Fox House, Burbage Valley, and Longshaw Estate

There was still a bit of lying snow on the ground in Doncaster this morning; there was much more in the Peak District though, about twelve inches I'd say, making walking a bit treacherous in a few places...and always hard work. 

No problems at all with public transport today, although I did partially overhear a rather Kafkaesque conversation between an elderly passenger and the driver who were arguing/discussing as to whether the bus company was running a Saturday service today, or a modified weekday service, and therefore would his bus pass be valid for travel before 0930. I don't know what the details were, but the driver let him use his pass. I think the driver did mention that the service is exactly the same on Saturdays and weekdays [and modified weekdays] ...but that, of course wasn't the issue, he can use his pass before 0930 at weekends, but not during the week; so, can a Tuesday ever be a Saturday? is a Tuesday therefore always a modified weekday when it falls between Christmas and New Year? and is a modified Saturday only ever a Saturday? I'm glad that my travel pass is valid for use at all times whatever the day is...or isn't.

(Some bus companies also run modified Sunday services over the holiday period)

I got off the bus at Fox House, literally not knowing what day it was. I still remember where the stile was to gain access to Burbage Moor and walked along the path, which was easily defined in the snow. I had specifically chosen this location today so that I could see how the felling of the plantations was progressing. [Details of the programme are here]

A lot of progress has been made; I reckon more than half of the conifers have already been felled. Some of the cleared areas can just about be made out through the snow on the far left of the second photograph.

I took plenty of photographs, but only a few turned out to my satisfaction. There were some dramatic views of Kinder Scout and The Great Ridge in the distance with a threatening wall of cloud bubbling up, sunbeams piercing through to spotlight individual peaks at times. The conditions were perfect, but unfortunately the camera lens isn't as good as the lenses in my glasses...I could clearly see so much detail that the camera has completely missed. 

I walked along the top of Burbage Edge for a few hundred yards and then took the path which gently descends down to the main track. I walked back to the road, walked alongside the road for a few minutes and then took the first footpath leading on to the Longshaw estate.

I dawdled and meandered my way to the Information Centre. I used the toilets and then went in the tearooms. They were busy as I'd expected, since I'd seen a lot of people out walking on the main paths. It was still quite early so I found a suitable rock, sat on it and finished off my sandwiches. 

I did an elongated loop walk, sticking to the areas where plenty of people had already been walking. I continued to pass a lot of people, including many dogwalkers; one woman passed me and was enthusiastically shouting at her small dog, on several occasions changing from 'Good Boy!' to 'Good Girl!' Maybe the former was meant for me; I didn't reply...I never beg.