Fairholmes, Shatton, and Brough

After a quick visit to the toilets and the information centre at Fairholmes I set off walking back down the track along the water's edge until I reached the footpath going uphill through the woods in the direction of the twin peaks of Crook Hill.

It was a bit murky at the start of the walk but then brightened up for a couple of hours before turning quite dark again.

I've not climbed the two summits of Crook Hill before and it was easy enough for me to do today. I found a nice sheltered spot to eat my sandwiches and enjoy the view at the top, but there wasn't much wind today...even up here.

I walked down to the road, passed over Ashopton Viaduct and then soon picked up the Thornhill Trail along the old railway track bed. The farmer at Crookhill Farm was making a lot of noise rounding up his sheep as I passed, swearing at them, slamming gates shut, barking orders to his dog and whacking everything he could reach with his shepherd's crook....I kept a safe distance behind.

I took a bit of time, and about a dozen attempts to get the perfect classic low level Labybower Reservoir photograph featuring Ashopton Viaduct, the houses bathed in sunlight and the twin peaks of Crook Hill in the distance.

Of course there were some lovely views along the stretch I'd just walked, less so the next section heading westwards through Shatton to Brough. I arrived at the Travellers' Rest pub with plenty of time for a cup of tea, which was expensive, and my stool uncomfortable...but at least I was sitting right next to the crackling log fire.