Castleton / Mam Tor / Cave Dale

When I picked Niki up the weather seemed cold, but fairly calm, but when we emerged from the car in the car park at the back of the Castleton Tourist Information Centre, it became apparent that it was blowing a gale. We parked up in the back streets (because it was going to cost a fiver to park in the car park - how the heck do they justify that much???!!!!!!!!) and joined the others outside the Tourist Information Centre. Myself, Niki and Paul Chandler, of course, plus Ray, Peter, Jill, Phil and finally Rich and collie Robbie.

We set off through the village and took the lane that leads up to Hollins Cross and the stiff climb up, stopping to check out Odin Sough, a really squalid flat out crawl apparently, with nowhere to turn around - hm, might give that one a miss!!!

Peter investigating Odin Sough.

Once we got onto the ridge it was too cold and windy to stop, but by the time we got to the top you couldn’t walk straight or even stay on your feet easily, it was so windy.   I thought I was going to have to crawl the last section onto the path down. There was a certain amount of slightly hysterical laughter as we reached the gate at the bottom of the path, with Ray calling Paul something unpleasant!!

Crossing the Chapel road below Mam Tor

We went to stop in the quarry behind Windy Knoll, but it was still so windy that I jumped over the fence and we dropped down through the snow into the cave itself, where it was considerably warmer and sheltered.

 

After lunch we continued up to the track to Rowter Farm and then across the fields...

  

Starting up the track towards Rowter Farm

 

Getting past some of the gates was really easy for all of us except Robbie!

 

to the top of Cave Dale. There was a short shower of squally light rain as we entered the dale, but it was dry by the time we got back to the car.

 

Dropping down Cave Dale