sore and the rain was heavy and persistent, so we instead made contact with Amy Ottway to arrange to meet up for a coffee and chat in Kyle. Then the rest of the day was spent on the long drive back to Kendal, pausing in Fort William for lunch.
All in all, a really enjoyable trip, making good use of the best bits of the weather and with the full range of autumnal conditions! Five new Corbetts for me over the course of the trip leaves me with only one remaining: Streap, near Glenfinnan, which I hope to climb at Spring Bank Holiday next year.
After a very wet Saturday, the forecast suggested that Sunday might be mostly dry in the Peak District, with a few afternoon showers, so I ventured up for a walk that could be extended or shortened to suit the conditions. It was overcast as I started in Stanton-in-Peak and walked over the northern end of Stanton Moor to the stone circle and tower, but some glimpses of sunshine started to break through as I descended the path to Stanton Woodhouse and Rowsley.
Patches of sunshine in the Derwent Valley
From there I followed the Derwent Valley Heritage Way past Lindop and on through the Chatsworth Estate to Baslow, the weather steadily brightening to give plenty of sunshine as I passed Chatsworth House, making for some good photography conditions.
The upper weir, and Chatsworth House in the backgroundChatsworth Bridge and House
Bouyed by the brightness, I opted for the longest version of my planned work, making a loop on the quiet footpaths to Hassop, Pilsley and back into Chatsworth Park at Edensor.
Looking over Baslow to Curbar Edge and Baslow EdgeLongstone Moor, from near Pilsley
From there I took a hillier route back to Stanton, over Calton Pastures and Lees Moor then down to Haddon Hall, over the low ridge to Bradford Dale, then back up again to the car. Overall a very enjoyable day out in better-than-forecast conditions. Having not needed waterproofs all day, a heavy shower arrived just as I’d sat down in the car – perfect timing!
To celebrate my birthday (a couple of days early), Helen, Jeff, Heather, Heather and Amina joined me for a day spent around Bakewell. We met at Hassop Station for a 10am run along the Bakewell parkrun course – one I hadn’t previously visited and one that I hoped could be fast as it’s an out-and-back course on the Monsal Trail, a dismantled railway. I was disappointed at the pace I could manage on the first 2.5km into a moderate headwind and slightly uphill, barely below 4:00/km, but was pleased that the return leg, downhill and downwind, felt much easier and I could get closer to 3:30/km, to finish in just under 19 minutes. The others ran well too, with 5k PBs for Amina and Helen and best times of 2020 for both Heathers.
We then headed into Bakewell to visit the café at the Original Bakewell Pudding Shop for refreshments, happily arriving before the lunchtime rush and being able to get a table without queuing.
The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop
After that, we took a short drive to Great Longstone for an afternoon walk through Monsal Dale, heading over the pastures to Monsal Head, down to the weir for a picnic, and back up the other side to Brushfield. We continued over the ridge to Litton Mill and returned by a more direct route along another section of the Monsal Trail, passing through three tunnels and over the Headstone Viaduct, with great views of Miller’s Dale and Monsal Dale.
Amina, Heather, Heather, Helen and Jeff at Monsal HeadPicnic lunch by the WyeHeadstone Tunnel
Helen had very kindly baked me a cake, which we enjoyed on the village green back in Great Longstone before heading home.
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