Goyt Valley, Windgather Rocks

Drove out to a layby just south of Whaley Bridge and parked in a layby.  We dropped down to the river and followed it south through very damp woodland and pasture, spotting several long-tailed tits and a tree creeper on the way.  We reached the dam of Fernilee Reservoir, which we crossed...

The view north from Fernilee Reservoir dam

to follow the west bank and took the Waterside Path, as opposed to the Woodland Path and stopped near the southern of the reservoir for a bite to eat as the rain eased up a bit.

Climbing up to near the car park at Errwood, we crossed a field past some piles of rubble that were probably buildings at one time, watched a kestrel briefly and then followed a path up the side of the woods to join the road, which we followed up to the Pym Chair, which we missed completely because by that time we were in thick fog. We met a woman Park Ranger and had a chat and then turned north out onto open moorland and cut across towards the road and on to Windgather Rocks.  Looks like a great place to go and do a bit of straight forward climbing on a summer evening, but not very inviting on a grey March afternoon in the clag!!

We stopped to finish off our drinks and then continued along the top of the crag - it was pretty windy and chilly up there, so I ended up putting my gillet back on over my waterproof.  Dropping off the top,we headed across the fields, briefly onto a road, then back up across the saddle of Taxal Edge and down through an area of moorland covered in rhododendrons and so to Taxal itself, where we stopped to take photos of the faces next the clock on the church.

Stone carvings next to the clock face on Taxal church

From there it was a short wander down to the river and up the steep bank back to the car.