Diary Walk 29 Sunday
9th May 2010 Weather.
12o C Sunny
Hartington
Station CP Depart
A series of
circumstances plus the exceptionally good weather resulted in this walk being extended
to nine miles, from the published seven. After much
discussion, seventeen
of us set off from this pay and display car park, overlooked by a
restored signal box. Good toilet facilities provided by Peak Parks, and on our
return, a well run refreshment outlet below the signal box was very welcome.
The first part of our journey took us through Heathcote
to Dale End, walking down the first leg towards Biggin Dale. Turning left
towards Dalehead, stopping here for coffee and to
admire the profusion of cowslips and, wait for it, WILD ORCHIDS, a first this
year, not just one or two, but whole groups of them, interspersed with cowslips,
on the south facing slopes of the dale.
Orchids. Proof, if proof was needed.
From Biggin we made for and crossed the
Tissington Trail, here some of our number took the shorter route back to the
car park, the rest then crossed the busy A515, walking due east, climbing
steadily to reach Uppermoor Farm. Just past the farm,
we took our lunch break with pine trees behind us, sitting in full sunshine
with good views of Minninglow hill and Royston rocks; it took a little while
for us to recognise these two landmarks, now being seen from a completely
different perspective.
After a short walk, we joined the Pennine
Bridleway for a time, then, taking the high path that passes Aleck Low,
393 mtrs. making our way across many lush grassy
fields, to join the Tissington Trail once again, above Biggin, making our way
back to the start.
Wood
anemones, some tinted pink, but all open to the sun.
A perfect walking day, blue skies with just a few fluffy white clouds, gentle
gradients and green pastures speckled with dandelions, celandines, and ladies
smocks to name but a few. Ewes and lambs, cows and calves, gave us but a glance
as we passed them by, such was their contentment with their lot, and also the
birds of the air, busy with the urgency of providing their offspring with the
essentials of life, allowed us the pleasure of seeing them at their work and
play.
A contented day for all, long may it continue to be our
pleasure.
Diary Walk
30 Wednesday 12th
May 2010 Weather. 12o C Fine
Bonsall village CP Depart
10 a.m. 6 Miles Leader:
Gerry White
Nearly a
dozen of us today set out from this quite beautiful mining
Picturesque,
Just the one decent ascent out of the village that gave
us all some cardiac massage to say the least, but once up, we had another one
of those perfect walks that I am always banging on about.
Those with very keen
eyesight also spotted skylarks calling from the skies above us, even a distant
call of a Peacock, obviously in some ones backyard, and Buzzards and Kestrels
performing their aerial stunts. The outstanding feature of this walk was the
number of different wild flowers that we came across. Firsts for this year,
Wild Pansy, Red Campion, and Meadow Saxifrage, and on the moor we were
astounded to see thousands of cowslips dominating the scene, taking centre
stage above all else, bobbing and waving their yellow heads in the gentle
breeze. For me the Pansy just stole the show, with its delicate markings and
genteel features, yet it always seems to survive and flower in the harshest of
places, we found these above Winster on the spoil heaps of old lead workings.
Clouds of
Cowslips!
For me the Wild
Pansy wins it.
Next Walks:
Sunday 16th May 2010
Great
Longstone SK 198 718 Depart 10 a.m. 10 miles
Leader: Gerry White
Wednesday 19th May 2010
Elton Church SK 220 610 Depart 10 a.m. 6 miles Leader:
Geoff Thrupp
Barber
Wednesday 26th May 2010
Alport by
Friday Short Walks.
14th May
21st
May (no walk arranged)
28th
May To be announced Leaders: John and Pam Lloyd