Youlgreave - Peak District
Sunday 30 July 2006
From the 15th century church tower in the village of Youlgreave we walked down to the river Bradford, crossed the stone sleeper type bridge to join the Limestone Way footpath heading for the standing stones below Robin Hoods Stride. As we climbed towards the Robin Hoods Stride we saw more walkers in the first 10 minutes than we whole of Saturdays walk.
Break was taken admiring the stride and its nearby standing stones.
We carried on the limestone way downhill to the road where we then took a footpath that would take us to village of Birchover (which is famous for its lead mining industry). Passed a lovely vicarage with a large well-maintained garden with pond, which surprisingly was much bigger than its church. Walking through the Birchover we passed more walking groups out for a Sunday hike. On leaving the village a convoy of old tractors passed us by, with a very jolly man waving to us from the last tractor.
Our next village stop was Winster. The footpath to Winster had at some point in the distance past been laid with stone slabs where the boggiest parts would be. No need to worry about bogs for us in this dry spell.
In Winster the Market Hall has been restored by the National Trust, and has a display explaining the recent history of the village from the 17century onwards. It has some splendid houses which were built on the back of the success of the lead mines. The last lead mine shut in 1936 but it had declined to almost nothing well before then.
From the church in Winster we walked through a field with very young calves in it, we had to pass between the cows and the calves, so we walked very gingerly but the cows were more interested in eating the grass than us. It took us on to re-meet the Limestone Way and from here head towards the village of Elton.
Time for lunch, which was taken in a cafe in Elton, bacon sandwiches the order of the day along with pots of tea. We ate outside and had an Alsatian dog on one side of us and a another large dog on the other side of us. Both dogs were very well behaved.
From Elton we walked through Oddo House farm, the smell was horrendous, we were all gagging on the smell. Think it was from pigs, had to walk along side a huge slurry pit which showed signs of leakage. Glad to walk upwind of the farm. From here we walked down to the valley floor of Gratton Dale with its steep sides. It started to rain here. We tried not to stop and put our rain gear on, but the rain was too heavy. We were walking a dogleg around Gratton Moor. The rain stopped and the cloud broke up. After climbing out of the valley we stopped for a quick break to eat the apples I had been carrying. Some so-called walkers were upset because we had taken their rest stop, could hear them talking about it.
The footpath then led through some fields onto a road for a short spell before joining a footpath that seemed to follow the bed of a stream, dry in these conditions, but probably impassable in wet weather. We then walked though pastureland to re-meet the river Bradford and a lovely footpath along side the river. We watched the young moorhens and coots scurrying along the banks and could see lots of trout in the river ponds. We also spotted Dippers and Grey Wagtails (I think) and unfortunately a man urinating in the river.
The river took us back to the point where we crossed over the bridge at the start of the walk and we made our way up hill to the car.
A very different type of walk from yesterday, it was about 12 miles in length.
From the 15th century church tower in the village of Youlgreave we walked down to the river Bradford, crossed the stone sleeper type bridge to join the Limestone Way footpath heading for the standing stones below Robin Hoods Stride. As we climbed towards the Robin Hoods Stride we saw more walkers in the first 10 minutes than we whole of Saturdays walk.
Break was taken admiring the stride and its nearby standing stones.
We carried on the limestone way downhill to the road where we then took a footpath that would take us to village of Birchover (which is famous for its lead mining industry). Passed a lovely vicarage with a large well-maintained garden with pond, which surprisingly was much bigger than its church. Walking through the Birchover we passed more walking groups out for a Sunday hike. On leaving the village a convoy of old tractors passed us by, with a very jolly man waving to us from the last tractor.
Our next village stop was Winster. The footpath to Winster had at some point in the distance past been laid with stone slabs where the boggiest parts would be. No need to worry about bogs for us in this dry spell.
In Winster the Market Hall has been restored by the National Trust, and has a display explaining the recent history of the village from the 17century onwards. It has some splendid houses which were built on the back of the success of the lead mines. The last lead mine shut in 1936 but it had declined to almost nothing well before then.
From the church in Winster we walked through a field with very young calves in it, we had to pass between the cows and the calves, so we walked very gingerly but the cows were more interested in eating the grass than us. It took us on to re-meet the Limestone Way and from here head towards the village of Elton.Time for lunch, which was taken in a cafe in Elton, bacon sandwiches the order of the day along with pots of tea. We ate outside and had an Alsatian dog on one side of us and a another large dog on the other side of us. Both dogs were very well behaved.
From Elton we walked through Oddo House farm, the smell was horrendous, we were all gagging on the smell. Think it was from pigs, had to walk along side a huge slurry pit which showed signs of leakage. Glad to walk upwind of the farm. From here we walked down to the valley floor of Gratton Dale with its steep sides. It started to rain here. We tried not to stop and put our rain gear on, but the rain was too heavy. We were walking a dogleg around Gratton Moor. The rain stopped and the cloud broke up. After climbing out of the valley we stopped for a quick break to eat the apples I had been carrying. Some so-called walkers were upset because we had taken their rest stop, could hear them talking about it.
The footpath then led through some fields onto a road for a short spell before joining a footpath that seemed to follow the bed of a stream, dry in these conditions, but probably impassable in wet weather. We then walked though pastureland to re-meet the river Bradford and a lovely footpath along side the river. We watched the young moorhens and coots scurrying along the banks and could see lots of trout in the river ponds. We also spotted Dippers and Grey Wagtails (I think) and unfortunately a man urinating in the river.The river took us back to the point where we crossed over the bridge at the start of the walk and we made our way up hill to the car.
A very different type of walk from yesterday, it was about 12 miles in length.
posted by rwr at
12:27 pm
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