Читать книгу Dark Peak Walks - Paul Besley - Страница 11

EASTERN DARK PEAK

Higger Tor from Mother Cap (Walk 5)

The Eastern Dark Peak forms the eastern flank of the gritstone cap that stretches from Chatsworth in the south to Stanedge Pole in the central area of the Dark Peak. It is an area characterised by gritstone edges. The edges face the Derwent Valley, carved by wind, rain and ice, and make for long walks with wonderful views across the Dark Peak and into White Peak limestone country. The gritstone edges provided stone wheels for milling and crushing and form part of the Peak District National Park’s identity. They are full of archaeological remains and industrial interest. The hand of man is much in evidence.

The moors that sit around the edges have wide views and big open skies, and are full of wildlife. Red deer, merlin and curlew are much in evidence, adders can be found basking in the sun on moorland paths, and hares can be seen running through the grass. The walking is easy, with fewer groughs to navigate than in the central and northern areas of the Dark Peak.

WALK 1

Chatsworth to Birchen Edge

Start/Finish	Chatsworth House SK 259 702
Distance	17.5km (11 miles)
Ascent	455m
Time	5hrs
Terrain	Steep, uneven ground, open moor and forest tracks
Map	OS 1:25000 Explorer OL24 White Peak
Refreshments	Chatsworth House
Parking	Chatsworth House SK 259 702

Chatsworth is a wonderful place to start and end a walk. The grounds reflect an interesting period of English social history, full of the romance and adventure of the European tours of the landed gentry. The Three Ships on Birchen Edge provide a wonderful photo opportunity with extensive views across Chatsworth. Hob Hurst’s House is an important site, being one of the first to be protected by law. The end of the walk brings you through the grounds surrounding Chatsworth House and provides stunning views over gardens created by Capability Brown and Joseph Paxton.

From Chatsworth House car park walk directly west to Queen Mary’s Bower, a folly situated by the River Derwent. Take the tarmac drive north past the nursery and on to the Cannon kissing gate to exit the park and enter Baslow by a walled lane. At the road junction turn left onto the A619, then cross it at the pelican crossing and walk up the road directly opposite for 400 metres. Where the road forks take the right hand road uphill, continuing on when the road becomes the track Bar Road and pass through a Peak District National Park access gate to a stony track leading up towards Baslow Edge. At the top do not go left to Baslow Edge but proceed straight on to Wellington’s Monument.

Wellington’s Monument, Baslow Edge

The stone cross is Wellington’s Monument, erected in honour of the Duke of Wellington. It looks across the valley to Nelson’s Monument on Birchen Edge, met later in the walk. The large boulder visible on the moor above Baslow Edge is the Eagle Stone. Bouldering routes on the stone include: The Beagle Has Landed, The Good The Bad and The Beagle, and A Beagle Too Far.

Follow the northeast track from the monument, eventually bounded by a stone wall on the left and passing a guide stoop on the right, to a gate giving access to a minor road. Go right and then straight across the A621 and through a wooden gate on the opposite corner of the crossroads. Initially the path across the open moor is flagged but it becomes faint, winding its way for 850 metres south to a very large boulder situated on the right in a clearing among trees below the gritstone edge. This marks the turning point to go left and make a short easy scramble up onto Birchen Edge. Reaching the triangulation pillar at the top, head southeast to three large gritstone boulders on the left known as the Three Ships. This is a good place to stop for refreshments.

The Three Ships on Birchen Edge

Nelson’s Monument stands by three of his ships: Victory, Defiance and Royal Soverin, the last spelled incorrectly. The obelisk was erected 56 years before Wellington’s Monument.

If time allows make a diversion to Gardom’s Edge to view a menhir (standing stone) and also a replica of a stone with cups and rings. It is well worth the effort.

Follow the footpath along the edge for approximately 700 metres until it turns sharp right by two concrete posts marking the position of a pipeline. Follow the path right, down the steep slope, to reach a wide path with a wall beyond. Turn left and walk south down the path, keeping the wall on your right, to a gate that leads onto a road taking you past a pub. From the pub walk down the A619 pavement until you are opposite a signpost on the other side of the road pointing to a concessionary path to Chatsworth. Cross here and go over the stile, down the stone steps and across a wooden bridge, then up a short slope to a marker post.

Turn left and walk along a waymarked footpath, following the signposts at all times southeast to stone steps set into a wall. Go over the wall and continue following the marker posts leading you up a small clough with a stream on your left until you reach a marker post at the foot of a slope. Turn right here and walk up the slope and out onto open moorland. Follow the footpath across the moor to go through a gate giving access onto a wide track. Turn right along the track following it across Gibbet Moor to woodland in the distance. Walk on past the woodland until it finishes at the corner of a wall. Go straight on, east, for 70 metres to Hob Hurst’s House.

Hob Hurst’s House was one of the first monuments in Britain to be protected under the Ancient Monuments Act, a fact noted by the stone bollards with the inscription VR for Queen Victoria. It is a large burial cairn that contained burnt human remains.

Retrace your steps to the wall corner and turn left to descend the slope keeping the walled forest plantation on your right. Where the plantation ends and the wall turns northwest carry straight on southwest across Rabbit Warren to meet a well-made track. Turn right, northwest, along the track and follow this until it ends at a wall stile leading into woodland. Go over the stile and along the woodland track until it forks after crossing a stream. Take the left hand fork and follow the track until the junction with a tarmac forest road. Walk straight across the road and proceed along a woodland track bearing left at the next track junction. Pass the Cascade Waterfall stopping to take in the views across Chatsworth Gardens and carry on to the Hunting Tower.

The Hunting Tower Chatsworth

Bess of Hardwick had the Hunting Tower built both as a retreat and to view hounds hunting deer in the park. Lancelot Capability Brown turned the deer park into one of his creations embodying coherence and elegance.

From the Hunting Tower go down the steps situated beyond the cannons, cross the track at the foot of the steps and then descend steep stone steps and a footpath to connect with a forest track. Go left along the track and at the next track junction go right and right again at the next junction, then follow the track down to re-enter the car park.

WALK 2

Longshaw Estate and the gritstone edges

Start/Finish	Longshaw Lodge SK 264 799
Distance	14km (9 miles)
Ascent	300m
Time	4hrs
Terrain	Moorland and woodland footpath
Map	OS 1:25000 Explorer OL24 White Peak
Refreshments	Longshaw Estate Café
Parking	Longshaw Estate SK 266 800

This classic walk along gritstone edges starts at Longshaw Lodge, a former shooting lodge of the Dukes of Rutland, and follows old estate trails to White Edge, returning to the Longshaw Estate via Curbar and Froggatt Edges.

The edges have long been favoured climbing crags, with Froggatt having hundreds of routes along its length including the enigmatically named Valkyrie and Jump Before You Look. The area is teeming with wildlife including larger red deer, water voles, ring ouzels, curlew, merlin and buzzard, and the walk takes you through oak woodlands and wildflower meadows.

From the main drive of Longshaw Lodge take the track that goes to the left of the café through woodland and curves to the right behind the building. Proceed through the gate onto a grassed track and continue along until the track forks. Take the left hand route, the way forward eventually signalled by a large pole, to reach a gate leading onto the junction of three roads. This area is known as Wooden Pole.

The base of the pole is dated 1778, the pole marking parish boundaries and also acting as a waymark for the old packhorse route that crossed this part of the area. The original line of the route is along the grassed track you have just walked up, the road being enclosed by the Duke of Rutland.

White Edge Lodge

Go through the gate and cross the junction to a second gate straight ahead giving access to White Edge Moor. Walk down the track towards a tall house, White Edge Lodge, situated on your right. Turn left at the house and ascend to a gate in the wall at the edge of White Edge Moor.Keep an eye out for the herd of red deer to your left on Big Moor. With binoculars, the large stags are easy to spot; it takes time and patience to see the others.

Go through the gate and then head right, directly south, along a track to White Edge. Continue along White Edge until you reach a triangulation pillar, then 200 metres further along take the footpath down off the edge, to the moorland below, heading for two large walled enclosures with many internal divisions. On reaching the enclosures take the path between the two and follow the right hand wall around to reach a road and car park. Go through the gate and across the car park to a gate on your right that will lead you up onto Curbar Edge.

Triangulation pillar on White Edge

The footpath takes you along both Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge, eventually ending in a short descent to a gate giving access onto the A625. Go right for 50 metres up the road and then cross to a stile over a wall on the opposite side. Go over the stile, descending to a stream, before going up to The Haywood where the path forks. Take the left fork to stay on a reasonably level footpath that leads through a gate into a lane with a wooden fence on the left and culminating in a junction with a road.

Turn right along the road and immediately after a house on your right take a signposted footpath right up a tarmac drive to a gate by a house. Go through the gate and continue up the driveway to a footpath that eventually leads through woodland to a gate in a wall. Go through this gate and turn left along a wide track with walls on either side then follow the left hand wall down to a stream. Cross the stream and ascend the hill opposite then cross open moorland with a wall on your left to a stile leading onto a track. Turn left and follow the track through Longshaw Estate to return to Longshaw Lodge.

The Longshaw Estate is the former country shooting estate of the Dukes of Rutland. Longshaw Lodge was built in the early 1800s as a shooting box, and drives were put in the estate to facilitate ease of movement for shoots, the most prominent of which is the bridleway under Burbage Rocks. The estate has ancient woodlands with fast flowing streams in deep gorges, such as Padley Gorge, traditional oak woodlands and meadow, gritstone edges and outcrops, and a wealth of history.

WALK 3

Fox House to Big Moor

Start/Finish	Fox House Inn SK 267 802
Distance	18km (11 miles)
Ascent	310m
Time	5hrs
Terrain	Open moorland, footpaths and tracks
Map	OS 1:25000 Explorer OL24 White Peak
Refreshments	Fox House Inn, Longshaw Estate Café
Parking	Fox House Inn SK 267 802

This is a moorland walk full of archaeological and natural interest. Big Moor, now in the hands of a partnership of wildlife and nature agencies, is being developed with conservation and protection in mind. Those who delight in wildlife will find this walk especially fulfilling, with great diversity of birdlife, especially raptors, and a large herd of wild red deer to admire. In terms of archaeology, the area has stone circles, guide stoops, a stone cross and ancient ways. Lovers of Ordnance Survey ephemera have much to explore with triangulation pillars and hidden fundamental benchmarks making for a walk full of tick-features to collect.

From Fox House Inn walk northeast along the A6187 for 300 metres and cross the road to go through the gate then follow the wall line up the field and through a second gate leading onto a road. Cross the road and go through the gate opposite and follow the defined track to Totley Moor. Where a second road, coming from the right, joins the track, proceed for 270 metres then take the faint footpath on the right southeast up towards the skyline and the triangulation pillar. Red deer are frequently seen on these moors, an incongruous sight when the city of Sheffield is the backdrop.

Head southwest to cross a tumbledown wall and carry on through the boggy ground of Totley Moss to reach a gate in a wall leading onto the B6054. Cross the road and turn right along the tarmac path for 200 metres to go through a gate and onto White Edge Moor.

Head left along the line of the wall on your left, stepping across the infant Bar Brook, for 750 metres and then go through a gate and on to a wooden waymark post. Go right at the post and walk down a wide grass track, the way marked by ancient trees on either side. At a fork in the track, keep left and descend the moor until the track intersects with a well-made vehicle track. Turn left along the track, passing an ancient guide stoop on the right, to a gate leading onto the A621. Go directly across and over a wooden stile to Greaves’s Piece and along a grass footpath right, leading down into a valley.

Guide stoops (stone guideposts) started appearing in the early 18th century to act as signposts on what had become trade routes across the moors. There are several examples on Big Moor; the one passed here indicates the way to Bakewell and Sheffield. Close to the guide stoop is a flat stone laid on the ground. This is a companion stone, part of an art project connected with the ancient ways around Big Moor.

Continue along the footpath to go over a wooden stile and into a fenced lane, known as Car Road. Turn left down the lane and take the next footpath on the right into woodland. Follow the footpath by the stream below Hewetts Bank, crossing it at a ford then rising above the valley and stream through a wooden gate to open moorland, joining a track that leads to a gate and a minor road. Go right along the road for 600 metres and take the footpath through a gate leading to Ramsley Reservoir. Turn left through the wooden gate and walk along the breached dam exiting via a gate onto a grass trail that turns northwest after 75 metres to arrive at a gate on the A621. Go straight across and through the gate opposite onto a wide footpath on Big Moor. Follow the path along to the Stone Circle just off to the right then regain the path and continue along this to reach a gate leading on to a house beyond.

There is much evidence of Bronze Age settlement on the moor with several stone circles, cairns and field systems. The area was suitable for settlement having a good water supply from Bar Brook and fertile land in which to grow crops.

Go to the right of the house and walk up to go through a gate then follow a footpath around a disused reservoir eventually reaching a second gate. This is a good area to spot merlin, curlew, red start and skylark, among other birdlife; adders can also be seen basking on footpaths.

Proceed through the gate along the footpath to return to Bar Brook. Cross the brook and turn left, ignoring the gate onto the road, but walk up the moorland path to pass Lady’s Cross on the left and arrive at a wooden gate in a wall at White Edge. Go through the gate and down the steep footpath to White Edge Lodge. Turn right along the vehicle track to the road junction. Go across the road junction and enter the Longshaw Estate by the wooden gate at Wooden Pole. Take the wide grass trail down to join a second heading for Longshaw Lodge. At the lodge carry on along the exit drive from the estate but do not go onto the road. Instead take the footpath to the right up through trees to a gate leading to Fox House Inn and the end of the walk.

Lady’s Cross on White Edge

WALK 4

Fox House to Stanedge Pole

Start/Finish	Fox House Inn SK 267 802
Distance	16km (10 miles)
Ascent	335m
Time	5hrs
Terrain	Open moorland, footpaths and tracks
Map	OS 1:25000 Explorer OL1 Dark Peak
Refreshments	Fox House Inn, Longshaw Estate Café
Parking	Fox House Inn SK 267 802

There are no major ascents on this route, making it a restful walk through history with some wonderful views along the way. The Houndkirk Road and Long Causeway are both ancient trade routes linking Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Around the area are remnants of Second World War practice grounds and unusually the outline of a decoy town used to deflect bombers away from Sheffield. And finally there is Stanage Edge, with its new pole nearby, hidden caves, hundreds of climbing routes and spectacular views. This is a great walk that is easy on the feet.

Walk northeast from Fox House Inn for 400 metres along the A6187. Where the road bends right carry on left along the broad track of Houndkirk Road. Cross a track leading to Parson House Outdoor Pursuit Centre, go through the gate and proceed along Houndkirk Road.

Houndkirk Road was created in 1758 as a turnpike (toll) road from Sheffield to Tideswell and on to Buxton. The road has two milestones giving the distances to Tideswell and Buxton. Milestones became commonplace after 1709 and law by 1758, when local magistrates instructed that distance markers be placed every mile.

Carry on along the track until a public footpath intersects the track by a walled enclosure on the right with Houndkirk Moor on your right.

It was on Houndkirk Moor in the Second World War that a decoy town was established to lure German bombers away from the Sheffield steelworks. One of six that ringed Sheffield, the area would be set alight during bombing raids to draw attention away from the steelworks. Look carefully at the ground for the remnants of the town.

Shortly after, the track crosses Thieves Bridge spanning Redcar Brook and is crossed by a second track. Walk left up the new track, passing through a farm gate with Lady Canning’s Plantation on your right. The route comes to a steel gate leading onto a road. Cross the road to the footpath directly opposite and continue over open moorland. Follow the footpath to just before a wall running almost east to west and turn left between two small hillocks to arrive at a stone stile crossing a wall at the far side of a farm gate. Cross the stile and go down the walled lane to a farm gate. Go through the gate and bear left between farm buildings to pick up the farm track leading to the road. At the road, go left to cross a ladder stile and walk along a permissive path, keeping a wall close on the left. Go through the right hand gate and up the field by the left hand wall to go through two wooden gates onto Rud Hill.

Cross the moor following the waymarked concessionary footpath, paying close attention to the small marker posts. After a wooden stile the ground can be very boggy on this moor, so gaiters are advisable. The path drops down to a stile then a footbridge. Turn left onto the bridge and follow the path to a wooden squeeze stile leading onto a stone track.

The track is Long Causeway, a packhorse route that connected Sheffield and Hathersage and probably followed the Roman Batham Gate road for part of its course. The route was paved with stone, some of which can be seen as the Causeway rises up to Stanedge Pole.

Turn left and walk up Long Causeway passing through a gate and then along stone setts to reach Stanedge Pole.

The new Stanedge Pole

Stanedge Pole sits at the side of Long Causeway. This current pole was erected in 2016 on the anniversary of the founding of the Peak National Park, as it was then called. From the pole's establishment in the 16th century its main use was as a boundary marker for the border between Derbyshire and Yorkshire and the ecclesiastical boundary of Canterbury and York. Dates and initials on the gritstone around the pole denote the date a new pole was installed and the surveyor responsible. One quirk is the spelling on Ordnance Survey maps, which differs from the spelling of the gritstone edge that is nearby. Erroneously the metal casting holding the pole in place denotes Stanage Pole and not the correct Stanedge Pole.

From Stanedge Pole continue along Long Causeway walking over rutted stones set a cart width apart until you reach a waymark post and stone-flagged path leading left towards the gritstone edge. Follow this path to a stile on the left which, if crossed, would deposit you onto Stanage Edge. Go along the footpath passing Stanage Plantation and progressing to Robin Hood’s Cave.

The caves on Stanage Edge

Stanage is the modern shortening of Stane Edge or Stone Edge. It is probably the most popular climbing crag in the country; the whole of Stanage Edge has over 1700 routes, most vertical in nature, making it a Mecca for generations of climbers. Robin Hood’s Cave, a natural rock feature is a must to go and see. After a bit of twisting and turning to gain entrance you are presented with a wonderful balcony from which to view the valley below.

Follow the footpath until you reach the triangulation pillar where the path turns left and starts its descent from the edge to the road ahead. At the road turn left and cross Upper Burbage Bridge, after which you should cross the road and enter the valley by the gate in front of the information board.

Take the wide footpath that runs below Burbage Rocks and follow this down through the valley, with Higger Tor and Carl Wark looming above on your right. Burbage Rocks will be full of climbers, having many easier routes than Stanage Edge.

The footpath was constructed as a shooting track for the Duke of Rutland to gain access to the grouse moors from his shooting lodge at Longshaw. The establishment of the shooting estate closed off ancient roads across the moors and a remnant can be seen towards the end of the track, to the right in the valley below: a lonely packhorse bridge sits astride Burbage Brook (the stream near the fortification), below Carl Wark settlement.

Along the drive you will find large boulders at the side of the track with strange indentations. These were the result of rifle practice in the Second World War.