Fox House, Upper Burbage Bridge, and Ecclesall

The 0830 bus from Sheffield to Bakewell was cancelled and so I caught the 0850 Castleton bus and travelled to Fox House.

I immediately walked across the moors to Upper Burbage Bridge; there are actually two bridges though.

The weather was looking much nicer over to the east and so I decided to go in that direction and walk back to Sheffield. I followed the road towards Ringinglow for half a mile and then took a path heading off to the north.

This path came out on to Fulwood Road at the toposcope there.

I stayed down in the Porter Clough until I reached Forge Dam Cafe and then climbed up a tree-lined lane to the housing estates at Ecclesall.

When I reached the church was open and so I went inside.

I caught a bus into the city centre and got off at The Moor to go to the market. I got some really good bargains today; a large bag of fish pieces of an unidentified species for £4.50 which the Chinese stallholder said was something she calls 'copra.' I've not heard of it and had to Google it, but I couldn't find anything. So, it will be a surprise. At the next stall I bought an entire tray of chicken bits for £2; there were five half chickens included. In total I reckon the two purchases must have weighed over a stone.

 

Herdings Park, Troway, Ford, Eckington, and Mosborough

I travelled on the tram to Herdings Park, one of the two termini in the south of Sheffield, a route I hadn't previously used. I crossed the nearby busy road and found a path leading to open countryside.

I was only a few hundred yards from the tram terminus yet walking in a very rural landscape - I could still hear the noise of the heavy traffic though. It took me about half an hour to reach the hamlet of Troway where I turned left, going along a dead end road which led to a footpath going through the woods, passing an angling pond.

I arrived at a road which zigzagged down the hillside to another hamlet, called Ford.

I sat on this charming memorial bench there.

The next stretch of the walk was along the route of the Sheffield Country Walk as it followed the Moss Valley downstream. I was briefly delayed at a narrow footbridge as a dog struggled to fathom out how to get across with the large stick it was carrying; its owner had to intervene though and snatched it from its mouth. The look the dog gave her was quite memorable.

I was looking out for the Seldom Seen Engine House; as I suspected, it's not an attractive building and is difficult to photograph.

I continued heading east until I reached the church at Eckington, located in the old part of the village at the northern edge.

I walked along the road towards Sheffield and about a mile further on as I approached Mosborough it started to rain. When I reached the first bus shelter there I waited for the next bus going to the city centre...it was only ten minutes.

Castleton, Rushup Edge, Perryfoot, and Old Dam

Today's walk took me to the west of Castleon. My route was via Speedwell Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern to the start of the abandoned road near to the Blue John Mine. I then made my way up to Mam Nick and continued heading west along Rushup Edge.

I walked along the Pennine Bridleway to Perryfoot and then Perry Dale until I reached a path at Old Dam heading back in the direction of Castleton.

I returned to Castleton via Oxlow Rake, Dirtlow Rake, and finally the road that drops down into the village. 

Foolow, Wardlow Mires, Ravensdale, Cressbrook, Ashford in the Water, and Bakewell

At Sheffield Interchange the bus driver was having a sneaky smoke before starting his shift and we were chatting and he told me that there are going to be savage cuts to bus services in Sheffield. I've not seen anything online yet...but I certainly need to investigate.

After he'd finished his cigarette I was able to get onboard and travel to Foolow.

I walked across the fields to Wardlow Mires and then down into Cressbrook Dale. Initially I took a high level footpath to be able to take some photographs looking down into the dale, but I didn't continue along that route because I couldn't see a way down.

A few yards further on I went part of the way up another path to get some close-up views of Peter's Stone; the cows were positioned perfectly for my shots.

The entirety of the hamlet of Ravensdale is shown in the next photograph.

At this point the path becomes a narrow road which leads down into Cressbrook.

I climbed up to the Monsal Trail, passed over the viaduct and through the tunnel before taking the path to Ashford in the Water.

I finished by going on the path that goes down by the river towards Bakewell. I stepped right on the bus in Bakewell and got on the train at Sheffield as it was waiting on the platform.

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