Hathersage Walk

The following walk was what Helen led for the walking group. So this was her report about it.
After days of dull grey skies, Sunday surprisingly turned out to be a bright sunny day with a gentle breeze – ideal walking weather. Varying numbers of SWOG members (we started with 17, peaked at 18 and ended with 13!) took part in some or all of the walk, starting at the Fox House pub, just past Hathersage. During the morning we enjoyed excellent views as we walked the full extent of Stanage Edge along easy paths, until we hit the A57, with an elevenses stop complete with ice cream.
From there we retraced our steps for a short spell, then attempted to pick up the path across Moscar Moor. After a  belated lunch stop, we followed a series of vague paths and sheep tracks across open moorland, before finally arriving at the wall and path marked on the top of the moor. Unfortunately this path also soon disappeared, but we soon picked up a proper track again down to a small lane, where the first of our party to go left us to take a shortcut back to the car park.
From there we dropped gradually down into Hathersage on grassy tracks, where 4 more  left us, before a final steep climb up through woods and fields, from where we could see The Fox House. A short walk across moorland brought us back to the cars.
Officially walk length per Trail route description - 14.25 miles
Walk length per Colin’s phone - 24 miles!
Walk length per Jack – last known reading 14.1 miles, after which his device went flat (it was obviously too much for it!)
Best guess – 15 miles

Andy Howell Talk

Ireland and UrbanWAlking.

Some of you bloggers will know Andy Howell fron the blog world.  In just over 10 days time he will be giving a talk to Stockport walking outdoor group. Wednesday 14th March 8pm.

Kettlewell Weekend

We just had a weekend in Kettlewell. Lovely Yorkshire dale village.  Two walks we did one was about 15 miles and the second about 7 miles.

The first of the walk was about 15 miles. We headed east out of the village to Hoodsbank and Hag dyke just below Great Whernside. The going was hard due the wet and boggy ground but soon we had to head up onto Great Wherside by the steep way. Itw as the best way get steep bit out of the way. Once on top we were surprised how cold it was. The light wind was bitter. Quick measure of the wind speed  said the wind chill was about –4. The wind was blowing about 3 mph. So we did not hang about to long at the twig point (704m).

We headed north looking for the path that would take us back down Black Dike. Where we could see our final hill in the distance Buckden Pike. Once at the minor road we had lunch before the next climb up.  From the ground got very boggy and hard going under foot.  After Tor Mere Top we were finding we had to jump across a lot of the bogs or trust the plank of wood. On route we passed a memorial cross to a plane crash during the war.  We were soon at our final hill Buckden Pike 702m.

Then it was all down hill following the Bridleway down to the village of Buckden and then the final leg following the Dales way back to Kettlewell.

All in all a good walks but the legs felt it?

Second Walk

This was a easy 7 miles from Kettlewell to Arncliffe. The route took us west out of Kettlewell up onto middlesmoor pasture. A nice little climb and down into Arncliffe.  Where we had lunch  and a pint ion the. The Falcon.  The Falcon, with its bay windows and ivy-covered exterior, offers superb Dales hospitality. Ale is still served in the time-honoured fashion - from barrel to glass via a porcelain jug. Plus it was a nice pint of Timothy Ale.

After lunch we headed down the valley along Littondale and then back over to Kettlewell.  The walk was just enough after the 15 miles walk.

Darwin Tower Walk

Leading a walk for the local group.  But will have to go back and do this walk as 99% of the day was in fog. The paths were covered in think ice in places. So hard going and did not see anything until the very end where it cleared.

So going to be very basic about this until we do the walk again. Our aim was to go up to Darwin Tower that just had a new roof put onto it.  Got the idea from the news and I did not you could go up it. So we got upto it but it was not a easy climb up the steps. The stone stairwell was covered in ice all the way up. Once up there you not see a thing. From here we picked up the Witton weavers way path that would lead us to Entwistle. Where we found the Strawberry Duck Pub for a nice pint. From here we went round the Turton Entwistle reservoir. Which the path was covered with thick ice. We did have our spikes on but some us did not. Then it was onto Turton moor and back towards the tower. Where the last 1/2 mile it cleared.

Darwin Tower

As i said we will go back and do this walk again as we do think it will be a good walk with good views.

Simple Framing

 With all the photos we take now with digital camreas, we never frame them or put them in albums. They are left on the hard drive.  After years of taking photos I thought it time to display some. So do I use clip frames or do i get frames made or see what else I can find. Then someone I know in the trade told me about these wooden blocs which had sticky on them. They looked simple and quick to put together. Now ended up buying a couple of them are they are simple to put together. Peel back and stick. Just put another order in for a Colin Prior Calendar image that I cut from last years calander.

www.landscapeblocs.co.uk