STANAGE AGAIN

One of our frequently visited walks this week as we are on a tighter than usual time schedule, and Stanage fits the bill perfectly. 

We meet up in the car park at Burbage Bridge and spend a while in the car catching up with important news and eating chocolates (a pre-Easter present from Mollie). We also bemoan the chill here, which neither of us felt when we left our respective homes. So it is on with the layers against the chill.

Suitably fortified with chocolates we set off up the road a little distance then cross over onto the path leading to Stanage Edge.

The weather isn't brilliant, but it isn't raining and there is the odd glimmer of sunshine. There are also a lot of people out. Yes, this is a popular spot, but it is maybe also an indication of the looming Easter holidays. Some people are clearly already enjoying the break.

The one thing you can guarantee on Stanage is the view in all directions. Of course, Mollie isn't interested in the view, only in the dog biscuits in my pocket!

It's a short stroll up to the trig point and surprisingly there is no one else there - at the moment, anyway. So we walk over to it to enjoy even more views.

We are on the very tip of the Edge here and although we have walked its entire length in the past we won't be doing that today.

Today is an easy day; lots of talking and no need to even bother with the map. 

As usual, it is very windy up here (when isn't it?) so we hunt for somewhere to sit that is reasonably sheltered. Eventually we find some rocks that are close to the edge but away from the main path. We enjoy a nip from the secret flask, then a superb coffee before eating our lunch.

Just before we are about to start our pudding course we are joined by a climber who has had a bit of a scary ascent of the rocks (or so he informs us as he stands at the rocks just behind us). We don't feel it would be fair to start pudding yet, so we wait until he has finished talking and moved away.

Out come the puddings; pots of profiteroles - choux pastry, fresh cream, caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. So yummy. And they must look good to Mollie too as she is drooling, until she is allow an almost empty pot to lick clean.

Suitably replete we walk on, continuing a little further along the length of the Edge.

There are so many people about now, though. And Mollie makes a fuss of everyone, thoroughly enjoying the attention she is getting.

Eventually though, with our eye on the time, we turn back the way we came, retracing our steps until we find the path before the trig point that leads down.

Within a few paces we are on a level again, with no one else on this path being a bonus.

On the Edge to our left, and on the ground too, we find abandoned mill stones all cut and ready to move when the market for them dried up. A sign of the industrial past in this area.

 We continue along the path until it meets the road, then cross over and through a very tight kissing gate (difficult with a rucksack on) which leads us across the land between this road and the next. We are very close to the roadside edge of Higger Tor now.

Once again we go through one gate, cross the road, then back onto moorland through another. Now it is a straightforward walk following the contours of the roadside fence until we are back at the car park. 

We have timed it perfectly, we are back with 10 minutes to spare.

A BURBAGE CIRCUIT

Winter is coming and the weather to match it; cold, windy, damp and murky. We have decided on an old familiar route today, one we haven't done for a while, but when we meet up at the Upper Burbage Bridge car park we are quite surprised to find very little company. This is usually extremely popular at all times of year so it is most unusual for there to be only two or three cars there.

We pull on plenty of layers this morning, the wind is distinctly chilly, the sky is very overcast and rain is a constant threat, so we add our water proofs on top to make sure we aren't caught out. Mollie is eager to walk, this is her first with us for a while.

Braving the road we cross over the bridge and onto the path choosing to go up onto the lesser used Burbage Moor track. There are plenty of puddles and boggy bits from the overnight rain, and we meet a few walkers too. The path down below Burbage rocks seems to be unused (it is usually the 'busy' path) and we soon discover why. Diggers, workmen and even a helicopter are down by Burbage Brook clearing the conifers and making 'improvements'. The path will be closed - in the week only - for quite some time.

We are untroubled for now by the closed path and continue on our way admiring the view and (no surprise here) talking. We decide not to stop to eat until we are on the far side of the brook, but that doesn't stop us pausing for a warming nip from the secret flask. Today PC attempts to guess the contents, without success. It is Sloe and Apple Vodka made with apples from the garden and some sloes left over from the gin making. It has turned out well, and I certainly prefer it to the Sloe Gin.

Suitably warmed we press on to the end of the trail, out of the gate and onto the road for a short stretch. We cross over the brook at Burbage Bridge and take the stile at the other side, clamber uphill at the side of Toad's Mouth then find ourselves a sheltering rock face where we can sit and eat lunch.

The rain is making more of an effort now so we don't linger too long. Spiced vanilla latte makes a change from ordinary coffee, then sandwiches, followed by lovely custard Danish pastries. The pastry is so light we feel as though we have hardly indulged, but we don't inspect the calorie count!

From here we continue up to the top of the small ridge then follow a path along Hathersage Moor, picking our way carefully and reflecting on how easy it would be to become lost. We walk up onto Carl Wark and admire the huge boulder-like stones on its northern side. Then it is a straight path to Higger Tor which, as usual, defies a straight and easy ascent as we make our own route and scramble through the rocks.

The view from the top, though, is superb. But the cold makes sure we don't linger. Although the top of the Tor is a mix of rocks and small tracks, once we reach the far side we are onto the straight path leading us back to the car park. There are few people out now, and the car park is deserted apart from our cars. Daylight on this murky day is waning fast, a sign that soon it will be dark by mid-afternoon. We are cold, and a little damp, but it has been another excellent walk.

FAMILIAR BUT NO LESS FANTASTIC

Glorious. There's no other way of describing the weather forecast for today and our glee at hearing it: clear skies and sunshine. And it's only the middle of March. Yippee.

We meet up at Burbage Bridge. We know it's going to be a pretty straight forward walk and with the promise of superb weather we're not surprised to find plenty of cars in the car park. We can't blame people for doing the same as us. We make a quick decision as to which way around we'll be walking, then set off leaving the hoards behind us.

We set off on the western side of Burbage Brook heading towards Higger Tor - one of our many favourite places - and cross the rocky patch of, what is called on the map, Fiddler's Elbow. I think this refers to the rocks as well as the stretch of nearby road, but even so, there's not a fiddler in sight. Nor are there any other folk about. They've dispersed and gone their own ways - brilliant.

There are a few rocks to scramble down then an easy to follow path leading towards the Tor. It's not unusual for parts of this path to be soggy but we haven't had any rain in a while and today it's bone dry underfoot.

With the sun shining we're warming up, even though we're hardly pushing the pace, so by the time we reach the steps up to the summit of the Tor we need to pause to admire the views - which are spectacular (if we ignore the ever present eyesore of the cement works) - and to strip off a layer. A man hikes past us and comments that he has to keep reminding himself that it's only March. We agree. The sun is bright and the air smells warm and rich, more like June than March. Quite a contrast to our last walk 2 weeks ago when we were faced with a howling gale!

With a spring in our step we pull uphill to the flatish, rocky top of Higger Tor and decide to park ourselves in a convenient place to enjoy the view in comfort. Out comes the secret flask - cointreau today. Mmm, tastes of southern orange groves and with the sun on our faces it's easy to imagine ourselves transported to the Mediterranean. But really, on a perfect walking day like today, who needs the Med? This has to be one of the best places to be.

As we're contemplating the horizon the compulsory school group complete with red hard hats shatter the peace so we pack up and set off again.

From the top of Higger Tor the views are extensive, and by habit, we look for the wood that isn't there. Nope. Still not there. (Make a mental note that I MUST write about it on the blog.)

By this time we're down to shirt sleeves, quite an achievement at any time of year for me so it's a sign of how mild the weather is. We make our descent down the rugged side of the Tor utilizing all necessary body parts to facilitate a safe landing (ie feet, hands, bums) only to discover that a few yards to our left is the 'easy' route down. Oh well, intrepid adventurers like us don't need to use the easy routes.

The path is clear across to Carl Wark and as we approach its massive boulder-built walls we marvel anew at the remarkable feat of engineering undertaken to construct the impressive fortifications.

We exit the rough plateau of Carl Wark via the 'south gate' and head for a crossing over Burbage Brook. The path disintegrates to a number of tracks, none of which are particularly promising. It's usually a quagmire here and today it is still boggy so we have to pick our way carefully so as not to get sodden. At least it hasn't been raining.

Once we reach the brook we have the usual task of getting across. At least the flow of water isn't too bad, but it's a real boggy mess on this side of the stream. I trudge downstream to find an easier spot for PC to cross, but it doesn't really get any better. When I turn back to tell her that we'll have to go upstream, I find that she's already at the other side looking smug. Typical.

I cross using a couple of stones and a brief paddle, then it's sharply up the far bank and across the sheep grazed grass to the path. Here we decide that we'd rather walk along the top of Burbage Rocks than on the lower, busier path, so again we head uphill through the maze of gritstone boulders and heather until we reach the narrow track that runs the length of Burbage Rocks.

We find a place to sit where the sun warms us and we can enjoy the panoramic views up the Burbage valley and across to Carl Wark and Higger Tor. The landscape seems almost prehistoric and a few grazing dinosaurs wouldn't seem too out of place. Naturally, sandwiches, coffee and buns bring us back to the present. And the buns today are magnificent; wonderful, summer-scented strawberry tarts (sweet pastry, creme anglaise, strawberries, fresh cream). They turn an excellent day into a perfect one.

It's hard to summon enough willpower to get moving again but eventually we manage it. The path wanders through the rocks, dips past the bisecting path running from Hathersage Moor to Houndkirk Moor, and onward through the peat (thankfully dry) to the top of Burbage Rocks. The terrain is less dramatic here, but the views back along the ridge are wonderful.

We drag ourselves along. Not because we're tired, but because we don't really want the day to end. We pause again overlooking the brook from a height, and as we sit we plan our next walk, extending for as long as possible our time out on this glorious day.

But duty calls and we're tugged back to reality and the car park. It feels as though spring is in the air and we hope it keeps up for our next outing. although really, it doesn't get much better than this.