Four weeks after their wedding, the new Mr and Mrs Livesey came down to visit me in Derbyshire for the Saturday and Sunday of the May Day weekend. We met mid-morning on Saturday in Earl Sterndale for a walk over the distinctive “Dragon’s Back” hills. I defined a route that would save the summits for the second half, taking a more northerly (but less scenic) outward route from the village. Dowel Dale gave some good views of Chrome Hill though, and we crossed a very pretty arch bridge over the infant River Dove on the ancient byway between Leycote and Tenterhill.

We continued down the very quiet valley of Hollinsclough, pausing for lunch in a pretty spot overlooking Hollins Hill. Then we ascended the ridge of Hollins Hill before traversing the crests of the more popular Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill – all made possible by permissive paths – to return to Earl Sterndale. These hills have become much busier since the pandemic and it was sad to see how eroded the small path over Parkhouse is getting.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2612693

On the Sunday, the plan had been for Ruth and me to tackle the second of this year’s Peak Raid MapRun events. However, I had picked up a knee injury running the Shakespeare Half Marathon (in Stratford-upon-Avon) two weeks prior, and exacerbated it by running the first Peak Raid course at Monyash the following weekend, and did not feel able to run. I therefore kept Josh company on a walk, aiming to intercept Ruth a couple of times on her run.

The MapRun and our walk started in the village of Wetton. We started by heading to the clifftop above Thor’s Cave – which I don’t think I had visited before – for great views up and down the Manifold Valley. Then we made a brief visit to the cave itself (overcrowded!) before dropping down into the valley bottom.

We headed up the Manifold Trail a bit, then ascended the unnamed valley on the north side of Wetton Hill, and climbed up steep grassy slopes to reach the westernmost summit a little before Ruth passed by (she had taken a longer route over Ecton Hill). We continued over the main summit then looped back towards Wetton to meet Ruth again on her way back in from the east.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2612698

We had lunch on a bench by the village green, then headed back to Hilton, from where Ruth and Josh soon set off back home.

As ever, returning from the Highlands left me underwhelmed by the prospect of a walk in the flatlands of the Peak District. The forecast was reasonable though, so I dragged myself out to the western moors around the Cat and Fiddle Pass to stretch the legs. 

I started off south along Whetstone Ridge, then dropped down by Cumberland Brook to Wildboarclough, enjoying the white frost on the rocks and dry-stone walls. 

Then it was a steep climb back up to Shutlingsloe, rewarded by extensive, very clear views towards The Roaches to the south, and Macclesfield Forest and Shining Tor to the north, with the Manchester skyline visible in the distance. 

I continued through the top of the forest then along some quiet footpaths to reach Lamaload Reservoir, which I circuited on the west and north before climbing back up via Andrew’s Edge (pausing for a late lunch in a sheltered spot) to Shining Tor. 

My motivation had increased by that point, so I opted for the longer option of descending to Errwood Hall before climbing back up to the Cat and Fiddle, rather than taking the direct path along the ridge. 

A decent day out overall, with great air clarity. A map of my route can be seen here, and more photos here. 

Amazingly, over a month had passed since my last walking day, if I don’t count a couple of Peak Raid races! Finally I had an empty day in my diary and a dry – if rather grey – forecast. After suffering from a heavy cold for much of this week, and with a chesty cough still lingering, I went for something not too strenuous, starting from the village of Ilam. Having attended the Gentian Club Annual Dinner recently in Fenny Bentley, but not having been available to join in with the associated trip to Ilam Hall bunkhouse, I also felt somewhat inspired to follow in their footprints!

I fancied walking down Dove Dale rather than up it, for a change, so set off north from Ilam, crossing a frosty Ilam Park then passing Castern Hall to follow a scenic footpath along the eastern rim of the Manifold valley towards Wetton village.

I then visited the two tops of nearby Wetton Hill, and enjoyed the views back down the Manifold and north over Ecton Hill, before descending southeast to Alstonefield and then down to Milldale.

I continued down the main Dove Dale footpath, pausing to appreciate the caves at Dove Holes, then the pinnacle of Ilam Rock. The path was damaged in places following the recent flooding, but not at all difficult to pass. Further down, I took the opportunity to head up the short side-path through the impressive natural limestone arch that leads to Reynard’s Cave. Surprisingly, I don’t think I’ve ever actually made that short detour before!

After a lunch break at Lover’s Leap, I was just left with a short walk down to the car park then over the fields – the muddiest path of the day – back to Ilam. I gave my boots a bit of a wash in the river before driving home!

A map of my route can be seen here, and more photos here.

My parents visited me for the weekend, and we were very fortunate to have a weekend of uninterrupted sunshine – quite a contrast to my visit to them a couple of months ago! Dad requested a walk in the White Peak, and Mum some flowering heather, and I was able to satisfy both with walks in Chee Dale and on The Roaches.

We got an early start on Saturday so I could try out the new-ish Pavilion Gardens parkrun when we were in the Buxton area for our walk anyway. Dad decided to save his energy for the walk, so he just spectated with Mum this time. It’s a fairly fast three-lap course, all on tarmac and not significantly hilly, but with lots of twists and turns to slow one down a little. They did well to come up with a course that did not require a fourth lap, visiting every corner of the small but attractive park. I was quite pleased with my time of 19:17, roughly on a par with my best recent runs.

Afterwards, we made the short drive to Wormhill, where we found plenty of roadside parking near the well, currently decorated (although not very impressively, we thought) for the annual Well Dressings. We started by following the footpaths northeast to cross the head of Monk’s Dale, then climbed back up to follow the Limestone Way above the far side of the valley and down to Miller’s Dale.

The main attraction of the walk was the next few kilometres, following the River Wye upstream through Chee Dale. For the end of summer, I was surprised how muddy and slippery it was, making the rocky steps more awkward than I had expected. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the dramatic scenery of the limestone gorge, and the two sets of distinctive stepping stones going along the side of the river below the overhanging cliffs.

To finish the walk, we ascended the zigzagging bridleway up to Meadows Farm, then down and back up to Wormhill.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2376093

On Sunday, we got a more leisurely start before driving to Upper Hulme to park in one of the last couple of places available in the popular laybys below Hen Cloud. We started our walk by following the lane north, almost as far as Roach End, then used traversing paths to gain the ridge of Back Forest. We enjoyed the views towards the Hanging Stone, with The Cloud beyond.

Once we had reached the ridge, we paused for a snack break among the purple heather, with excellent views north towards Shutlingsloe and up the Dane Valley. Then we continued along the well-worn path to Roach End and up the stone-pitched path onto the main Roaches ridge the other side, appreciating the dramatic wind-carved shapes of the gritstone outcrops.

We had lunch in a sheltered spot – very warm out of the light breeze – then continued past the trig point and along the top of the cliffs, with improving views of Hen Cloud and Tittesworth Reservoir, before the final descent back to the car. I had not previously taken a route through the woods below the main climbing cliffs, so that made an interesting change.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2376903

In summary, two good days out in the Peak District in the late-summer sunshine. It was good to spend time with Mum and Dad, and to give them the chance to visit these two beautiful locations again. My full photo album can be found here.

I usually aim to get away somewhere for a bank holiday weekend but, just a week after the return from Norway, wasn’t sufficiently motivated to do any long-distance travel this time. Instead, I made Saturday a parkrun and chores day, then went for day walks in the Peak District on Sunday and Monday.

On Saturday night, Sunday’s forecast was for a few heavy showers late morning but also some sunny spells. I was disappointed, therefore, when I woke to see that expectations had deteriorated overnight, with more prolonged rain expected. I decided not to be a “fair-weather walker” though, and stuck with my plan to recce (at walking pace) the route of the 15-mile “Groovy Kinder Love” fell race, a gratuitously-hilly route from Hayfield on the western edge of the Kinder plateau. Poor weather almost seemed appropriate for recceing a fell race!

After a damp drive up, the rainfall radar didn’t show any imminent improvement so I set off straight away, ascending via “Christine’s Gate” – not sure whether that’s just the name given for the purpose of the race – to Mount Famine and South Head, both in the mist. Then the going was easier on the long, gentle ascent over the flank of Brown Knoll to Edale Cross.

Next came a detour that one would only make for the purpose of increasing a route’s total ascent, down to the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder and back. I was pleased with myself for having sufficient motivation not to skip this part! After a short further climb up to Edale Rocks, where I took advantage of the shelter for a snack break, it was back down again, along the ridge of Kinderlow End and then north into Broad Clough. It was on this section that my phone died as I tried to get a photo of the purple heather – apparently it had got too damp in my jacket pocket and water had got to the screen, which flashed different colours for a bit before a failed reboot and black screen of death. I stowed it more safely – futile at this point – in my dry bag, before continuing on my way.

The penultimate significant ascent was the first totally unfamiliar ground for me, following a small path up the heathery slopes to the top of Red Brook. Then came a flat section, along the edge of the plateau and past the Downfall to Sandy Heys, before a steep descent to the bottom of William Clough. I was treated to decent views over Kinder Reservoir, as the rain was easing and the cloud lifting a bit.

The last ascent was back up William Clough to Mill Hill – not too steep and on a good path. The final approach to Hayfield was another new route for me, following a boggy path over Leygatehead Moor, then the southern end of the Snake Path. I’d only previously used the section from Mill Hill down to the Snake Inn. I’ll remember this as a particularly damp day on the hill, but at least the final hour of dry-ish and breezy conditions meant that my waterproofs didn’t end the day dripping wet!
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2369468

Thankfully, Monday was a much brighter day. I wanted a shorter drive so I devised a route starting at Darley Bridge, which is only about 45 minutes from home. I started by ascending through Clough Wood – not as pretty as I remembered it – then turned north to head up to Stanton Moor. The flowering heather was slightly past its best, but still the highlight of the day’s views, particularly around the Cork Stone and the old quarries.

I continued over the moor to the stone circle, then zigzagged down to reach the footpath to Rowsley, which was surprisingly overgrown to start off. There I picked up the popular path along the river meadows to Calton Lees, the most northerly point of my route. Having crossed the river, I headed east up the bridleway to Beeley Moor, where I paused for lunch. Then I followed a series of bridleways and footpaths below Fallinge Edge to reach the hamlet of Tinkersley. The views over the valley towards Longstone and Eyam edges were extensive but not remarkable. Finally, I dropped down to the river and followed the Derwent Valley Heritage Way back to the car.
Route map: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2370359

You can find my full Google Photos album here. Sorry they’re not as vibrant as usual, thanks to having to revert entirely to my old compact camera after the death of my phone!

The limestone dales of the central Peak District seemed the best bet for a dry walk today, with low cloud and showers more likely in the west and north. I devised a route starting in Great Longstone and taking in a few nearby hills and valleys.

A little drizzle fell on my initial ascent to Longstone Moor, but not enough to need a jacket. It had petered out by the time I reached the high ground, and I enjoyed the views towards Chatsworth, the Wye Valley and Monsal Head as I made my way west along the Edge,

It was pretty breezy on the summit, so I dropped down straight away to head for Wardlow Hay Cop via the lane into Hay Dale and then the helpful permissive path. The summit was another good viewpoint but too windy for much of a pause. I descended by the main path to the northwest to enjoy the excellent views up Cressbrook Dale.

It had been almost deserted this far, but I passed a few other groups as I made my way north up the valley. I don’t think I’ve ever clambered up to the top of Peter’s Stone before, so I took that short detour today, happily having it to myself. Then I dropped back down into the dale and up the other side to follow the permissive path around the rim above Tansley Dale, with more excellent views back towards Wardlow Hay Cop.

A short walk through grassy fields brought me to Litton village, followed by a mile or so along the lane to Tideswell – poorly timed as a vintage car rally had chosen that single-track route at the same time! I had a quick look around the impressive church, which is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Peak’, then carried on down Tideswell Dale on well-made and popular footpaths – a route I’d only taken once before.

Crossing the river at Litton Mill, I headed steeply back up the other side of Miller’s Dale to reach the high pastures again and followed High Dale down to the farm and cottages at Brushfield. From there, the bridleway along the rim of Monsal Dale gave excellent views of the river below and Fin Cop the other side, on my way to the Monsal Head viaduct. That just left a short walk along the cycle path and lane back to Great Longstone.

Mostly a grey and blustery day, but there were quite a few short sunny spells too, and the forecast afternoon rain didn’t arrive until after I’d got back home. Good to get out and stretch the legs amongst lovely limestone scenery. A map of my route can be viewed here, and more photos here.

The one downside of trips to the Highlands is that they make my local hills seem uninspiring for a while after I return! So despite a dry forecast and an empty diary, I wasn’t feeling very motivated to get out this morning. I procrastinated for a while before finally getting out of the house around 10:15, heading for some of the grassy hills between the Dove and Manifold valleys.

Once I’d parked up in Hartington village, I set off south along lanes and bridleways to reach Wolfscote Hill, duly climbed by its western slopes. Sadly this is the only way with public access – if there were a good traversing path I’m sure I would have visited more than once before today! After a dry start to the walk, some light drizzle blew in from the west and persisted for the next hour or so.

I dropped down into Wolfscote Dale then headed up the bridleway to Narrowdale farm. From there, it was a similar out-and-back ascent to Gratton Hill, also only my second visit. Next came a short, steep descent and re-ascent to neighbouring Narrowdale Hill, where I paused for lunch as the drizzle eased by the time I’d reached the western end of the ridge.

I continued west to Wetton Hill, then followed various muddy footpaths back to Hartington, via Back of Ecton and Upper Hurst. Not the most memorable outing thanks to the grey conditions and unexpected drizzle, but still good to get a few hours of fresh air.

A map of my route is available here, and more photos here.

I took a trip to one of the furthest-away parts of the Peak District, aiming to tick off three of my four unbagged Ethels and explore the unfamiliar area east of Black Hill. It’s an off-putting 70 miles from home, but actually mostly on the A38 and M1 so only about 80 minutes’ drive. I parked near the sailing club at Winscar Reservoir, where the forecast of sunny spells first thing happily proved to be correct!

The moorland to the west is pretty much pathless on the OS map but I had used the Strava Global Heatmap to identify the most popular routes on the ground and this did give me paths most of the way, even if they were sometimes indistinct or boggy. I followed small trods beside the stream up Dearden Clough, then picked up the fence-line along Upper Dead Edge. There hadn’t been much of a view from the broad ridge, with Bleaklow in the cloud to the south, but on reaching the trig point (and Ethel summit) I was suddenly able to see down towards Woodhead and Crowden.

More interesting views over the steeper slopes of Withens Moor made the traverse to Britland Edge Hill (the next Ethel) more enjoyable. The wire fence was also unusually festooned with strands of wind-blown grass, fluttering in the strong westerly breeze.

The next couple of kilometres to the road at Holme Moss were particularly boggy, so I was glad to reach the firmer ground beyond. I had only seen a pair of fellrunners up to this point, so I was surprised to find quite a few other walkers on the path up to Black Hill. Perhaps I should not have been surprised, as it’s the shortest and easiest route, even if not as well surfaced as the Pennine Way! Although the path was reasonably obvious, in the mist I was glad of the reassurance of a compass bearing after I’d passed the last real landmark at Heyden Head. With a cold breeze and no view at the summit, I didn’t hang around long before setting off north along the stone-pitched path beside Issue Clough. Once I’d descended a few metres, however, I was back in the clear, with sunlit views northeast towards Holmfirth, and my route down to the ‘Issues Road’ track became obvious.

The track gave easy walking down to the hamlet of Holme, beyond which I picked up some popular footpaths beside Brownhill Reservoir – an attractive spot with steep, mixed woodlands all around. Once I’d crossed the dam of Ramsden Reservoir, I reascended towards Ramsden Edge and traversed above the woods into Ramsden Clough. There I paused for a late lunch on a very comfortable rock in the sunshine, with an excellent view over the reservoirs and up Ramsden Clough!

After lunch, I continued up Ramsden and Ruddle Cloughs to gain the moorland plateau again, then followed a line of grouse butts up onto Snailsden Pike. From the western top, marked as higher on the map, I felt sure that the trig point further east was in fact higher, but looking back from the trig it was not so clear! Best to visit both to be sure of bagging the Ethel properly. A good path led down to Harden Reservoir dam, from where it was an easy walk on large tracks around the east side of Winscar Reservoir and back to the car.

The Ethel summits themselves weren’t especially inspiring today, but my route back from Black Hill via Holme and Marsden Clough was very attractive, and this area would definitely be worth exploring more thoroughly. My remaining Ethel is Ashway Moss, near the Trinnacle, so that should give a good walk from Dovestone Reservoir later in the year.

More photos can be seen here, and a map of my route here.

I haven’t been for a walk with Amina since 2020, so I was pleasantly surprised when she said recently that she’d be up for a day out in the Peak District. No parkrun for me, in order to be fresh for a longer race the following morning, so it was the ideal Saturday for a walk and the forecast of dry, overcast weather was alright too.

We met at my house soon after 9 o’clock and I drove us up to Hayfield – Amina was keen to see my new car – to start walking soon after 10:30. I had wondered whether the cloud would be on the tops to start off. That proved not to be the case so we walked clockwise to get to the highest ground sooner, heading past Kinder Reservoir and then up William Clough. The visibility was pretty good with clear views around the skyline, and towards Manchester and Bleaklow once we reached the ridge.

We continued east along the edge of Sandy Heys, pausing for a brief first-lunch in the shelter of a gully and to take a few photos around Kinder Downfall.

Another half hour or so brought us to the high point of the day, the trig point on Kinder Low. By this point, the cloud had started to drop a bit and Sandy Heys was in the mist although Kinder Low itself remained just about clear.

We dropped down to Edale Cross for lunch in the most sheltered spot we could find, then continued along the path – well-pitched at first, then boggy – over the shoulder of Brown Knoll and down the ridge to South Head and Mount Famine. A bit of drizzle blew through in the wind and made us a little damp for quarter of an hour or so but petered out before we’d got around to putting on our waterproof jackets. All that remained was the easy descent down the bridleway to Coldwell Clough and the car.

A good day out on the hill and it was great to catch up with Amina as we walked and talked. Hopefully it won’t be another 2.5 years until the next time! You can find more photos here and a map of our route here.

Looks like I missed the best weather of the weekend, having seen photos of a cracking day of inversions and sunshine in the Peaks yesterday, but nevertheless I headed up to Hathersage today for my first local walk of the year. It was a cold start, with temperatures on the drive ranging from -7.5°C to -5°C, but with light winds didn’t actually feel too chilly at any point on the walk.

I started by ascending to Carhead Rocks, somewhere I had not been before, which gave good views down to the Derwent Valley and up to Stanage Edge.

I then continued up to Stanage and followed the edge north all the way to Moscar Lodge. There were quite a few people around initially, but it got much quieter further north. There was a little snow wherever the sun had not shone, but nothing was very slippery, and progress was easy, particularly with the peat all well frozen.

Once past Moscar, I headed northwest over Strines Edge – another new route for me – and across the heather moor to reach Derwent Edge near Dovestone Tor. Turning south, I followed the edge as far as Whinstone Lee Tor, enjoying the views over Ladybower and the various rock formations, then took the bridleway east to Cutthroat Bridge, where I paused for lunch in the warmth of the woods.

A short climb back up via Jarvis Clough brought me onto Bamford Moor, and soon to the busy viewpoint of Bamford Edge. I escaped the crowds as I descended south, and returned to Hathersage via Gatehouse and Birley Farm.

No real sunshine and fairly hazy views today, but it was good to get out in the Peaks in wintery conditions before the thaw comes later in the week.

There’s a map of my route here, and more photos here.

I have lots of Christmas carolling with the brass band over the coming weekends, so was keen to take advantage of an empty diary today and get out in the Peaks, despite the rather grey and murky conditions. Inspired by some Instagram photos I’d seen quite recently of Combs Edge, a place I’d only visited once, I got an early start and headed back to Buxton to start my walk around 8:30am. My first destination was Corbar Hill, which lies just north of the town, which is an Ethel I hadn’t visited before. A short ascent through the woods brought me to the summit crags, trig point and Alpine-style cross!

Well-trodden but fairly boggy paths led from there up onto Combs Moss – I had chosen poorly by wearing my lightest boots and soon had wet feet. I continued north along the zigzagging Edge, pausing to photograph the rocks here and there and to enjoy the views of Burbage Edge to the south and Combs Reservoir below.

After I’d reached the lane at the northern end of the moor, I followed fairly muddy footpaths via Sittinglow and Barmoor Farms to Sparrowpit – nothing very remarkable although there were some hazy views of Chinley Churn and South Head to enjoy. Next, the path traversing south of Gautries Hill gave more interest, following a wooded rake with lots of pits and gullies, evidence of mining.

Once I’d crossed Perry Dale, I was pleased to spot a brand new concession path signposted as a route onto Eldon Hill from the west. Just what I needed, as I had thought I would have to follow the lane all the way around the north side of the quarry to double back from the northeast. Soon I was on the top, with a glimpse of Mam Tor in the view. Eldon Hill was another new Ethel for me, and also re-completed my Derbyshire Tumps (it had been identified as a Tump since I last completed that still-evolving list).

The new signposts had also noted the 55-metre-deep pothole of Eldon Hole, a few hundred metres to the south, so I took a look at that on my way down to Peak Forest. It was difficult to photograph but definitely an impressive sight, reminiscent of the Yorkshire Dales! It doesn’t seem like many people pass that way.

My route then headed down Dam Dale, where I paused for a late lunch, and Hay Dale, then climbed back up very muddy footpaths to Hargatewall and Tunstead. That just left the final approach to Buxton, a fairly straight footpath on the map but apparently crossing the huge Tunstead Quarry so I was dubious! However, sure enough the path was well marked and fairly well used, using a long footbridge to get over the quarry access railway and roads, then skirting the northern edge of the pit to reach the undisturbed ground on the far side.

I got back to the car around 3:30pm, seven hours after I’d started and comfortably before dark. A good long day out including gritstone moorland, muddy farmland, and classic limestone hills and dales. I now only have four Ethels left to bag, all in the far north of the National Park, so quite far from home. An easy goal for next year though!

A map of my route can be seen here, and more photos here.

Jeff and Helen joined me for a walk in the Peak District, starting in Grindleford. We met at my house and I drove us up to the car park at the railway station to start the walk around 10am. Having driven through drizzle between Ashbourne and Monyash, I was glad it was dry and fairly bright further northeast.

We set off steeply uphill through oak and then silver birch woodlands into the old Bolehill Quarry – always one of my favourite spots – and continued from there below Millstone Edge and up onto Over Owler Tor, giving excellent views both ways over the Derwent Valley.

From there, it was easier walking along the ridge to Higger Tor and Upper Burbage Bridge, where we paused for a snack in the shelter of some boulders. We continued up to the southern trig point of Stanage Edge, and along the Edge for a few kilometres, watching a few rock climbers below and a few pairs of trail runners taking part in a relay race circumnavigating Sheffield. The clouds gradually broke up to give more sunny spells, and lifted off the top of Kinder Scout in the distance.

We descended by the ‘Long Causeway’ byway to have lunch by Dennis Knoll, looking back up to the Edge, then continued down to Hathersage for cream tea / coffee and cake in the attractive outdoor dining area at Cintra’s Tearoom. That just left an easy final few kilometres beside the River Derwent to return to Grindleford Station, where we had a quick look around the restored chapel of Padley Hall, and the ruins of the Hall behind (little more than foundations), before returning to the car.

There are more photos on Google here, and a map of our route is available here.