The weather improved on Saturday so we set out to do a walk which had not featured last year. When we arrived at the layby on the Snake Pass it was already nearly full. The first section of the walk has changed due to the immense forest clearing that has taken place, but we wove our way, sometimes a little precariously, down to the river crossing and on up past the pools which in the summer are very popular.
Fairbrook Naze from the Fair Brook ascent
It is always a good walk up to the top and to the Kinder plateau and we had the place almost to ourselves.
Above Fair Brook, north-east Kinder plateau background right
Nearing top of Fair Brook
Most of the ascent done- steep section hidden by perspective
At the top of Fair Brook, the longish walk around to the large cairn on the Pennine Way (via Fairbrook Naze) was fine and again one has the impression that fewer people come to this part than elsewhere on Kinder.
Fairbrook Naze with Snake Pass in middle distance
We descended the steep section down from the cairn, at the same time as lots of runners/walkers who were competing in a 35/70 km race run by the Derby Runners made their way up. Some were very fresh; others less so- 21 miles in that part of the Peak District is quite demanding. We then started the long, rather muddy/boggy descent which is in some ways a downside of the walk, but in the end the wood on the edge of the moor was reached. We sat and had a last snack, watching the cascading stream down Urchin Clough and walkers on the other side of the River Ashop making shakey progress. Then it was a reasonable 30 minutes walk back to the car.
Cascade down Urchin Clough
A good walk and certainly, at times, a pleasantly solitary ramble. 10.1 miles, 620m ascent.
Moscar, Stanage and Ughill It was somewhat fitting that we headed out on Boxing Day to do a walk that we started the year with on January 2nd. We parked near Moscar Lodge and walked up to Stanage End. The day was (miraculously) dry and the views good, but the view of The Great Ridge and Kinder were not as good as on the second- the photo from the 2nd January is the background to this year's blog... this is how it looked on 26th December! Year-end view of The Great Ridge and Kinder At the Stanage Pole we enjoyed the last of Olivia's shortbread and then ambled down to Redmires Reservoir. It was busy there, with lots of dog walkers out for a stroll. We headed across rough moorland to come to the Sheffield road, then we struck out across the fields, heading for the bench below Crawshaw Lodge where we stopped for lunch. From here, we hardly passed any more walkers; the walk went across the fields towards Ughill Moor, passing Crawshaw Farm and a very large and intimidating dog. It w...
Castleton's Hollow Country (The description is from the Bradwell's guidebook walk title!) We fancied doing a walk from Castleton so we chose this one from Bradwell's "Longer Walks in the Peak District". It certainly proved to be longer, as in the book it is scheduled to be 8¾ miles and we ended up doing 11½ and descending into Castleton in the semi-darkness! The walk started with a pleasant walk up Caveday, below Peveril Castle. Cavedale and Peveril Castle At the top, we passed the grassed-over diggins at Oxlow Rake- old lead mines- making our way down to the tiny hamlet of Old Dam. From there, the walk went up Eldon Lane past Sweetknoll Farm with two adorable donkeys. Jacinta communes with adorable donkey We decided to go to have a look at Eldon Hole- classed as "one of the seven wonders of the peak" in the 1600s. Eldon Hole- it goes down a long way- honest! There was a lovely lunch spot just below the fencing around Eldon Hole where we ate and admired...
Shining Tor and Thursbitch Our last walk of 2023 was not very ambitious on account of the weather. We went up to Shining Tor as usual- battling into the wind; the cloud was low and just grazing the top of Shining Tor. Shining Tor with its head in the clouds After a very short break at the top, instead of just reversing the walk, we went down into the valley and visited Thursbitch for the first time this year. Clouds blowing in from Shining Tor towards Cats Tor The ruins of Thursbitch We saw no one except for some (hopeful) sheep who wrongly assumed that we might be bearing food. Optimistic sheep Persistently optimistic sheep The only downside to this really nice walk is the somewhat boring plod up the road from the end of the drive to Howlersknowl up to the car park at Pym Chair and the welcome sight of the car. It was then home for lunch. An occasionally cold and occasionally wet outing of 4.6 miles with 320m ascent but well worth doing nonetheless.
