A Week Of Nice Weather

There's been some lovely days this past week and I've not been out walking. I've been busy; I had somewhere to go, or someone to meet, every day. I'm not complaining though...that's just how I like it.

I've been to Leeds twice to meet friends in a couple of different pubs, spent all one day in a meeting at Rotherham, helped with a presentation at Sheffield, stayed in Doncaster on Thursday because my brother was visiting me and it's my usual day to meet up with Justin [who features on the previous post about Bakewell Book Fair] and today I'm going to the theatre here in town; I've been invited at short notice.

I had planned to visit North Lees Hall at Hathersage for the Open Day today, but obviously I'm sitting at home tapping my computer keyboard. 

Some Good News For Me

I've just been sent an email with a link to a newspaper webpage reporting that the enhancements to the ENCTS pass in South Yorkshire for disabled people will be re-established; pensioners will have to pay half fare though.

This is certainly good news for me since being able to travel for free on the train means that I'll be able to get out walking in the Peak District again; travelling on the bus to Sheffield just wasn't viable.

I'll also be able to start booking theatre tickets for performances in Sheffield, Wakefield, and Leeds again...I have a budget from Social Services for this, but it doesn't cover the cost of any travel.

The Meanwood Valley Trail, Leeds.

I just walked along this route with a friend from Leeds Adult Asperger's Group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meanwood_Valley_Trail

The terrain and scenery is a bit like the wooded valleys that lead down into the urban areas of Sheffield, the Rivelin Valley, Porter Valley, Limb Valley and Loxley Valley ...naturally it's not as hilly though, but the countryside is fairly open towards Golden Acre Park at the end of the route.

One thing I did notice is that the footpaths are not as clearly marked as they are in Sheffield.

Bolsterstone, High Bradfield, Holdworth and Hillsborough

For a change today, I caught the bus to Barnsley instead of the train to Sheffield. By making this choice it opens up new areas of the northern Peak District for me to walk.

I got off the bus at Bolsterstone, a village at one time famous for its male voice choir; I had to check online though to confirm that it's still in existence. The village would make an excellent location for a meal break during a walk starting elsewhere; it has a pub and there are plenty of benches situated in the centre of the village, near the church.

I left the village and took the road that leads downhill towards Broomhead Reservoir, soon locating the path that continues down through woodland, to arrive at the dam wall. After struggling to find the gate that would allow me access to the path across the dam wall, I walked a few yards and then realised that if I sat down on the concrete I would be sheltered from the wind, and so took a while to eat my sandwiches there.

I then continued across the rest of the dam wall, turned right along the track running along the southern shore of the reservoir, and after a few yards, rather fewer than I had expected after studying the map, took a steep path uphill through more woodland.

Next, I crossed a lane and continued walking in a southerly direction, still climbing, though not as steep now, and across more open country, until I reached a minor road, which I had previously walked along in the opposite direction. After a few hundred yards I took the footpath leading to White Lee Moor: there were good views westwards as far as Win Hill; and the geologically interesting Canyards Hills could be studied from high ground.

I soon reached another road, but just crossed it and continued across grassy moorland, then struggled down a steep path to reach Rocher Head. The next section was through woodland again, and later along the base of a quite impressive cliff, which seemed natural to me, but isn't named on the Ordnance Survey map...this usually being a clue that it might actually be an old quarry face - but there's no hint at that being the case though.

I then tried to locate a waterfall which is marked on the map; I'm sure I could hear it in the distance at the bottom of a ravine, but somehow seemed to circumnavigate it. Just before reaching the church at High Bradfield I crossed an area where some trees had been felled; although it was a bit of a blot on the landscape, it has at least temporarily opened up new vistas; and new saplings have been planted.

The village is pretty, with some excellent floral displays, even this early in the season.

After leaving the village, I climbed over the highest ladder stile I have ever come across and started walking along a section of  the Sheffield Country Walk. At a farm I was joined by another puzzled walker as we looked for the route of the path through the farm yard. For the next two miles or so we chatted about everything and nothing until we parted ways as soon as we reached the houses at Hillsborough.

The next settlement reached was Holdworth, located just outside the borders of the National Park and thus subject to less vigorous planning regulations...and you could tell.

It wasn't long and then we were walking along the periphery of Hillsborough Golf Club and then Loxley Common and Wadsley Common, areas of what looked like mainly woodland and heathland to me.

After saying goodbye to the other hiker I walked down steep streets on housing estates to reach the main road near to the Leppings Lane tram stop.

Tideswell, Windmill, Little Hucklow and Bradwell.

Today has been the second day of the Bakewell Show and since all the roads leading to the town would be very busy I decided to catch a bus that stayed well away; the number 65 to Buxton, and got off at Tideswell.

Tideswell is such a pretty little town at this time of the year; there are flowers everywhere, hanging baskets, containers and troughs decorating nearly every building.

I wandered around the streets and alleyways for about twenty minutes and then set off down a country lane in a northerly direction. I soon arrived at the Baslow to Chapel-en-le-Frith road. The road was very busy and so I hurried along the next section of the walk until I reached the footpath that leads towards Tideslow Rake - this is the best example of this type of landscape feature I've seen so far. A rake is a man-made linear feature in the landscape; a series of old surface mine workings following the line of a mineral seam or vein; excavations down to the bare rock and grass-covered spoil heaps.

A bit further on there's a less obvious rake, High Rake, with fabulous views to the north and east though; all the way to Lose Hill, Win Hill and the Hope Valley.

I then arrived at Windmill, a hamlet I've not visited before, and then walked across grassy fields to Little Hucklow.

Next I walked to the north across fields again and then along the road in Bradwell Dale. The views towards Bradwell Edge are impressive here, and I enjoyed watching several paragliders launching themselves into the air off the edge, and then spiralling upwards as they caught the thermals.

(This photograph was actually taken looking in the other direction though.)

Since it's now the school holidays the 15:09 bus from Bradwell goes all the way to Sheffield - I arrived in the village just in time to catch it.

Eyam, Stoney Middleton, Froggatt, Grindleford, Longshaw and Fox House.

A long title for today's walk; although the walk wasn't particularly long at six and a half miles.

The day got off to a bad start with the train being delayed for fifteen minutes due to a problem at Rotherham; then when I arrived at Sheffield Station I went for a pee and noticed a sign which said that because of vandalism, barriers were going to be installed at the toilets...and there would be a charge of twenty pence. Having to pay is bad enough, but it's the delay caused by the barriers that will be the main problem - it's a railway station, many people are likely to be in a hurry and they don't need any extra, unnecessary delays.

I got off the bus today at Eyam and quickly walked across the meadows to Stoney Middleton, and then continued through woodland and across more meadows to reach the River Derwent a few hundred yards south of Froggatt. Along this section of the walk I came across a couple of fields where a lot of yellow flowers were growing - I wonder if anyone can identify them?

There were some lovely views to the north as I walked along the riverbank.

The walk to Grindleford was straightforward; I've done it several times before. At Grindleford though I took an unfamiliar route climbing up through boggy woodland to eventually reach The Grouse Inn.

About a mile further on I arrived at the Longshaw Visitor Centre and popped in for a cream tea, since I'd got plenty of time to spare. It was lovely, and I was ready for it; but I thought it was rather expensive.

It was then only a short walk to the bus stop at Fox House. I had thirty minutes to wait for the next bus and so spent a few minutes sunbathing on a rock.

Castleton

Just a short visit to Castleton today with my friend Justin; we needed to be back early because he is the full-time carer for his mum and he had to be back home before his mum returns from the daycare centre.

Justin wanted to visit the castle, but because of his limp he wouldn't have been able to make the climb.

Monday is possibly the worst day of the week to visit Castleton; several of the shops were closed after opening yesterday...and of course it's market day at Bakewell.

Nevertheless Justin enjoyed looking around the craft shops and I took a few photographs in various parts of the village.

We then went to a pub for lunch. We both immediately decided to have game pie but were rather disappointed with what was served up; there were no roast vegetables, just chips and mushy peas, and the meat in the pies was rather bland and tough to chew.

We stayed in the pub until the bus was due. The timetable has recently been modified, and at the time we travelled the 272 took a much longer route, taking in Bamford village and a circuitous route around Sheffield that went everywhere except the railway station. As we got off the bus at the bus station I told the driver that I wasn't impressed with the new route. He did not reply to my comment.

Castleton, Hollins Cross, The Great Ridge and Mam Tor

I originally hadn't intended going walking today: I'm glad I did though because the weather turned out to be very nice.

Yesterday, today's weather forecast wasn't very promising; but when I checked online this morning it said a band of rain followed by sunny periods coming from the west - so I decided to go to Castleton; as far west as the 272 bus goes.

It was raining when I reached Sheffield, but was already dry by the time I'd got off the bus at my journey's end...and within the hour the first breaks in the cloud were observable.

I left Castleton and walked across the fields at the back of the village and then climbed up to Hollins Cross, the lowest point on the Great Ridge. I then continued westwards along the ridge to Mam Tor, then descended along footpaths which I haven't used before and took a photograph of Mam Tor from a different angle.

Finally, I walked along the road back to Castleton, enjoying good views of Winnats Pass.