David and Jacinta's Walks- 2023

 Chinley, Cracken Edge and Whiterakes The cold, clear weather disappeared today and was replaced by a damp, drizzly day. But, out we went to Chinley, very familiar and perfect for a short walk if the weather proved unpredictable. After a coffee in Chinley we waked up to Cracken Edge and entered the mist and murk. Into the mist we go It was quite cold and the visibility dropped as we got to the top. We see less and less We dropped out of the mist and it warmed a little as we passed Whiterakes- a deserted house with attached barn which we have passed for at least the last ten years. Our return was via Andrews Farm and the notorious location where we were marauded by sheep- not this time, though! There were few people around and even the sheep looked rather damp. Nevertheless, the walk was worth doing and, as ever, we got back to the car feeling thoroughly invigorated. 5⅓ miles, 335m ascent.

 Chinley Churn Circuit A short walk was in order for this beautiful, clear late-October day. We had not been to Chinley for a while and decided to do something a little different. From our usual parking spot near the station, we treated ourselves to a coffee at The Green Lane Social and then started up Stubbins Lane and continued up Oven Hill Road (a great name!), past the track that leads to the east of Chinley Churn and up to a place with another great name, Throstle Bank. As we approached the bridleway to the west of Chinley Churn we were treated to a view of The Dreaming Spires of Manchester. The Dreaming Spires of Manchester (and sheep) More special, though, was the sight of three Common Buzzards wheeling above us. David was only able to capture the flight of one of them, though. We followed the bridleway north through the New Allotments and stopped for a break, with a different view of the familiar features of Kinder- Mill Hill, the Shooting Cabin, William Clough and Sandy Ha...

Chinley, South Head and Brown Knoll (Jacinta) I ventured out to Chinley on Friday as the forecast was good. Stopping for a coffee at the Café on the Green, I was delighted to see that they were still using some of the Denby that David and I donated a couple of years ago. Green Denby rehomed and reused! We are, apparently, known as Mr & Mrs Denby because of these donations. There was hardly anyone around as I made my way up to the Cracken Edge and beyond, down to Peep O' Day. It was the same during the next section of the walk up to South Head, where I stopped to have some lunch and watch the sheep. I decided to walk up to Brown Knoll which was very pleasant, lots of birdsong and waving grasses- and it was worth the effort and the extra 1½ miles. Brown Knoll trig point with Suffragette ribbon I went back the usual way- the best sight was an old grey dog out for a walk on his own. The farmer that I met said that he lived up near his farm, and was often to be found having a little...

Hayfield, Peep-o-Day and The Sett Valley Trail From the Trespass car park at Bowden Bridge we took a new route up the hill via the bridle way to the shoulder below Mount Famine, and then down familiar territory past Peep-o-Day. Rather than turning towards Whiterakes and Chinley, we continued straight up the track past Higher Hills Cottage, enjoying the views, the sheep with their lambs and the solitude- there was no-one else around. We were now reversing the route that we took back in February  Before we started our descent back to Birch Vale, we passed a section of drystone wall being rebuilt. Drystone wall being rebuilt The route went down to the main road at Birch Vale which, of course, allowed for a pit stop at the Sett Valley Café. Descent to Birch Vale We then picked up the Sett Valley Trail all the way back to Bowden Bridge. A nice walk of about six miles with 360m ascent. 2¾ hours.

  Hayfield, Sett Valley Trail and Peep-O-Day Farm As our diary was pretty full around the actual date of our 45th wedding anniversary, we decided to have a celebratory breakfast at the Sett Valley Café as we'd be saying that we should eat there for some time. On the way we passed a couple of llamas, which we'd not seen before. Llama 1 Llama 2 Breakfast was great- David had the All Day Veggie breakfast and Jacinta had the Shakshuka. We'll be using poached eggs on any shakshuka that we make in the future, rather than attempting to cook the eggs with the rest of the dish in the oven! Sett Valley Café flier After breakfast, we had a short excursion a little further along the Sett Valley Trail and then worked our way up towards Chinley Churn. It was lovely and clear, and we had a new perspective on Kinder. Mill Hill, Kinder and a cloud front Further view of Kinder, with the Downfall visible Before dropping down to Higher Hills Farm and Peep-O-Day we had a new view of Kinder Low,...

  Chinley and Mount Famine New Year's Day- and after a wet and windy start in Stockport (and some indecision about where to go today) we decided to reprise the first walk of 2022 and go to that ever-faithful place- Chinley. It was dry and not too cold as we made our way up to Cracken Edge. On the way up to Cracken Edge from Chinley We marvelled, as ever, at the extent of the quarrying that went on in the heyday of gritstone production. Quarries on Cracken Edge- from below And from the top of Chinley Churn We went up Mount Famine and took this year's photo of Jacinta on the rock promontory, immortalised in a snowy picture taken a few years ago. Annual picture of Jacinta on Mount Famine's promontory. South Head in background David went up South Head out of principle while Jacinta sensibly ambled around the bottom where we met and had our lunch. We returned the usual way- accompanied by a bit more blustery wind than earlier, passing lots of sheep. They always look at us expect...