Peak Routes Podcast - Episode 2 - Black Hill from Crowden

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.

Peak District - Black Hill from Crowden

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.

[caption id="attachment_965" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Holme Moss Transmitter"][/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_966" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Westend Moss"][/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_967" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Hey Moss"][/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_968" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden YHA"][/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_969" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Crowden"][/caption]

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.

Peak Routes Podcast - Episode 1 - Bleaklow

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.

Peak District - Bleaklow

Another week and another brand new route. I decided once again to head for the Birchin Clough car park on the Snake Road, this place has fast become a firm favourite for me. The area is just simply stunning. The beautiful pine forests with Kinder Scout lurking to the south makes for great viewing. Today however, the aim wasn't Kinder, it was another peat covered favourite by the name of Bleaklow.



I set off from the Birchin Clough car park at around 10am and headed over the road down into the forest. I headed north following the river that winds under pines up Lady Clough. Today was to be the day that I would make the very first PeakRoutes.com podcast. I begun recording an introduction as I meandered alongside the tranquil flowing river. It had been an idea spawned by my frequent AudioBoo entries with which I had been summarising my walks in audio form. I decided it would be a great addition to my websites to have a larger audio accompaniment, even if no one was to listen it would be a great historical record to have an audible account as well as images.







The going was good today and I made swift progress through the forest as the track climbed up and away from the river. It rose towards the edge of the road and then dropped back down again as I prepared to leave the edge of the forest. Lady Clough opened out in front of me and I could then see the cloud hugging the surrounding hills. After crossing a stream that flows into Lady Clough river I climbed upwards to walk along side the Snake Road.



I crossed over the road at OS Grid Reference SK 0962 9287 and headed for Doctor's Gate. I recorded another part for the podcast and then joined the Roman Road that rises to meet the Pennine Way. By this point I was rising into the cloud base and the mist was surrounding me. I proceeded upwards along the ancient route and listened to the sound of the grouse as I let my mind wander. It was at this point as I marched on through the mist along the cobbled path that I wondered what if must have been like here in Roman times. I could picture in my imagination the sight of a group armoured Roman soldier marching out of the mist towards me. How fantastic would it be to be able to wind back the clock to witness such a sight.



Anyway... Back to the work. I met the Pennine Way at SK 0900 9332 and turned north towards Bleaklow. The mist was thick and visibility was down to around 20 metres maximum at this point. I proceeded along Devil's Dike which rises gently, the path then winds through Groughs and around Cloughs as it makes its way up to Bleaklow Head.





In no time at all I was standing at the very top of Bleaklow. I had not seen another soul or soul less person all morning :-) the place felt very bleak indeed as the cloud silently brushed across the top of this vast expanse of peat. I recorded another section of audio and then found the path over towards Bleaklow Stones.. I say the word "path" very loosely as there isn't really a path of sorts. There Is a faint track that weaves across while you follow the Stake marked grass covered Groughs.



The route can become rather confusing at this point if you don't keep your wits and your compass about you. I have learned from previous experiences that the thing to do is walk on a bearing and ignore what is happening under foot. The paths that do appear along this stretch are rather misleading. You begin to follow what looks like a path for it to fizzle out to nothing or spin around in totally the wrong direction. As I just said, the key to success in cloudy condition along this section is to walk on a bearing.





After an exhilarating 30 minutes of navigational skill refreshing I arrived at Bleaklow Stones, I was very surprised to have 3G signal so I placed my backpack down and begun broadcasting some live video to Bambuser. Not that you could see a great deal but you do get a good idea of what it was like for me up there today.

listen to ‘Day 29 - #FeBOOary - Final Day Boo from Bleaklow’ on Audioboo

After a short break and an AudioBoo submission I decided to keep moving. Last time I was here I walked up from Howden Reservoir and the weather was stunning, I sat and admired the view for what must have been half an hour. The low cloud today however meant that the view was rather less spectacular. Not to worry, I soon began dropping down towards "The Ridge" and I was amazed to see a handful of mountain hares out in front of me. They looked spectacular with their brilliant white coats against the dark greens and browns of Alport Moor.



I decided to have a slight change of route at this point. I had originally planned to head across the top of Alport towards Alport Castles, drop down to the mouth of the valley and then pick up the roman road back to the car park. I have done this sections before in the past so I decided to go a little off piste and explore some areas where I have never set foot before. I chose to head down into Alport Dale from SK 1148 9461, I headed down towards the river and followed its course for a few minutes. I decided to head back up out the other side of the valley and climb up to the top near SK 1154 9353. The view from here was magnificent.. If the climb alone wasn't enough to take my breath away then the view certainly was. The view down Alport from this angle is stunning.



I carried on along the moor and crossed the top of Nether Reddale Clough, there are no paths here but I was below the cloud base so made a beeline for the head of Birchin Clough. I was once again met by another glorious view. An angle over towards Kinder that I had never witnessed before. The northern edge of Kinder was framed perfectly by the falling hillsides at Birchin Clough and the spruce lined banks of Lady Clough. I was glad that I had diverted from my original plan as I saw a new side to Alport Moor.



In no time at all I had begun the steep decent down the path from SK 1095 9163 to the car park. I had managed to record a good half an hours worth of audio for the podcast, I'm sure I'll probably thin this down to around 20 minutes during the editing process though. Another great new route, some old favourites revisited and some new places discovered.



Keep an eye or ear out for the forthcoming podcast. I'm a newcomer to podcasting so will have a look into the logistics and get a link posted here for you to be able to grab it from iTunes. Thanks for reading and your continued support. Join me again next week when I will hopefully be heading further north towards Black Hill. Images, words, video and audio will follow swiftly afterwards.