3 Staffordshire Hills

1.2.13
Walking with; Nobody

Sometimes in the hill walking community we naturally assume bigger is better, but that isn't always the case. As the husband of a wife who measures in at a less than towering 5 ft 2 and as a fan of the brand of wing wizadry Shane Williams bought to the Welsh rugby team, I am more than aware that the best things often come in small packages.......which leads me neatly to a three hour walk with no peak above 425m which was one of the best I've done in a while!
I parked in the tiny hamlet of Hollinsclough. The 1851 census listed 400 residents living there, but I'd be surprised if there were more than a tenth of that now and apart from the school there were few signs of life. I followed the path leading towards Glutton Grange before striking off up the steep slopes of Parkhouse Hill from where I was able to watch a Buzzard circling ever higher on the thermals. Shutlingsloe is nicknamed the "Cheshire Matterhorn" and I would argue Parkhouse Hill should definitely be in line for the Staffordshire version of that title. Both Parkhouse and Chrome Hill are part of a Carboniferous reef and from the valley floor you can clearly see how the reef must once have run. The views from the top were stunning in all directions and well worth the ten minutes of steep scrambling it took to reach the top. I descended down the rocky spine which involved lots of hands on the ground and the occasional quickening heartbeat, but reached the valley floor in one piece and continued on to Chrome Hill.
The summit of Chrome Hill was a great spot for lunch with views across to the village of Earl Sterndale and down to Dowall Hall and again, for a short ascent, the views were breathtaking. The path follows the craggy spine of the hill before descending onto a permissive path that leads round to Booth Farm where I left it and headed up the muddy slopes of Hollins Hill to follow another path running along the spine of the hill adjacent to farmland before dropping back towards the village. Just before crossing the Dove, a sign warned me of a weak bridge and a notice from the Parish Council informed me that the bridge and path would be closed from February 4th until further notice and that there is no alternative route which would necessitate a very long reverse journey.So, as of today I don't think I'd be able to replicate this walk for some time.....shame!

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3 Shire Heads with the Peak District Walking Festival

Walking with; The Peak District Walking Festival
1.5.12

Having tried to book a spot on The Roaches walk only to be told it was full, the Staffs rangers suggested that this outing would showcase the Staffordshire countryside equally well and they were definitely right. The walk was led by John Mills an experienced walker, caver and fell runner with 30 years of experience leading on the Staffordshire moors and there were eight of us accompanying him. The walk started from the remote hamlet of Gradbach on the banks of the River Dane, it was once famous for the old silk mill which is now the Youth Hostel. We climbed up through farmland towards Turn Edge passing fields of lambs, remote farms and the ruins of many barns and stone walls. It is clear the area has been farmed for many generations and some of the farms were very remote and looked battered by the elements. The path below Turn Edge led to Three Shires Head, the point where Staffordshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire meet at an old packhorse bridge over the river, next to a spot called Pannier's Pool. Apparently it was once a popular site for prizefighting and the whole area has a fairly nefarious past. John regaled us with tales of a murderous family who once lived in the area and preyed on travellers murdering them, stealing their possessions and burning their bodies in their kilns. The border area was popular with local criminals in the days when police jurisdiction was restricted to their county alone and they couldn't pursue miscreants across the boundaries. We continued over moorland putting up a few lapwing and curlew to reach Wolf Edge for a spot of lunch.The cloud had descended at this point and it was pretty chilly so we didn't stop for long and instead headed onto Flash which, sitting at 1500 feet, claims to be the highest village in England. Flash was once famous for the counterfeit money trade and has given it's name to the Flash men as shady characters were once known. Sadly, the village has a pretty run down air to it nowadays and, with the pub closed, we headed through it pretty swiftly and descended towards the beautifully named Flash Bottom.
After ascending Gib Tor for great views over towards The Roaches we skirted the forest plantation and crossed the moorland of Black Brook Nature Reserve towards the Bald Stone. One of the group told us that this area was supposed to have been the inspiration for Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lost World" and it certainly had an ancient feel to it, although I was put more in mind of the "Hound of the Baskervilles" or some Stone Age tribes making sacrifices on a rock altar. There were more fantastic views from there and after drinking them in we descended across yet more boggy moorland towards the Dane Valley. We passed the Scout camp and the YHA as the rain started to pour down before heading back into Gradbach and the sanctuary of my car. I'd never realised just how wild this area of Staffordshire was and will definitely be returning to explore it further!
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