Crowden Great Brook to Crowden Castles and back via The Pennine Way

01.04.2012

Walking with; Cath and Brian from the Rangers

Another stunning day out in the Dark Peak on my third pre-visit with the Ranger service, one more and I'll be eligible for an interview for the training scheme. The Langdendale Ranger Station is based in Tintwistle and sits above the Bottoms Reservoir, one of five that run up the valley and which were used by the Luftwaffe in World War Two to help guide their bombers into Manchester. We were heading out onto Crowden today under blue skies and I was looking forward to my first excursion on this classic peak and the chance to get some views back over to Bleaklow where I'd been on Wednesday.

Leaving the campsite and YHA behind we began by following the Crowden Great Brook. Initially a path runs along the brook but soon the path disappears and it became an exercise in scrambling and carefully picking our way along the banks. Cath told me that they do get Peregrines nesting in the valley, but in spite of seeing evidence of a couple of kills, we didn't see anything bigger than a Kestrel in the air or a Weasel on the ground! After scrambling up a couple of waterfalls, the rock formations known as the Castles came into view and we headed away from the river and up the very steep, calf tightening climb to our lunch spot. It was breezy on the tops but the views as far as Kinder made the climb worthwhile and we were able to watch a few people picking their way along the "new" Pennine Way. Refuelled we struck out North East onto Siddens where we came across evidence of yet another plane wreck on the top, there are over 200 wrecks spread across the Peak District and whilst the majority date from World War Two, the most recent was in 2008! There were great views across to Black Hill, but we had a path survey to complete and so had to save it for another day. We headed west from Siddens over some rough moorland before dropping down to The Pennine Way at Red Ratcher. The path climbed steadily out of the valley and cut across the hill on the opposite side of the brook we'd ascended in the morning. Once we reached Laddow Rocks we dropped down off the path to the "cave", an overhanging bivvy spot closely linked to the foundation of The Rucksack Club and latterly the Mountain Rescue Teams. The Rucksack Club was founded in 1902 "To facilitate walking tours and mountaineering expeditions, both in the British Isles and elsewhere, and to particularly to initiate members into the science of rock climbing and snowcraft", Laddow Rocks was one of the favourite sites for the early members to climb on, but difficulties in rescuing an injured participant led to the formation of the "Stretcher sub-committee" which eventually led to the formation of the Mountain Rescue teams.

http://www.original.rucksackclub.org/index.php. There were a couple of climbers but we left them and continued along The Pennine Way which was surprisingly quiet given the conditions. We crossed Oakenclough Brook and headed down with the Reservoirs in our sights all the way back down to the campsite and a welcome sit down for a brew!

To view the full album please click on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150773778335692&oid=136991043086476&saved#!/media/set/?set=oa.186799064772340&type=1

Hartington, Milldale and Alstonefield

09.03.12

Walking with; Nobody

I'd not planned on going out today but my considerably better half had to be on the Stockport to London train at 6.30am and as I was already half way to the Peak District I decided to head for Hartington and I am glad I did. After the disappointment of Wednesday, this was the kind of walk that lifted the spirits and properly showcased the beauty of the British countryside.

Hartington is a picturesque English village with the name thought to be a derivation of "Stag's Hill". It is mentioned in the Doomsday book and found fame as one of the three main producers of Stilton. The large scale commercial cheesemaking operation has ceased but the old cheese shop has recently re-opened and there are plans to make cheese again. I parked on the village green next to the duckpond and climbed out of the village past Hartington Hall, a 17th Century manor house built by Hugh Bateman in 1611. The building is now a Youth Hostel and the grounds housed a very vocal rookery as well as snowdrops and daffodils. The route continued across the fields to Dale End before turning down into Biggin Dale, a long, dry dale that leads down to the River Dove and Wolfscote Dale. As I meandered down Biggin, a Kestrel flew across my path and a few minutes later a circling Buzzard was mobbed by a flock of Jackdaws. A little further on a Green Woodpecker flew across my path before making a slow ascent of the steep bank to my left. The River Dove is beautiful and I followed the gentle path all the way down to the hamlet of Lode Mill where lead was once smelted and corn ground. The river here forms the boundary between Derbyshire and Staffordshire and the bank had some amazing snowdrops.

From Lode Mill the path climbs very steeply up to the outcrop of Shining Tor, an ideal spot for a coffee and fantastic views back down Wolfscote Dale. The high level path continues along the ridge before dropping sharply down to the gorgeously picturesque village of Mill Dale where it crosses the Dove by way of Viator's Bridge. The bridge was there in 1653 when Izaak Walton, author of legendary fishing tome "The Compleat Angler" (purported to be the third most reprinted book in the English language), first discovered the River Dove with his friend and fishing tutor Charles Cotton, and the name Viator comes from a character in Walton's book. Another short, steep slog took me to the outskirts of Alstonefield and the beautiful church of St Peter's. The graveyard is an interesting piece of social history showing the long established routes of many families in the area and with gravestones dating back to 1518. Continuing through the village and crossing the idyllic green I headed out towards Narrowdale before descending steeply all the way down to the gates of Beresford House. Half way down a streak of red flashed across the path and I followed a Weasel as he shot along the wall and up the hillside.

The route back to Hartington ran alongside the Dove through Beresford Dale (nuthatch, long tailed tits and more chaffinches) before climbing away from the river and circumventing Pennilow Hill. Looking back over my shoulder I got fleeting glimpses through the branches of Walton's 17th Century "Fishing Temple" built by Charles Cotton and where the two of them spent many hours fishing. I arrived back in Hartington with my faith in the countryside fully restored and an appetite for a pint at The George and a goody bag full of cheese to take away with me.....

To see the full album please click on the link below;

https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=oa.173187839466796&type=1