A ramble from Monyash.

28/07/2018.

There are many great walks to be taken from the White peak village of Monyash, this particular one I class as a real classic. Recently we have been struggling through a heatwave that has lasted nearly three months..no rain and high temperatures have taken its toll on the countryside, but today we seemed to have turned the corner..much cooler with a few showers..Yep a definite improvement...Todays walk was with the Doncaster ramblers. A small group of 9 of us set out from the car park in the village bound for the Limestone way which we were to follow for the first half of our walk..I like the Limestone way, gentle walking with great views. As we approached One Ash grange farm two young lads on a quad bike came racing across the field to us and asked if we wouldn't mind waiting for a few minutes while they brought some cows up into another field..good to see youngsters working in the countryside, these are the farmers of the future..beats staring at a computer screen like the majority of kids in our towns and cities..Stuck in a rut they don't realise that just getting out into the countryside can improve their lives so much.

We passed through the farmyard, stopping to admire the row of ancient pig styes which are grade 2 listed, not sure how old they are. The farm also has an interesting history in 1700 it was granted a licence to hold Quaker meetings...the path also passes a small building believe to have been used by monks as a cold store...Not a place for a new born baby then.

After passing through the farmyard we dropped down a steep and slippery path into Cales dale..Followed by an equally steep path up the other side.

Upwards and onwards passing another farm [Calling Low] through typical White peak scenery, up to Moor lane above Youlgreave where we found a picnic bench, perfect spot for our elevenses break, after which it was downhill into Bradford dale, as picturesque as always, crystal clear water overhung by beautiful trees....I always love this stretch. So do several other people it seems.

We followed the Bradford around to Alport where we reached the Lathkill which we followed to Conkesbury bridge..Uphill now, steeply at times towards Over Haddon...and the pub..i was ready for the pub.

A pint of Bg tips from the Blue monkey brewery went down a treat..In fact we made it into the pub just in time as the heavens opened..i thought the windows were going to come in as the rain smashed against the glass.The beer was nice but not really impressed with the pub[ The Lathkill hotel]..it sort of seemed soulless. after a pint it was time to move on, just as the rain subsided.

Walking through the village with raincoats on the sun came out and coats came off..we passed a couple of Frenchmen looking for the path to Sheldon.We congratulated them on their countrys World cup win..strangely they didn't congratulate us on another British cyclist winning the Tour de france..maybe its a sore point with Frenchmen..downhill into Lathkill dale which we were to follow back to Monyash...The upper part of the dale is pretty cool we spoke of ambushes and Apache's.

The walk was supposed to be 10 miles but I was sure it was longer ...measured the route on Mapometer and it turned out to be almost 12 miles. taking my mileage for the year to 700 miles..another good walk under my belt.

2 valleys....Hope and Edale.

07/07/2018.

Me and my wife have been walking for pleasure for many years now,mainly on our own, occasionally with a small group of friends..However, this year we decided to join the Ramblers to see what it is like to walk as part of a larger group of like minded people. We are thoroughly enjoying it, and have been made very welcome meeting a friendly bunch of folk...We have been on half a dozen walks so far and they seem to get better week by week...Todays walk started from the busy little village of Hope in the Derbyshire Peak district. Only a small group of 8 Ramblers set out today...I understand that there is a certain England world cup quarter final football match being played today which probably accounts for the low turn out..Football or walking? No question...Walking for me anyday...We set off at a cracking pace in sweltering heat along the Hope valley...I find that it often takes a mile or two to get into a walk, but once accustomed to the terrain and the heat all was tickerty boo....it felt good to be out again.

We arrived in Castleton, where our numbers were swelled for 8 to 11 as three more Ramblers that were running late joined us..The streets of Castleton were busy as they always are, but we soon left the village behind heading up towards Hollins cross and the Great ridge..in this heat we stopped a couple of times for a quick breather and a gulp of water, the camera clicking away merrily.

Hollins cross is the lowest point along the great ridge and a popular route for walkers crossing from the Hope valley down into the Vale of Edale. This was once  a coffin route as bodies were carried over the ridge from Edale to be buried in either Castleton or Hope in the days before the church in Edale was built...many years ago a stone cross stood here but it had disappeared by the early 1900s.We stood a while to take in the views,and take photographs. Do we stop for elevenses here or drop down to Edale to visit the Penny pot café...a show of hands voted for the café...Downhill it was.

Coffee and Flapjack at the café or a pint in the Rambler..I went for coffee, I could have a pint later when we returned to Hope I thought...Suitably refreshed we set of along the Edale valley heading south towards Hope cross.

What a great place for walking the Vale of Edale is..surrounded by hills, terrific views in every direction..So hot today as the heatwave continues, the local residents seemed uncomfortable in the heat seeking shade wherever possible...I felt quite sorry for them, but I suppose they are tough hardy critters.

I looked up to the Great ridge...there would be a breeze up there...not such luxuries down here, fortunately i had several bottles of water in my rucksack, we had come prepared...I cant remember the last time we drank so much water on a walk.

Lunch was enjoyed near Jaggers clough...Cheese and chutney bread filled with Cheese and coleslaw, washed down with strong sweet coffee..

A final push now down alongside Lose hill and back to Hope.

It had been a cracking walk...11 lovely miles...each step a joy, but now for that quiet pint I had promised myself in the Woodroffe arms..No chance... bloody football on..oh well I can wait while I get home.

Glossop to Tintwistle..More adventures along the Peak district boundary walk.

01/07/2018

To celebrate Britains first and arguably most beautiful national park, supporters of Friends of the Peak District have devised a 190 mile walking route around its entire boundary, stretching from the moorland tops of the South Pennines to the gentle limestone scenery of the Derbyshire dales, the route embraces the urban edges of Sheffield and Oldham, as well as Staffordshires rugged moorland and the undulating slopes of Cheshires hills...And im lucky enough to be following the path, albeit in short sections..its going to take us ages to complete...we started in Buxton in March and we have only just reached Glossop...Don't laugh but I like to take my time...Looking at the map, todays walk to Tintwistle should be a piece of cake, no big hills, although the views will still be first class...We parked up at a layby in the Charlestown area of the town..It was already so hot..i looked back towards the hills of last week, Whitely nab and the Cown edge hills.

The path we were on was sneaking along the Eastern edge of the town. Behind us lies Chunal moor and the worm stones while to our right we could see a steady stream of cars heading along the Snake pass road along the southern flanks of Bleaklow….Ahead of us lies Old Glossop. To our left we could see the moors beyond Tintwistle and Stalybridge, anyone that has been following the news this week will know of the devastation that has taken place up there, mile upon square mile of peat moorland burnt to a crisp, The firefighters and military have done a sterling job in controlling the fire,i doff my cap to these heroes...well done..so sad to think of the wildlife caught up in it..We squinted our eyes and where able to see several pockets still burning, smoke rising...To think that this may have been started on purpose!!..I for one would cut their bollocks off...Anyway, back to the walk...We followed the path down to Old Glossop,This historic part of the town centered on all saints parish church retains much of its charm and character...Three old pubs which sadly were not open yet were passed....a lovely place.

Getting ridiculously hot...Beginning to wish that we had left the dog at home..ahead of us was Swineshaw reservoir, he's gonna love it in there...and he did.

Crossing the Woodhead road and it was all downhill to Padley, that's what I am enjoying most about the PDBW it is taking us to places we have never been before. We crept pass a herd of cattle that were thankfully laying down...well that's that myth out of the window. Ahead of us lie Padley then Tintwistle and the pub.

Eventually made it down to Bottoms reservoir then on to the Pub...another Bulls head, the landlord was out in the garden, watering plants and tidying up after last nights revelry, Apparently it had been a good night with live music..Apparently everyone got drunk...Apparently no one wanted to go home resulting in a late night..Sounds like my sort of pub..We decided on a meal...Karen chose the vegetarian Bombay potato pie while I opted for the fish pie [chunky Haddock]..Bloody lovely...washed down with a couple of pints of Liquid sunshine....I liked this pub but we had to leave and walk back to Glossop...my tracker says we have walked 4.8 miles to get here.

So now we have to get back to Glossop...do we retrace our steps? making a 9.6 mile walk...sod that ,not in this heat a quick perusal of the map and I worked out a route mostly along country lanes saving us a couple of miles of toil...I should not really moan about the weather, but I do prefer it a tad cooler, so does Alf.

Im sure the horses wont mind him cooling off in their drinking water....Hot and sweating we arrived back to the car.