Onecote & Butterton

Had a leisurely start and Paul drove us out through Hartington to Onecote (pronounced on-cot).

Walking in lovely warm sunshine, we headed off north to Mixon Mine Farm where we found some unusual artefacts!!

There had obviously been a lot of landscaping in the vicinity of the mine workings, including a new ramp leading down to a small lake, and we were temporarily confused and couldn't find our way on.  Once sorted, we crossed the stream and then stopped for a snack and a cup of tea/coffee.  By this time, it had clouded over unfortunately and the wind was chilly.

We then continued up over the ridge and down to Black Brook Farm, which was a rather dilapidated, but potentially very beautiful old farmhouse with outbuildings and 50 acres that I fell in love with. This photo, taken from the property's particulars, gives a taste of the place.  Now all I need is £430,000!!!

Black Brook Farm

At the top of the drive, we crossed the road we'd driven down earlier and dropped down into Butterton, a rather pretty, apparently up-market village, with some weird blue/green/purple, iridescent ducks.

Blue ducks in Butterton

As we left the village, we crossed a series of thirteen stiles in the walls of very long, narrow fields, a relic from the farming methods of centuries ago.  All the fields had frontage to the road and all fields dropped down to the stream - a very sensible system as everyone gets access to the same facilities and no-one gets a bog field.

Looking back towards Butterton

At the very top of the hill we crossed a road and came to Grindon Moor, which came as a complete surprise in the middle of all the fields.  It's not a very big piece of moorland, but all heather and bog nonetheless.  After another stop to empty our flasks, we continued off the moor onto a track that took us back into Onecote.