It's always great to find new places and travel to unfamiliar pastures, today was to be one of those great days of discovery. After fulfilling some commitments earlier in the day the afternoon had gradually freed itself up for another walk, My friend Ray was also off work so it was only fare that we should head out. A few days ago one of my twitter buddies Terrybnd had just let loose on the world his latest video masterpiece, it was a movie he had done for Staffordshire County Council. It showcases some of the great parts of the Staffordshire Peak District and it inspired me to head on over for a visit. The video in question is embedded below and you can find out more about Terry and his work at http://terrybnd.blogspot.co.uk/.
I had a quick look at the map this morning in ViewRanger on my iPhone and decided that the Roaches would be a good place to start, I have only ventured over that side of the Peak a handful of times while out Geocaching, that was nearly 10 years ago and way before I found my passion for walking. I have been to Chrome Hill, I have been to Leek but I've never been to the Roaches. Why not?? I hear you cry.. Simply because i'm a Derbyshire Lad and that area of the Peak takes some beating. I tend to spend most of my Peak Walking time in areas like Edale, Ladybower, Stanage, Bakewell and Matlock. simply because I'm from the Chesterfield area so it's just so easy to get to these spots... Anyway, back to today's story.
We parked up near Newstone Farm just off the A53 and got kited changed into our walking gear. The weather was fantastic today but there was a lot of haze in the air. We begun by walking south towards Blue Hills Farm and then we headed across the valley to Hen Cloud. The climb up from the road near Roaches Hall is rather sharp but short and we had a nice scramble up on to the top, it wasn't the walk that left us breathless though but the views.
The wind was pretty strong today so it made video recording and podcast creating rather a washout sadly, The little snippet above is a live piece of video I broadcasted to Bambuser.. yes.. I do need a shave and a Haircut :-)
We continued on up and over Hen Cloud and were met by another great sight, The Roaches themselves. Wow, what a view. We had got a quick glimpse as we crossed the valley before heading up Hen Cloud but it was a magnificent site to view them due north from here. We headed downhill and then begun the climb up again. we followed the path for a short while but then decided to have another scramble so we headed straight up the rock face. We climbed up a nice little route that followed a crack in the rock, It reminded me of when my friends and I used to climb at Black Rocks near Cromford.
Once again the view was stunning, we climbed up to the top of our little route and looked back to admired the view back towards Hen Cloud. I posted a few quick images to Twitter and sent out a few tweets before we carried on up towards the summit trig. I literally had my phone in my hand at all times sending out tweets, pictures and a message of thanks to Terry for inspiring us to come.
The wind was pretty strong on the summit today but I couldn't resist getting Ray to quickly take my picture. I've cropped this one down a little and added some effects in Instagram to add a little more drama :-)
As the famous saying goes... Time flies when you're having fun, time was going just that way today. We had set off from the car at around 14:15 and it was now just after 16:15. Sadly we had to cut our intended route a little short as we had spent way too much time being awestruck and playing around climbing the rocks. I'm only 28 but I felt like a kid again climbing around on this gritstone playground. Begrudgingly I figured out a shorter route back to the car and we headed of the summit then swung eastwards at Roach End.
We had a pleasant walk into the valley near Gradbach Hill and followed the river upstream as the sun was dropping in the sky behind us. We weaved along towards Goldsitch farm and then took a path south eastward towards the road. In no time at all the walk was over and we were back at the car.
What a great day. I'm totally sold on the Staffordshire part of the Peak District and will make an effort to get back there again asap. We drove back via Crowdecote and I got a glimpse of my old friend Chrome Hill so I need to make an effort to get back there too. Maybe I will record another Episode of the Peak Routes Podcast on a big day out in that area, or maybe i'll get my act together and dust of the tent :-)
Episode 3 of the Peak Routes Podcast is now live and available for your listening pleasures. It documents my day out doing the 9 Edges Challenge. It was a big 24 Mile day that takes in Derwent, Stanage, Burbage North, Burbage South, Froggatt, Curbar, Baslow, Gardoms and Birchen Edges. I'm currently writing the blog post but you can view the route map over on ShareYourAdventure.com
If you would like to download this episode or any of the others then you can visit the Podcast page of the site. You can also subscribe to get them automatically delivered to you via Feedburner.
I initially thought that this would sadly end up being a walk free week, work and other commitments had conspired against me it seemed. Thankfully situations and arrangements changed so I had Saturday free to go off and do whatever I wished. I had read an article a few weeks ago about a route called the 9 Edges Challenge, it was a charity event run by the Edale Mountain Rescue Service. I decided that i would give it a go as I'd got the whole day free, I opened up ViewRanger in my iPhone and began plotting a route. I hadn't managed to find any route files or descriptive blog posts so I just plotted away as best I could.
The 9 Edges in question Derwent, Stanage, Burbage Upper, Burbage Lower, Froggatt, Curbar, Baslow, Gardoms and Birchens. The start point was going to be Fairholmes at Ladybower then the eventual end point was Robin Hood near Baslow. My girlfriend Lisa very kindly offered to give me a lift to the start point, so that was all the pieces in place.
[caption id="attachment_1352" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Derwent Dam Wall"][/caption]
I arrived at Fairhomles at around 10:00 and didn't waste any time in getting on my way. I set off from the car park and headed off towards the Derwent Dam wall. I took the path off up towards the walls eastern side and then joined the road heading north. I then begun the climb up Walkers Clough at SK 17369090 towards my first edge of the day which is Derwent Edge, more specifically though my first peak which was Back Tor.
The views today were stunning, I had been really lucky with the weather thankfully and the views in all directions were great. I arrived at Back Tor in no time at all, there was no time to hang around at all today so I was tramming along at full speed.
[caption id="attachment_1355" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Back Tor - Derwent Edge"][/caption]
After Back Tor I begun heading south along towards Doverstone Tor via Cakes of Bread. Once again no stopping today so I moved straight on from there towards the Wheel Stones and then I swung south east towards Moscar. After a short little section eastwards along the road I turned back to the south again to begin the second edge of the day which was Stanage.
Stanage is the longest edge of the challenge, a haven for climbers and a very popular area especially at weekends. I decided to have a quick lunch break for 10-15 minutes on High Neb, I sat just off the main path on the edge and admired the views across Bamford Moor down to Bamford Edge.
[caption id="attachment_1373" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Stanage Edge - High Neb"][/caption]
As i'm the sort of person the likes to have the hills to himself (selfish) I tend to avoid walking at weekends. I'd never been to Stanage at a weekend before and I was surprised at just how many people were out enjoying the outdoors today. There were hundreds of climbers tackling the numerous routes up this world renowned Gritstone Edge today, the jangling of clips and carabiners was a constant back drop to my wander along Stanage. There is some serious climbing to be had along here, I do believe that when doing the official 9 Edges Challenge climbers have to tackle a route on each Edge. I'm very in awe of anyone who can climb well, its something i've never had the oppurtunity to try seriously yet. I'd love to give it a go so would welcome an invite from anyone who wouldn't mind a total newbie tagging along :)
After Stanage my next edge of the day was Upper Burbage, I was making great time as I'd been going at a good pace for the last hour or so. I crossed the road at SK 26038300 at the Bridge over Burbage Brook and then joined Edge number 3. these next 2 edges are pretty short indeed. It was very long before I'd finished Upper Burbage and was heading on to number 4 which is Lower Burbage. I had been toying with the idea of stopping for a coffee or some form of refreshment at the Fox House Inn, As I crossed the boggy moor towards the pub I didn't feel the need so I just kept going. I crossed the road and then headed down into the Longshaw Estate.
It had been a long while since I 'd last visited Longshaw, If I think back now it must have been back in 1997 while on a field trip with school. We had come to take depth measurements along the River Derwent and had made a side stop here. Longshaw was pretty busy today too but it wasn't something I minded, the more people who visit the more work the National Trust can do to keep this area in good order.
A short dash through Longshaw then I was back out on the road at SK 25947817, thankfully it was only a small road section down past the Grouse Inn. I then joined the footpath at SK 25407762 to head towards edge number 5 of the day which is the short but sweet Froggatt Edge. The midges were out in force in the forest leading along to the edge and I dashed through them quickly so as not to get eaten alive :-)
I stopped for a short break on Froggatt Edge at the point where it eventually turns into Curbar Edge. The remaining edges of the day are all pretty short so I knew that the challenge was in the bag as I felt in top shape.
Curbar came and went pretty quickly, the only obstacle here was the herd of Highland Cattle that blocked the path. I saw it as a blessing as I'd been meaning to get up here and take some pictures of them.
The 7th Edge of the day was the very short Baslow, there was a small group of Climbers and a couple of people Bouldering on the rocks below. At the bottom of edge number 7 I swung towards the east and headed straight for Wellington's Monument at SK 2642 7369. A short burst of rain had arrived by the time I got here so I was pleased to be heading down through the forest at this point. I worked my way down until I came to the bridge across Bar Brook, the house at SK 26827346 has a very cool looking bridge over from the road.
I crossed the road just as the rain had decided to turn to hail, no bother though as It was short lived as I marched on up to the 8th Edge of the Day. Gardom's Edge was the penultimate Gristone offering of the Challenge and it was totally deserted, not a soul about as I made my way along it before heading down towards Robin Hood.
In what seemed like no time at all I was down at the road and heading along towards the Robin Hood Inn. I passed by the pub and headed up the path just after it towards the final edge of the day, Birchen Edge. As I walked up the hill at the base of the edge I passed another herd of Highland Cattle before climbing up to the top. I walked the last few hunded metres along to the finish point while listening the Mark Knopfler's song "Piper Till The End". The heavy dark clouds all around me suddenly begun to part and the sun broke through in spectacular fashion, it was a perfect way to end what had been a thoroughly enjoyable day. I'd never been to Nelson's Monument before and I lingered there for a while while recording some video and another piece for the Peak Routes Podcast.
What a great day indeed. I'm not 100% sure how my route campares to the official challenge route but I did the distance and ticked off all the Edges. The day had passed so quickly and it seemed like a lifetime ago that i'd set off from Fairlholmes. According to ViewRanger it had taken me 6hrs 37minutes, covering a distance of 32.6km and with 994metres of height gain. If you would like to have a go yourself then why not download the route in the form of a GPX file here.... [wpdm_file id=5]
Episode 2 of the newly formed Peak Routes Podcast is now available for download. This episode documents a walk of Black Hill from Crowden. I decided once again to head to an area that I have yet to fully explore, Black Hill was a Peak District summit that I still had yet to tick off. I talk about my appreciation of an iPhone app called ViewRanger and the great site called ShareYourAdventure.com that provide the amazing embedded maps you can find in each route post on PeakRoutes.com.
If you would like to download this episode or any of the others then you can visit the Podcast page of the site. You can also subscribe to get them delivered to you via iTunes or Feedburner.
Another week comes around and this time I decided once again to head to an area that I have yet to fully explore, This was to be my first time on Black Hill. As I live on the south eastern border of the Peak District near Chesterfield, the area that Black Hill covers in the Dark Peak is just about as far away as you can get from me in the National Park. I have driven along the road from Stocksbridge to Hadfield just a hand full of times. Now I mention Stocksbridge, that reminds me. In my early teens we lived for just over a year in a little village called Wharncliffe Side, I used to go to School in Stocksbridge. So this northern part of the Dark Peak reminds me of my younger years ridding my bike around the reservoirs and up in to the hills near Stocksbridge, Ewden & Bradfield. Just a stones throw from Howden Reservoir and a slightly further throw to Black Hill.
[caption id="attachment_958" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden Little Brook"][/caption]
We set off this morning from home and headed straight for Hadfield. As Ray and I are fans of the comedy series "The League of Gentlemen" we decided we would head for breakfast at the Royson Cafe before heading to Crowden. It's amazing how many places in Hadfield were used in the filming of the League of Gentlemen. stepping on to the main street is like stepping into the show.
Breakfast over and we jumped back in the car and we headed to Crowden. We got kited up and I switched on all my GPS tracking devices. I use my old iPhone 3GS to constantly track my location in ViewRanger, then I use my iPhone 4S to post the odd Beacon to ShareYourAdventure.com and to tweet. We set off from the Car Park at Crowden at around 10:15 and wander across the bridge towards the Pennine Way. We swung north along the way and made our way up Crowden Great Brook.
[caption id="attachment_959" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden Great Brook"][/caption]
Once again I was recording a podcast so I stopped every now and then to record little snippets of audio that I would eventually stitch together that evening. I had to work hard to keep the wind away from my iPhone so as not to totally ruin the recordings. It's one of the main issues I have with recording my podcast while walking, Wind Noise. I have been looking into a microphone solution but as yet I'm unable to find a cost effective solution that will make life easier.
[caption id="attachment_960" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden Great Brook & Laddow Rocks"][/caption]
The climb up from the valley is gentle at first and then it rises steeply up on to Laddow Rocks, Thankfully the steep section is mercifully short and is over before you know it. I can only express my sympathy for those that walk the Pennine Way and carry full camping gear. The view back towards Bleaklow from the top of Laddow Rocks is absolutely breathtaking, its worth every metre of the accent and is the best angle to look at Crowden Great Brook in my eyes. the river snakes its way gently down to Torside Reservoir.
[caption id="attachment_961" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden Great Brook & Bleaklow"][/caption]
As you continue on from Laddow Rocks the Pennine Way drops down to follow the course of Crowden Great Brook, You meander along and crisscross the river as you head further up towards Grains Moss. I spotted some great looking wild camping spots that I have logged in my mind for future reference.
[caption id="attachment_962" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Upper Crowden Great Brook"][/caption]
You then climb out of the rivers upper course and head up on to Grains Moss. The paved path then weaves its way up towards the summit of Black Hill, the grassy moor turns to boggy peat as you approach the very top. Black Hill was named due to its once Black appearance because of the bare peat, now days its a different story thanks to the restoration and regeneration work that has taken place in the Dark Peak. Black Hill is now a marshy, wet and lush grassy area of peat bog. Today it was particularly wet up there due to recent rains.
[caption id="attachment_963" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Black Hill Summit"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_964" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Black Hill - Soldiers Lump"][/caption]
We stopped a short while next to the "Soldiers Lump" on Black Hill before heading of towards the south east. The way over to Tooleyshaw moor isn't very clear from the Summit of Black Hill. You have to pick out a cairn towards the south east and just go for it, we picked our way through the boggy marshes and eventually reached it. A path is visible on the ground in places but in reality you are better off finding your own drier route.
The Holme Moss Transmitter is a constant reminder that civilisation isn't too far away, it is the highest radio transmitter in the whole of England and once transmitted TV frequencies that could be received as far away as Ireland. Now however, it just transmits Radio and DAB signals. For more info on this transmitter have a click over to http://www.thebigtower.com.
After the very boggy section at Tooleyshaw Moss we headed down to another equally boggy section at Westend Moss. We once again ignored the path on the ground and made our own route through the damp peat. The sun was starting to break through the clouds at this point and was scattering some great light over the landscape. it was just a shame that it was rather hazy today as I would have liked to have captured some crisper images.
We dropped down from Hey Moss and decided that the best or drier plan of attack would be to head down from the main path, the best bet would be to pick up the track that works its way up Crowden Little Brook and follow it to the Quarry. This is what we did and you can see that we veered off track when you look at the ShareYourAdventure.com map that is embedded at the top of this post.
In what seemed like no time at all we were making the final decent towards Crowden and the walk was drawing to a close. It had been great to explore a new part of the Peak District and to share the experience while recording episode 2 of the Peak Routes Podcast. I had been looking forward to getting the next instalment recorded and I only screwed up my commentary a couple of times.. this means I will only have to do minimal amounts of cleaning up when I edit and stitch it all together.
Thanks for reading this blog post and I hope that I will be able to bring you another new route again next week. I will post a link to the podcast feed here once it is online.
The very first episode of the Peak Routes Podcast is now live and available for your listening pleasure. This is my first attempt at podcasting so please ignore the occasional wind noise and the breaks in concentration :-)
This episode documents the route I did on the 29th of February 2012 which can be found at Peak District - Bleaklow. The route starts at Birchin Clough, goes via Lady Clough, Doctor's Gate, The old Roman Road, The Pennine Way, through Devil's Dike up to Bleaklow. I then turn eastward and head across the peat bog to Bleaklow Stones. After a short break I then descend to Alport and then climb steeply up to the top of Nether Reddale Clough. I then admire the via down into Alport Dale before heading over the top of Alport Moor to the head of Birchin Clough. A short while later I arrive back down at the car park at the Snake Road.
This episode is no longer available from iTunes, If you would like to download this episode or any from the archive then visit the dedicated Podcast page of the site.
