Walks in the Peak District 2

WALKING TO KINDER SCOUT
by Barry Van-Asten

 

 

We began the walk from the village of Edale in Derbyshire. Edale is the starting point for the long distance walk the Penine Way (256 miles or 412 kilometres), which begins near to the village pub the Old Nag's Head Inn. The Old Nag's Head was formerly a blacksmiths dating to 1577. Following the Penine Way we entered several fields and walked along the stone-paved path which climbs gently

 

 

 

 

 

 



a disused and abandoned farm dwelling before reaching Upper Booth Farm (where ice-cream and drinks are available). After passing through the farmyard and turning right into the lane the bridge comes into view.

 

 

 

 

After crossing the River Noe via the little footbridge we ascended through a gate which leaves the Penine Way and a beautiful track follows the Crowden Brook

 

 

 

 

The winding track and the brook

 

 

 

 

 

 

another glimpse of Crowden Brook

 

 

 

 

cross the footbridge and ascend the clough (steep bank) opposite

 

 

 

 

 

a view of Crowden Tower

 

 

 

 

an excellent spot for lunch as we listened to the curlews!

 

 

 

 

the scramble towards Crowden Tower continued!

 

 

 

 

me at Crowden Tower (619 metres) on the Kinder plateau

 



 

We continued as the rain began and the wind howled through the gigantic boulders which litter the top of the plateau. The peat was sodden and finding an easy route amongst the rock formations was difficult on the desolate and isolated moors of Kinder. It is easy to become disorientated when there is absolutely no-one about!

 

 

 

The Penine Way path towards Kinder Low was a glorious sight!

 

 

Kinder Scout (2,087 feet or 636 metres) is the highest point is Derbyshire and was the site of the 1932 Mass Trespass which lead to the opening up of the English countryside for walking. There is a legend concerning a beautiful mermaid who becomes visible when you look into the water at midnight on Easter Eve. We ended the walk back at Edale and had a fine dinner (and a pint of Nags 1577) at the Old Nag's Head Inn which according to legend is haunted by the ghosts of airmen who were taken there after their bomber plane crashed on Kinder Moor. There are over fifty plane crash sites on the Dark Peak and over a hundred deaths were reported!

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



Walks in the Peak District 1

WALKING FROM HOPE TO EDALE

VIA MAM TOR
by Barry Van-Asten

We were camping at the Field Head Camp site in Edale near to its lovely parish church dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity, built in 1885. Following a day of persistent rain we decide to take a walk from the village of Hope, crossing Mam Tor and back to Edale.

Hope parish church of St Peter, Derbyshire.

 

This wonderful church in the village of Hope opposite the Old Hall Hotel, has the remains of two ancient crosses in its churchyard. One is the sandstone shaft of a Saxon Cross and the other is the 'Eccles Cross'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

walking towards the village of Castleton

 

 

 

 

 

sheep were friendly!

 

 

 

 

a glimpse of sun towards Castleton

 

 

 

 

I counted 42 dead moles nailed to a tree just

before the village of Castleton, near the farm!

 

 

 

 

 

The walk towards Mam Tor

 

 

This part of the walk became very dramatic with the hills and the remains of the lead mine approaching. 

 

 



 

the remains of the disused Odin lead mine

 

 

 

 

caverns near Odin's Mine

 

 

Just beyond this point the old abandoned road which was closed in 1979 due to landslides is reached and great chunks of tarmac seem to undulate and drift into the landscape.

 

 

 



 

the ridge to the top of Mam Tor

 

 

 

The views across to Kinder and down into the Edale valley were stunning and worth every bit of the climb to the ridge!

 



 

 

 

towards the top of Mam Tor

 

 

Mam Tor which means 'Mother Hill' is 1,696 feet (517 metres) high and on its summit is the Trig Point which also marks the location of an Bronze-Age/Iron-Age Hill Fort. Near to the trig is also a Bronze-Age burial mound.

 

 

 

 

MamTor Trig Point

 

 

From the top of Mam Tor it was a simple walk down the bridle way and to the village of Edale. However, there is a distinctive winding road near the bottom which is all too easy for cars to park and 'walkers' to 'rush-up' and reach the trig in 20-30 minutes! We took over seven hours completing the walk (the scenic and harder route) and felt better for the experience!