Alport Castles

I really needed to get out! Under a week has passed since my WHW and I'm suffering as usual from wanderlust and needing to be away and in some sort of hilly terrain. Every time I come home, the Peak District hills seem smaller and I'm finding now that I'm just gravitating towards the 'bigger' ones.
Anyway, I had been reading Backpackingbongos post about Bob Kull's 'Solitude' and BPB's desire to get away from the crowds. This is very much in my nature too (can't imagine that anyone would actually venture out into the hills hoping to see lots of people mind), so I geared myself up for a very early walk that would let me avoid most of the Bank Holiday Monday crowds but still let me get out there.
I headed off towards the Ladybower, Derwent and Howden Reservoirs - probably the worst spot for tourists usually - but arrived there just before 7AM! Parking at one of the car parks overlooking Ladybower Reservoir I headed up on the forestry track through Hagg Side Wood, enjoying the low sun glinting through the trees, stopping to look down the valley as I gained the little height there was.

At that time of day the birds are in full singing voice and it was beautiful to just listen to them. I wasn't in any rush and had hours before people emerged doing something 'active' so I took my time and just enjoyed it, absorbing the feeling of well being.
After a while I carried on up til I reached a cross roads of footpaths, heading straight over towards Bellhag Tor, with a sign from the National Trust indicating that if I was lucky I might see a Little Owl, hear Curlews, see Peregrine Falcons even. The hill flattened out in gradient, still enough not to be able to actually see where I was going, but a paved section made any question of where to walk irrelevant! The views down to the hamlets around the Snake Pass and over towards the back edges of the Kinder Plateau were stunning in the clear, bright sky and made me wonder that more people don't go out at this time! Am glad they don't!

Alport Castles soon appeared. There are no 'castles' to speak of, rather it is the UKs largest naturally formed landslip, with a feature called 'The Tower' being particularly interesting.

Scaring the sheep into doing lemming impressions?

The formations were predictably formed through the last ice age. I kept thinking about the word 'Geologic' after reading an article that Steven Horner sent to me that describes how Aron Ralson was climbing in a Canyon in the States, a boulder fell and trapped his had and he spent a number of days analysing his options before...I'll let you read the rest. Great account here Outside Magazine Article.
I ought to let someone know where I'm going on my walks though; I rarely do and it's something I should change. The earth still moves and occasionally more boulders fall down. Who knows when it's next going to happen? Possibly only one person had any clue where I'd be going, and they don't live locally, and my parents wouldn't know how to contact them.

Looking down on 'The Tower'

Dramatic lighting in the morning!

After wandering around, scaring the sheep (though not into doing a lemming job off the cliff), I spied the trig point in the middle of the moors further north and because I'd made such quick time thought I'd head to that for the hell of it. This part of the walk was a lot more interesting to me as the ground was more challenging, the footpaths were a mix of sheep trails and boggy areas for probably a mile or so before the trig point was reached. A lot was on the edge of the valley looking down on the curving River Alport.

And then the path became more boggy as the edge was left and the tops of cloughs were crossed.

More great, early morning views from here, though the land itself was pretty bleak; no wonder Bleaklow has that name! (Low is the local name for the tops of hills). It did make me wonder about navigating across in bad weather; would I have the skill to do that in a white-out or if bad fog came down? Especially with navigating around boggy areas and potentially wandering off course. I don't have a GPS so am entirely reliant on map and compass; something to consider working on I think.

I enjoyed the view from here, even though it wasn't that high at just over 500m (so about a 300m ascent). I was lucky enough to see a pale hawk swooping through the air towards Ravens Clough, hovvering for an eternity before striking.
From here I had a couple of options about what to do, all but one involved going off road and bog hopping (heehee) but I retraced my steps back along the footpath and enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face and new views.

Not far from here I encountered my first human being, walking his dog. He seemed very surprised to see me out here!

At the end of the short stone wall at the top of Alport Castles, I took the path heading downwards, which quickly turned into a Landrover track with Grouse Butts surrounding me on all sides, cutting through the heather which looked wonderful, with bees abounding!

Unlike what was shown on the OS map, the track headed down and round and round and down until I reached the head of a plantation fringed with Beech trees. It was lovely walking through here, I felt a bit like Red Riding Hood when all the animals are out playing and don't mind you on their territory!
I skidded through the mud down towards the bottom and reached a sylvanian view that I've outragously compared to Kennedy Meadows on the PCT, and sat on the stone bridge for a while just listening to the brook.

After a while I braced myself for the inevitable 'civilisation' that I would be encountering. It was now about half 10 or 11 and I was getting near the road that sweeps around Howden Reservoirs. Car traffic has been limited so the only traffic is the mini bus and people on bikes or walking. As I headed out along the path next to the road it wasn't long before the numbers of people grew and grew. I said good morning to the first few who looked so happy to be outdoors, but after a while stopped and instead just absorbed the fine views out to the reservoirs, which were pretty low.

The road bashing section could have been reduced if I'd walked around the top of Howden Reservoir, up to a ford called Slippery Stones, but my objective was now to get away from people as quickly as possible! I stopped at a couple of features, one a stone marking the loyalty of a sheepdog to it's dead owner, which made me think of Whitespider1066 and his his love for his dogs, especially Strider (I know you're not dead Darren ;o)

And the second was the tribute to the Dambusters who used Derwent Dam as practise.

When I sit here bemoanding my wanderlust and other areas of my life, it's useful perspective to think what people before us had to go through. It doesn't diminish my wanderlust, but does make me appreciate what I have a bit more!
Which leads me on to thinking about finally getting around to my West Highland Way post. I've mixed feelings about the walk and it's 'success' but I shall try to make that, no, I WILL make that the next one I do.
That's a challenge I didn't want to give myself; I'm considering it my nemesis!

Fruits of the Forest

No this isn't my West Highland Way post, but just a ramble about a little walk I did yesterday afternoon, around and about a park near where I live.

The park is called Rother Valley Country Park and is essentially a filled in open cast coal mine that was flooded about 20 years ago (guessing) and has been 'cultivated' to seem natural. As natural as it can be given that there is an area dedicated to watersports and a cable ski on one of the 'lakes'. But as anyone who knows me knows that I usually move off and away from the trodden path and get interested in things along the wayside, and often things that aren't that obvious.

The walk itself was just a little 5 mile amble. I'd seen a tweet from @Documentally and @Tookiebunten about the passage of the seasons, the summer almost over and the abundance of autumn soon to follow. A lot of people who use the park seem to do so with eyes just towards the lakes and the kiddies playground areas. My focus was turned to the hedgerows, and what abundance there is to be had there!

With the early warm weather in May, followed by the recent rain it seems that the plums, gages, damsons and sloes are all becoming succulent and ripe:
.

In addition the Highland Cattle were looking pretty tasty too, though doubt I could get away with foraging one of those...

I wandered up the little hill towards the wooded area; far less populated. There are some great potential basha areas there, despite the local villages being only a mile or so away.

Carrying further on there were the ubiquitous blackberryes and elderberries, more sloes and plums. Being slightly higher up than those near the lakeside, they were slightly less ripe.
And of course there was other signs of people having been foraging...

Further on I came across a patch of what looked like Comfrey. Unusual in this part of the park, but great fertiliser for Tomato plants! There were Rose hips coming through too, with an array of Hawthorne hips ripening up. I saw a Ray Mears programme a while ago with his friend Gordon, creating a kind of very messy Hawthorn jelly and very briefly contemplated doing the same. Then remembered the classic line 'there's no evidence that Bronze age people actually did this'. Well sod that then! Going to stick to making Sloe gin, and anything else alcoholic with the fruit I'll plunder!
I ended the day with the showers it began with.

As a last point I walked for the first time for ages in my old walking boots. Very weird after using my Terrocs all the time.

Stanage Edge to Bamford Edge Walk

I went out for a wander today. It wasn't especially planned for; I just wanted to stretch my legs in some decent landscape with some views and fresh air.
I had thought about a route from Hathersage to Stanage, about 8-9 miles, but wanted a bit more than that so opted for Stanage from Hook's Car Stitch, up to the A57 and over on to Moscar before returning via Cutthroat Bridge, Jarvis Clough and wandering over access land towards Bamford Edge and back to the car via North Lees.
It was an 'ok' walk (I'm really selling this here), I've been over Stanage quite a bit as you'd expect living in Sheffield. I was there too early for a lot of the climbers, even though I set off from the car at about 9:30! Maybe Friday night was a good one in town!

Up to Stanage Edge from Hook's Car Stitch

View from Stanage to Win Hill, Lose Hill and Mam Tor with Kinder in the distance

I remembered to actually bring my walking poles so felt like I was motoring my way up and over the edges. Walking on the gritstone again compared to the Buachaille last weekend felt like putting fluffy slippers on, especially where it had crumbled into the peat on the tops. There's some great names for some of the areas on the Edges, even on the OS map, with High Neb and Crows Chin. With it being a well known climbing area (there are several hundred routes) there's a plethora of names for different ways up.

I didn't really get my usual sense of peace though until I made myself stop, have a coffee (already made) and sat down to sketch. I had a cracking view towards Win Hill, with the slanted stones of Stanage in the foreground, looking over the peat patchwork of Moscar Moor. The heather is out in abundance now, the lighter lilac colour seeming to take over from the deeper variety I prefer.

So after messing around with some pencil work and then splashing a bit of paint on some very old Bockingford that the size had gone on, I propelled myself north towards the A57, hearing it from a bit of distance away.

Initial Pencil Work before Daubing

I carried on to the white Trig Point at High Neb and then a bit further on reached a curious cairn marking Crows Chin.

After another mile I passed an oldish guy who also had walking poles, but he looked as if he was herding virtual sheep with his, carrying them out in front of him. I wonder if I look like that? We exchanged a quick hello, nice day and all that and carried on.
After crossing the A57 I headed past Moscar Lodge through an avenue of Oak and Sycamore trees. It felt weird not to be out on the moors or in more hilly areas, but I'd picked the route so I can't complain!
Pretty soon though I was out into the open, following a grassed over cart track (Moscar Cross Road) that was quite good fun because the ruts were so deep. Plagued by sheep/horse flies I carried on down towards Moscar House which must be a very old farm. There was a lovely stone barn but the keystone holding the archway up looked as if it was about to cave in.
Just after the farm there was a ditch with flowing water and filled with watercress. I had a couple of leaves and enjoyed knowing what it was, that it wasn't going to poison me (me pretending to be Ray Mears here) but to be honest I'm not a great fan of it - how people can eat it in soup or in a salad is beyond me - too peppery!

From there it was an easy path down towards Cutthroat Bridge and re-crossing the A57. I must look up the history of the place! There was a nice but short bit of boulder crossing over the stream, and two fell runners passed me on the way up to the hills above Ladybower and Derwent (where they practised for Dambusters), and then headed back to cross the road, through a small plantation and to walk on under Hordron Edge.

There's supposed to be a small Stone Circle according to the OS map but the bracken was so tall that I couldn't make anything out. The bracken proved to be an issue for me a bit later as I had to cross Jarvis Clough across access land with no footpaths to speak of. I could have done with the new Bear Grylls Parang to bush wack my way up the hill. A lot of the bracken was even taller than me so I couldn't really make out where I was supposed to be heading. I just thought sod it and headed up, regardless, until I reached the top. It took a while but it actually felt good to get to the top knowing I'd worked for it, rather than the easy paths along Stanage. It wasn't even that much ascent but the effort needed with it tugging at you all the time made you appreciate it! There was a great view across to Alport Castles.

Anyway once at the top the bracken gave way to heather with an underblanket of bilberries (all eaten now by the sheep) and I started grouse beating my way across the moor, finding a couple of numbered grouse butts and poles, I guess to help navigate? I made my way over to a stone built Pillar but all the while Win Hill was right there in front of me so navigating was never going to be a problem. It started to bucket down while I was on the top and it was great to see the rain clouds come in over from Kinder and Bleaklow, over the reservoirs and then hitting me. It was warm and my trousers are supposed to have a DWR covering so I just chucked my jacket on and carried on. Bamford Edge isn't a startling Gritstone edge such as Curbar, Froggat or Stanage, but it was nice, and it was interesting to be on the top compared to on the road at the bottom that I normally use when crossing the hills to Manchester.

I didn't see anyone on the moor until I got towards the disused quarry near High Lees farm where I was surrounded by a walking party of about 20 people. Some wanted to chat and some looked pretty miserable! They'd asked about the weather - the rain had stopped by then - but I just said you can see it coming before it hits you so it's not much of a problem, plus it was on-off showers and pretty warm - you're not exactly going to get exposure! I put it a bit more tactfully than that but it made me wonder about peoples attitude to the weather and how much being cosseted with central heating impacts getting out doors. I know when I spend too long inside I get 'nesh' as they say up here!

The next bit of the walk, back to the car, was the most challenging in terms of navigating, just because of the maze of paths and roads, but I started off well with a bit of road walking, relieving the boredom by using my walking poles as twirling batons and swatting the flies away and singing along (I Did it My Way among others). Probably a good thing that I didn't meet anyone other than in their cars!

I dropped onto a path under Bolehill Wood, messed about through some paddocks and cut through to Outlane. At the lovely Green's House I met with a Treasure Hunt party and feebly tried to help a Scottish lady and her friends work out some of the clues they were struggling with! I failed to make any headway for them (they wanted to find out about a by-way) so carried on, past the remaining end wall of the Chapel at North Lees, which I believe is where Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre. You could also see Hathersage Church in the distance, where Little John is supposed to be burried. It's all going on in Hathersage!

At this point I'd run out of water and forsake a wide shallow stream for a tiny brook emerging from a bank. A nice little wooded bumpy lane led up to the road under Stanage Edge and then I had a bit of a route march thang going on to get to my car. I should have parked at the car park there rather than at Hook's Car Stitch but I prefer the start up that end - otherwise you don't get the whole Edge. A plus to this was that I got to gawp at a lot more climbers than had been there in the morning. Even from the road you can hear them speaking (shouting?) quite clearly, and all their jangly equipment singing away. It's fascinating to watch them work their way up, and people of all different skill levels use the edge; I don't know if they do it now but they used to use it for training for climbs on Everest at one point.

With the extra bits of wandering about and parking further away I think the walk was about 11-11.5 miles. I'm not too hung up on mileage and felt like I could have easily done more, but once I'd made the turn towards the car the sense of any journey seemed to leave me. With all the messing around sketching and bush wacking it probably took me about 6.5 hours to do all this, but I did mess around a lot!

I'm planning on getting out again in the next few days, hoping for nice weather to do an overnighter, maybe around Burbage or Padley Gorge, so that I wake in one of my favourite places on my birthday! Kinder Scout is starting to draw me back though so maybe I'll do that. We shall see!

Yes!

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!” ~ Jack Kerouac"

Post Scotland Blues!

First of all, apologies for the lack of pics; my camera is dead and my phone pics are rubbish generally!

Anyway! At the weekend I went up to Scotland with Steven Horner to walk the Buachaille Etive Mor.
My Lowe Alpine Frontier pack was old, big, heavy. A bit like me!

I enjoyed the walk despite not being very fit, and was 'made up' to be in the hills around Glen Coe. Steve was very patient and walked with me rather than nagging me into a route march which I have experienced a number of times, the last being Scafell Pike with an Ex Army guy. Not great fun though I still remember the satisfaction of being up there.

We went down into Glen Etive, which is a place I've visited on many occasions to camp, usually on my way further north or to Skye. There's a lot of variety in the glen with waterfalls over glowing pink rock, to wider pools of slower flowing water over large cobbles. There are wooded areas and then just flat, often boggy grassland. The road through the glen must go on for about 10 miles or so, ending at Loch Etive, another place I've made camp at. Sadly I have few pictures of this now, due to idiotic actions of other people in the past, but is all mine to claim now. I get a buzz out of purposefully enjoying life and as my friends have come to expect of me, enjoy indulging in my childish side, paddling in the river, examining stones, wanting to have a go at things that before I felt too entrapped to express. I suppose it's just being me now.

I wanted to write this post because being in the hills again was a massive contrast to the previous 2 weeks which had been incredibly demanding. I worked my backside off on a presentation to a couple of Directors for a job it turned out I didn't get and the following week (last week) was on a PRINCE2 project management course, involving a lot of after course study, often working in the evening and then getting up at 5 to continue to do homework (I'm much more a lark than an owl). After that and being able to be in proper hills again I've come back to feeling a tad flat (unusual for me) and am sat writing this in my spare room, with a map of the world looking down on me.

In my life I've been lucky enough to do a bit of travelling as part of holidays usually, but also worked for 3 months in South Africa. So I've walked up the Austrian Alps (plus other areas in Europe but not as significant to me), the Blue Mountains in Australia, some of the Drakensberg in South Africa and of course Table Mountain as does everyone who goes to Cape Town. I learned to dive in a Dolomite quarry while I worked in Pretoria and subsequently dived in Cape Town, sailed in Sydney harbour, in the Med and around the West Coast of Scotland. I've also travelled over a lot of Scotland, though the Buachaille was my first Munro (very happy about that - ta Steve). Ireland also made a showing when I was 21, being my first backpacking trip where I travelled to Killarney and Dingle, bus-ing and hitching my way around. I may post on that another time; I do have a few pics of that trip.

But with my big map looking down on me and listening to Pearl Jam, the days since the weekend have reinforced my wanderlust and passion for my goal of specifically walking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2012. It's something I've dreamed about for a number of years now, since reading about Chris Townsend's trip in his Greak Backpacking Adventure book. Even back in the late 90s I was thinking about other trails including walking in the Patagonian Andes and still have books I bought back then on the subject; it's not a mere whim but something I revisit regularly.

But not done anything about.

My blocks now are really lack of immediate money. Being out of work I am a doley, receiving £65 a week. I don't feel any particular shame about this; work does not define who I am. But I miss the social interaction and mental stimulation work gives me, and especially the money side. Not money for moneys sake, but as a tool to enable me to accomplish things. Going back to the start of this post, my kit is old and heavy. I can't effect radical changes to me in the immediate future, though am glad to be able to say I don't ache anywhere nearly as badly as I thought I would, maybe due to me walking between 4-5 miles a day anyway. And I've since enlisted a friend to go running with me to work on that part. But with cash I can change my kit, make it easier in terms of effort to get out and do multi-day trips. I used to be able to carry heavy packs up mountains and it's something I could do again if I train for it. But frankly I liked Steve's lightweight approach of having a shelter rather than my 3kg tent (though in midge city being open to the air can be a bit of a 'mare) and seeing his pack compared to mine though not quite humiliating, was certainly sobering.

My thoughts about what to do next of course involve the on going task of finding work, getting fitter, improving my kit, shedding 'stuff', but most importantly getting out into the hills where I do feel alive (amazing even!) and more in tune with the world than in any other sphere. I feel an almost irresistable urge to sell everything I own and to leave to just walk. I've felt these urges to dissemble my life plenty of times before, in the past thinking about 'doing a Thoreau' and living in a cabin, emigrating to Oz (very nearly did!!!) or living a solitary life. But I am tempering my current angst with an element of pragmatism and arranging my life to enable my goals to be achieved!

Not sure how to end this post really. There are a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of variables I have little control over. But that is my dream and it will only become an achieveable goal with action. Better log on to ebay and start selling!