News Archive (June 2016)

Just as we were getting over the muddy conditions of last winter, heavy rain in June has brought them back.
This was evident on the latest of the series of short local walks, this one a Holymoorside circular via Nether Loads and Nether Chanderhill, led by Basil. No rain on the day, thankfully.

The next scheduled short morning walk is a Handley / Hundall circular in July.

A group of ten for this evening’s walk.
A pleasant and warm evening, but it lacked sunshine.
A route from Woodthorpe and round Norbriggs Flash, a surprising oasis in this urban area.
We continued past the new canal lock at Staveley Town Basin, returning via Poolsbrook Country Park to Woodthorpe for a drink at the Albert Inn.

Ilam Rock

A Staffordshire circular from the Milldale car park for 21 walkers, led by Mike.
A good route of 12.6 miles via Ilam Rock, Stanshope, Wetton, Thor’s Cave, Ecton Hill with its Ecton Engine House and Alstonefield.
Warm and mainly dull, with just a slight shower of rain towards the end.
The Staffordshire Peak was as quiet as usual, except for a surprising number of Duke of Edinburgh groups.

16 walkers completed our 12 mile route from Fairholmes in the Upper Derwent Valley.
We climbed towards Lost Lad, before heading for Abbey Brook.
Taking a contouring path above the water, we then headed across the moors via Cartledge Stones Ridge to Back Tor, accompanied by curlews warning us to keep away from their young.
Derwent Edge took us back to Fairholmes by way of Grindle Clough and Barn.
We were lucky to escape heavy rain though the mist descended from time to time.

…. via Stanshope – Casterne Hall – Rushley – Musden Wood – Calton – Blore – Thorpe – Dovedale – Coldeaton Dale – Gipsy Bank – and a return to Alstonefield.
A total of 19 miles completed in nearly eight hours, including stops.
The weather was mainly dry until the last 20 minutes when it poured down, but not enough to dampen our spirits as we still had enough energy left to walk to the ‘George’ for a pint.
A group of four – two Johns, Diane from Sheffield, and Elizabeth from Nottingham.

After climbing out of Buxton over the golf course we crossed the moor and descended to the Goyt valley, over the dam between the reservoirs.
Walking alongside Fernilee reservoir through the woods where bluebells were still flowering in abundance, we reached and crossed the second dam before following the river Goyt to Whaley Bridge.
Leaving the river it was then along the Peak Forest canal to
Bugsworth Basin – once a hive of industrial activity, and still an interesting site.
This was the junction of the canal and Peak Forest tramway, and we took the tramway trail to Chinley to catch the train to Sheffield.
Parks, moorland, woodland, reservoir, river, canal, disused tramway, and a few short stretches of road made a varied walk.