David and Jacinta's Walks- 2023

 Castleton and Mam Tor At this time of year it's all about seizing the opportunity and the weather window, if they appear. We went to Castleton, had a coffee at the visitor centre   and then walked up past the three Blue John mines- Speedwell Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern and the Blue John Cavern. Then it was up onto the moorlands leading up to Mam Nick. It was cold and quite windy, but nice to be out- although a Saturday during the Christmas Holidays meant crowds, especially as we neared Mam Tor. We always feel that it's great to see so many people out, enjoying the Peak District and we know that, in a week or so, we will have the place (almost) to ourselves. At the top of Mam Tor it was blowing a gale and we didn't hang about. A party of three, which we had initially met at the Treak Cliff Cavern and then a couple of times more, were kind enough to take some pictures of us, with the lovely light illuminating The Peak to the east. In the chilly wind, descending Mam Tor We w...

 Edale, Mam Tor and Brown Knoll A dry day in Edale, according to David's little weather station, so we got out early and arrived in Edale soon after 9. After a customary visit to the Penny Pot (now shutting during the week for winter) we began the ascent of Mam Tor via Hollins Cross. The top of Kinder was in the mist for most of the day but, fortunately, we had good views most of the time. Kinder with its head in the clouds On the way up to Hollins Cross- Rushup Edge in the clouds Looking back along The Great Ridge with the Eastern Edges on the Horizon When we arrived at the top of Mam Tor there were scores of people coming up from the Mam Tor car park and it was a bit of a relief to escape the crowds on the other side of the M.T. road. As usual, the walk along Rushup Edge was fairly deserted. More solitary- on the way up to Rushup Edge We decided to go on to Brown Knoll as the day was clear and mild. David at the Brown Knoll trig point After lunch (just after Brown Knoll) we came...

Edale, Hope Cross, Lose Hill and Hollins Cross A misty moisty day so we were off to somewhere where we could get a nice cup of coffee and do a relatively straightforward walk. Where else but Edale and the Penny Pot? After our cuppa, we walked through Ollerbrook Booth and up to the Youth Hostel and Jaggers Clough. We stopped for a quick break at Hope Cross and admired quite a few sheep. Sheep, near and far Then it was on, down to Townhead Bridge just outside Hope and up to Townhead itself. There, we met several very happy pigs (on the basis that they were in lots of muck). Happy pigs We reached the top of Lose Hill and the mist lifted, albeit briefly, when we had our lunch in the lee of the summit. We were lucky enough to see a rainbow. Rainbow at lunchtime at Lose Hill From Lose Hill, it was down to Back Tor, Barker Bank and Hollins Cross. Looking back from the descent from Hollins Cross, we had another lucky break in the clouds and a view along the Great Ridge. Eastern Great Ridge fro...

Edale, Mam Tor, Brown Knoll and Grindslow Knoll  A fine weather forecast meant that we were able to go to Edale which always provides lots of options regarding ways up and down. We walked up to Hollins Cross and then on to Mam Tor- where there were crowds of people (and sheep dogs). Mam Tor from Hollins Cross The Great Ridge (and Win Hill) from Mam Tor We managed to leave the crowds behind simply by crossing the road and heading up to Rushup Edge. As we were going well, we walked up to Brown Knoll- passing a couple of (very clean) sheep who had managed to camouflage themselves as builders' material bags from a distance! Very clean sheep At Brown Knoll we ate our lunch balanced on the edge of the trig point. On our way down to the top of Jacob's Ladder we met a man with his two dachshunds who had walked 20 miles, which was pretty impressive. Then we walked up to Kinder and up to Noe Stool and the plateau. The Woolpacks on the LH skyline and Grindslow Knoll (Center skyline) Noe S...

Edale, Hollins Cross, Lose Hill and Hope Cross Monday's forecast was brilliant so we went off to Edale to make the most of the weather. After walking up to Hollins Cross, we followed The Great Ridge to Back Tor and Lose Hill in the company of many other walkers. On the way to Hollins Cross, with Back Tor and Lose Hill Grindslow Knoll and Kinder in dappled sunlight A great perch on Back Tor However, after Lose Hill the crowds fell away and we completed the rest of our walk with very little company. We dropped down to Hope and then up to Wooler Knoll as normal, admiring the clear and dramatic vistas to the left. Lose Hill and Kinder from Wooler Knoll At Wooler Knoll, the sheep had mad...

  Edale and The Great Ridge with Ann, Julian and Nellie To Edale to meet up with Ann and Julian (and Nellie the dog). We couldn't start walking without a bracing coffee at The Penny Pot café . It was sunny and slightly cold, but the views were amazing. We walked up to Hollins Cross and then along the Great Ridge to Back Tor. Conflab on the way to Lose Hill. Nellie: "C'mon folks, let's go!" From then to Lose Hill, where we dropped down out of the wind to have a quick lunch. Lunch on Lose Hill We then decided to return to Back Tor via a lower path slightly to the south of the ridge and then down to Edale past Backtor Farm- a way that we've not gone before but was very pleasant and undulating. Looking back to Back Tor After crossing the road and going under the railway line, we were soon on more familiar ground at Ollerbrook Farm. From there, it was on to the village, past all the sheep (fewer lame ones than last time) and Julian provided some really interesting ...

  Edale, Mam Tor, Rushup Edge and Chapel Gate The forecast was for a dry day- and so it was until we had just got back to the car at the end of our walk! After a trip to the (newly revamped) Penny Pot, we walked up to Hollins Cross and then up to Mam Tor. Approaching Hollins Cross; Kinder in the background The sun on Lose Hill The last time we did this, the mist was down so it was great to have panoramic views all around. There were a lot of walkers out today on Mam Tor, but as soon as we crossed over the road to Rushup Edge, the people melted away and we had the place virtually to ourselves. Ascending Rushup Edge, Mam Tor in background The Great Ridge from Lord's Seat, summit of Rushup Edge We branched off rightwards a bit after Lord's Seat and this led us down to the Chapel Gate path. From here the route down is great, not as steep as some of the other paths and it was a way that we had not gone down for ages. Part way across the fields to Manor House Farm, we stopped for som...