Ramshaw Rocks & The Roaches

 Today we REALLY wanted a walk, but the weather forecast was for heavy rain and high winds. The forecast did look slightly better by the time the BBC had changed its mind for the umpteenth time but, lo and behold, when we looked out of the window at 8:00am, it was LASHING down! We sat, looking out forlornly at the rain as it beat against the windows......and waited.

At around midday, the clouds parted and it brightened up a bit. We quickly made a flask and some butties (sandwiches), and shot off to do a short walk over Ramshaw rocks. We pass these rocks whenever we go to see Sue's son, and I had vowed they were next on the walk list. As we topped the moors, we could see this dramatic sight in front of us. It was just like some God showing us where the rocks were. (Don't forget, you can click on any image to see a larger version.)

After taking pictures of the rocks, we parked up just below them and got out of the car........in the driving snow! We REALLY needed our four layers today, plus warm hats and gloves. The weather changed as soon as we got going, and we set our sights high. 

Determined, we pressed on to the top of Ramshaw to be rewarded with spectacular views. most of which were directly into the sun, so the camera didn't stand a chance of getting what we were enjoying seeing. We spent far more time than we could afford, scrambling over the rocks, enjoying the fierce wind and views before heading off towards the Roaches. This is Sue, and that building hunched up on the far ridge is the Mermaid pub, as bleak and remote a place as you'll ever find. 

 

The cold couldn't get to me through all the layers!

 

The light now just got better and better. This kind of light is a photographers dream, and I tried my best to get some good shots. This is looking back across the Ramshaw ridge.

 Shutlingsloe (the 'Cheshire Matterhorn) was clearly visible, just across the fields.

 

Another shot of the Mermaid pub. The name alludes to the myth that a mermaid appears in a pool on the top of the Roaches (Doxey's pool) once a year, and gives the gift of either eternal life, or certain death by being dragged into the murky depths!

 

Some impressive rocks stand on the ridge, this one looked really good with the sun behind it.

 

We decided to have a late lunch on the lower reaches of the Roaches, just enjoying the changing light and super views. This derelict barn made a very atmospheric picture in the golden light of the low sun.

 

Tittesworth reservoir.

Looking back to Ramshaw rocks from the lower Roaches. 

The Mermaid pub looked even more remote now, looking at it from here. 

Hen Cloud. We had intended going up it, but time and light were now at a premium, so that will have to wait for next time. 

Stark shadows & perfect light highlighted everything on this ridge. 

 We sat down in the lee of a large boulder to snatch some lunch. Looking up at the rock face, we could almost feel the ghost of Don Whillans was with us.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Whillans  He, and MANY other famous climbers, cut their teeth on these difficult gritstone buttresses.

Wait.....is that Don I see there, hunched over a difficult move?

 ...........See him now?

 

It was then that we decided we had to make for the car and not go on to the top, as time was getting short. Luckily, we knew there was a road we could end the walk along, so fading light wasn't too much of an issue. One last look around in this light, then it was time for a sharp exit.

It was dark when we got back to the car, it had only been a short walk of about three hours, but we were VERY well rewarded for making the effort.

Haddon Hall, Three Stag's Heads.

What with Xmas and all, we've not had a walk now for almost a month, so REALLY hoping the weather isn't too bad next week when we next get a chance. I DID get a chance to shoot up into the fields above Haddon hall to get some nice shots of it in the sun (which I failed to do on our last walk as the weather wasn't very good).

 

As you can see, looking over Bakewell, it was a LOT better today.

 ....and over towards Chatsworth.

 

Then we went off to one of our favourite pubs, the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires, which was trimmed up for Christmas now. The landlord makes almost all of the decorations himself from natural things, and even collects his own mistletoe.

This is the fireplace and centre beam of the bar.

 The back room. You can see the bower above the fireplace. Those are real apples in the middle of it.

 

Plus a big bunch of mistletoe......just in case - should get plenty of use on New Years Eve. :-)

 Another unusual thing about the stags is this - when you walk in, you wonder why there's a fox's tail above the door and 'into' the wall??

.....then, when you look on the other side.......

A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my readers, may you have health and happiness in 2012.

Around Haddon and then up to Bleaklow

It's two for the price of one this week - the first walk was cut short (picture-wise) by heavy, prolonged rain - the second was a great walk, but.....ummmmm SOMEONE accidentally deleted all the pictures.......DOH!

Anyway, the first walk was from home, through Bakewell, over the footbridge to the Agricultural centre, and on towards the Haddon estate. My aim was to try and get some good shots of Haddon hall, but the sun didn't shine all day. This was the view of the very full river and weir.

Recent storms had caused noticeable damage. This thick branch had been completely rent by the wind. It takes some force to do this kind of damage! 

However, if you want PROPER damage, a lightning bolt does the trick nicely! This tree was split in half a few years ago by such a bolt, but to this day it hangs on to life! 

The power of nature. This is (was) a very sturdy fence, but the falling tree paid it no heed on it's way to earth. The tough steel fence might as well have been made of rubber. 

The 'best' views today of Haddon Hall. It's a hall I only went into for the first time recently, but we're planning to visit it and do the full tour soon.

We made our way to the quiet little hamlet of Alport, near to Youlgrave. This really is a quiet backwater. It felt soothing just to BE here. 

The old mill. All this land, and these buildings, are on the Haddon estate, and belong to it. 

 

There was some REALLY good fungi around today, sadly none of it good eating. It made for super pictures, though.

 

Shortly after the fungi pics, the rain came, with a vengeance, and the camera was quickly consigned to the rucksack until we got home. Now then, these next pictures explain the title of this posting. I had seen a story about aircraft wrecks on Bleaklow, a moor that you cross on the second day of the Pennine way. I decided we hadn't been up there for while, so off we went to try and find the wreck of the 'over-exposed' B29 that crashed up here in 1946;

http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrict44-61999.htm

When we got out of the car at Bleaklow, it was BITTERLY cold. We quickly added a couple of warm layers, and set off across the moor.

There was still plenty of snow about as we followed the Pennine Way over the moor. 

 

People wonder how you can get lost (or not find aircraft wreckage) up here, but believe me - it's not hard when it's so featureless, as these moors are. It's also disconcerting when any little feature, like a set of stones, or a wooden post, quickly disappear as you walk.

(NB - this written before phone maps etc )

This is Bleaklow head (and yours truly). It was from here that we took a compass bearing and walked off into the pathless moor, but didn't manage to find any wreckage. We intend to go back on a better day, with more light and time, to see how far off we were.

Ashford in the Water, Taddington, Millers Dale, Litton Mill, Water cum Jolly dale

This year has been a really strange one, weather-wise. It's been far too warm, and it seems to have taken nature by surprise! Nothing seems to know what to do. Flowers are blooming when they shouldn't, birds are laying eggs (a clutch of 7 ducklings appeared last week), and the leaves don't know what colour to be! We went 'in search of autumn' to see if we could capture the colours. We had mixed success.

This is where we started from, Ashford in the Water. The trees behind 

Ashford church. 

So, with the warm, autumn sun on our shoulders, we set off.

The iconic sheepwash bridge at Ashford, second only to Bakewell bridge.

Soon, we were pulling up Great Shacklow woods. Autumnal, but not that carpet of leaves we were looking for?

.....not in THAT position, I haven't!  

The skies were clearing now, and the visibility was - well, infinity! 

A splash of brown among the green.

Looking North, from above Taddington. Hard to believe, in all this serenity, that the busy A6 road was in the valley to our right. It was SO peaceful here.

As we passed through Taddington village, we saw this terrible accident!

She was a throwback to the recent Halloween witch competition.

This is what I would describe as the perfect sky. Those huge cumulus clouds always do it for me.

Daisies, clinging on the very last of the good weather. Looking a bit bedraggled now, though.

 We left Taddington and took in the hard climb to the top of the nature reserve above Millers dale. There was a recently refurbished house on the very top, just behind us here. Remote, I know - but WHAT a view!

The wall patterns here are great, with the light JUST right to highlight them. Like a huge, finished jigsaw puzzle in front of us.

Looking over Water-cum-Jolly dale and Cressbrook.

The magnificent hostel building at Tideswell dale, set in an autumn sea of colour'

We lost all the height that we won during the day to cross the river at Litton mill.

These lovely red leaves caught my eye.

We called to see a friend in Cressbrook village, and were AMAZED to see these flowers in the garden. Nature really HAD been tricked!

We stayed FAR too long and, although we were offered a (declined) lift, we needed to press on, as evening was drawing in. We crossed the weir to climb back up to the old railway line.

Bottoms up - cheers!

As expected, we had talked for too long and ended up finishing the walk in the dark. With the moon so small, its light was no help, but we couldn't fault it for trying!