Patterdale 16th , 17th , 18th September

Booked a B&B for me and Anne at Patterdale for the weekend.

I haven’t been to Patterdale before and I have to say the scenery is awesome.

I had this idea that we could tackle Helvellyn via Striding Edge on the Saturday. However, given the fact that Anne hasn’t been well and hasn’t done any walking for a while it was a ridiculous proposition. As it transpired the weather was foul on Saturday (all morning) so it would have been plain daft to try. So by the end of the weekend I had managed three short walks (only around 3 miles). One with Anne and two on my own.

Walk 1 – Arnison Crag.

This small fell is close to the B&B (Home Farm) so on Friday evening (just before 6) I set off and a very slow pace as I kept stopping to admire the views and looking at the map to try and identify the surrounding hills. After a while I came to the wall that climbs up the fell and then just near the top there is a bit of a scramble away from the path to get to the summit. Fabulous views of Ullswater from here as the weather had cleared a bit.

This was a tidy little climb and got me in a sweat, and I realised that Anne would not have been able to do this one, so Helvellyn was a silly idea.

The path was waterlogged in places so my walking shoes got  soaked – I need some decent winter kit I think.

My legendary map reading skills came to the fore again, as at this point I thought I had climbed Birks (The path up to Birks is parallel with the wall for a while) After coming down I tried a short cut back to Home farm but this went wrong as I wasn’t on the path I thought I was. Got back after about two hours.

Only about three miles as I kept stopping to admire awe inspiring scenery. Very enjoyable and at least one baby Wainwright to claim…by co-incidence walk number 1 in book number 1!

Walk 2 – Aira Force

We spent the morning on an Ullswater cruise to stay out of the heavy rain. This was a very enjoyable two hours. Luckily as the boat was coming in the rain stopped and the sun started poking through the clouds. So a short drive to the Aira Force National Trus car park and a fantastic walk up the river to admire the falls and then back down on the other side. This was easily as impressive as the Ingleton water falls walk we did a couple of year ago.

About three miles.

Walk 3 – Grisedale Beck

I had a bit of time on Saturday evening before we went for dinner. Anne had a rest and I set of from Home Farm down the footpath along Grisdale Beck. I walked as far as the bridge over the Beck which starts the Helvellyn route and then I took the footpath of to the right (as I was heading back to Patterdale) so I wouldn’t have to go back the same route. Incredibly I gave some walkers accurate directions – they weren’t sure if they were on the right path to Patterdale.

From this path I met the one which climbs up to Birks. (The one I thought I had been on , on Friday). Taking the left fork here I headed back for Home farm crossing Hag Beck at some stepping stones (these were nearly covered after all the rain ). Across the bottom of Arnison Crag and back in time t set of for dinner.

Another short 3 miles.

This was a fantastic weekend even with the heavy rain – I will definitely be back to do that Helvellyn walk.

OS OL5 – North eastern Area

Cromford September 11th 2011

Slightly longer walk than the last one. Parked at Cromford wharf and then walked up to the high peak trail. From there up to Black rock and then the blue route around Black Rocks. Found some ripe blackberries up there and just had to stop for a few minutes to fill my face.

Blue route back down to high peak trail – down to high Peak Junction and back along the canal to the car.

About 5 Miles OS OL24 White Peak

Dovedale 3rd September 2011

Perfect day for a walk – dry , slightly overcast with the sun breaking through every now and then.

Starting from Dovedale car park walked up the dale to the turn off to the left to Stanshope. Steady climb up Hall Dale to Stanshop.e I had worked up a fair old sweat by then so off came one layer of clothing. The footpath from Stanshope to Alstonefield crosses the top of Mill Dale , so once across the road there was a tidy climb up Harry’s Bank. In Alstonefield I couldn’t find the footpath I was looking for so walked a few hundred yards out of the village on the road and then took the first footpath on the left which took me to Narrowdale. My navigation went a bit pear shaped at this point. The path took me along the side of Narrowdale hill and there should have been a right hand fork leading down towards the start of Wolfescote Dale. Instead I ended up at a derelict farm (Field House Farm). The footpath off to the left fizzled out after a few hundred yards, so I spent the next twenty minutes or so tramping across farm fields looking for it. Eventually a couple of walkers helped me out and at that point I was only about a hundred yards to the start of Wolfescote dale.

The rest of the walk was all the way down the River Dove back to Dovedale – Wolfescote Dale - Mill Dale – Dovedale. Spectacular and beautiful scenery. Given that it only takes half an hour to drive to Dovedale I should be coming out here more often.

About 13 miles OS OL24



Hall Dale





Cave between Mill  Dale and Dovedale




Wolfscote Dale



Cromford 28th August

I wanted to find a walk which isn’t to far to drive to the start, with some uphill and good views. This definitely fits the bill. It only took me 20 minutes to get to Cromford Wharf car park. So just a short 4 mile walk. Over the A6 to Cromford Market place. Around the mill pond and then about 100 yards on the main road. Left onto

Bedhouse Lane

just past the Bell Inn and then follow the footpath up towards Black Rock.  The walk I was following (AA 1000 walks in the UK) suggested I took the right path at a fork in the footpath, but this just seemed to take me to the front drive of a house in front of the woods. I took the left hand fork and this took me through the woods and out at the High Peak trail below Black Rocks. I just followed the high peak trail back down to high peak junction and then back to the car park via the canal. I can see a couple of ways of adding a few more miles to this to make it a more substantial walk. The nice thing about this is that I could do this on a summer evening after work.

4 miles OL 24 White Peak

Curbar Edge Froggat Edge Aug 26th 2011

Another walk on Curbar Edge (with Richard F)

Starting from Curbar Gap again.  Baslow edge , Wellington’s Monument, White Edge, Grouse inn, Froggat edge , Curbar edge and back to Curbar gap.

Despite getting soaked for the second half of the walk this was quite an easy walk as there was no climbing involved. Great views all the way around.

I think this would be a great place to bring young kids for a picnic. You don’t have to walk too far from the car park and there are loads of places to sit and enjoy the view.

My supposedly waterproof jacket didn’t keep me dry in the downpour so it was useful to know that I need to do something about this before winter.

8 miles OL24 White Peak

20th August 2011 Curbar Edge

First time I have done this walk.

Parked up at lay by just below Curbar Gap car park.

Plan A was to follow a walk from a book which was to drop down to the Derwent valley at Curbar. This changed to Plan B after chatting to a couple who were just setting off on a walk.

So Plan B was a walk along Baslow edge for about 3/4 mile and then take the footpath which drops down into Baslow. Over the bridge near the church and then pick up the footpath by the Derwent.

It took me a while finding the correct footpath near Bubnell farm.From there I followed the path down to Calver, over the road and then along the path past Stocking farm. Just after the wier the path crosses a road (New Bridge I think). The path drops down to the river but after a few hundred yards took me to a road (Sheffield / Froggat Road) - I backtracked (half way back to Calver in the end) but couldn't figure out which the correct footpath was to take along the valley to Grindleford.

So Plan C - I decided to pick up the footpath from Froggat up to the Edge. After a tidy climb I reached the point on the edge where Curbar Edge becomes Froggat Edge. Stopped for lunch here. I can't think of anywhere better to have lunch than sat on a gritstone edge in Derbyshire on a warm dry day - brilliant !!

Back along Curbar Edge enjoying the fantastic views across the Derwent Valley to the gap and back down to the car.

I'll definitely do this walk again - figure out the footpath to Grindleford and then do the entire length of Froggat Edge and Curbar Edge

OL 24 White Peak. About 7 miles (includes missed footpaths !!)

Saturday 13th August Shipley Park

Going away for most of the weekend, so decided on a short local walk before we set off.

Me and our ageing border colly Tammy.

Out of Smalley Village to Old Pit Lane and then across the fields to Shipley Country Park. It is quite a flat walk but there is some elavation as you approach the park - nice views across the park , and unfortunately the opencast workings to the right.

 Into the park, past the visitors centre and then back

out along Bell Lane. Before reacing Smalley Dam ,

 cut across the fields back into Smalley.

Only about four miles , but a nice start to the weekend. It was good to not have to drive anywhere and no map needed.  Tammy enjoyed it although she was limping a bit towards the end.