Ringing Roger & Grindsbrook Knoll

Parked up and started off up the lane, in my case trying to get warm. When we got to the cafe in Edale, Paul suggested that we stop for sustenance and I’d just realised that I’d forgotten to have toast for breakfast, so I agreed and had a sausage butty.


We started heading up to Grindsbrook Knoll, but realised that with the direction of the wind we’d be better going up Ringing Roger, so that’s what we did. Stopped in the same spot at the top and, out of the wind in the sun, it was quite warm. Found the path that we completely missed in January and toddled along the edge to a big pile of rocks, where we stopped for some lunch. Had a text from Keith to say they were staying home – don’t blame them.


We were stopped by three lads who wanted one of us to take a photo of them – hope it was OK. We crossed a tributary for the Grindsbrook – which I don’t remember at all!! – and then the top of Grindsbrook proper, heading onto the path towards Grindsbrook Knoll where we lost the crowds. Once again we stopped, out of the wind just off the top to empty our flasks. Then it was just the long track down to the field above Edale, where we met a huge group of people, adults and kids and a guy following them muttering at them. Stopped for tea at Calver Outside on the way home.

Ashover and Ogston Reservoir Walk

Got kitted up and headed off - Paul Chandler, Gill, Graham, Phil, his mate Chris, us and Brenda, the older lady, a PDMHS member who did the Matlock walk.  Paul C pointed out a small field opposite the car park entrance, where Dumblehole Swallet is apparently – sounds pretty tight!  We walked down through the village, crossed the fields past a sough and climbed steeply up an old path, heading generally south.  We stopped above Overton and Overton Hall where there was a lot of mining activity.  From there we contoured up along the side of the edge through the trees, a very pretty path, to an open mined section, with a chimney below us.  We could see Hardwick Hall in the far distance.  Continuing up through the trees, we passed below Cocking Tor and turned off to the left near Ravensnest, still near the top of the hill along the edge of the wood until we climbed out into the fields.  We stopped for ‘elevenses’ at a ready-made picnic site of rock table and tree trunk seats with fantastic views.  A couple of fields further on we dropped down through Butterley Top Farm (wrongly!) to a lane.  We turned right onto it and after a couple of hundred yards, left into Coldharbour Lane, on the corner of which there used to be a quarry or reservoir (depending on whether you believe Paul C or Chris!!) - it's gone now anyway.  Part way along we crossed into a parking area with stunning views to the northeast.  This was where we stopped for butties.
After re-fuelling we continued along Coldharbour Lane, turning left at the far end to drop down through the woods to the remains of Trinity Chapel, which we explored for a while.  The path continued east, dropping steadily down the fields into Brackenfield and so to the lane running along the western shore of Ogston Reservoir.  There were a few wildfowl about, but nothing that out of the ordinary until we spotted two large white gooselike birds, which I think were juvenile Whooper Swans as they had grubby brown plumage on the back of their necks.  As usual, the pounding along a flat path made my legs start to ache and by the time we Woolley (which Paul said was where sheep live!), I was beginning to wonder if perhaps 9 miles was a bit over ambitious considering my general lack of exercise recently.  I was very disappointed to find the Public Conveniences were closed too as by this time it was becoming an issue.  Back in the fields we followed a pretty footpath, paralleling one of the feeders for the reservoir.  Paul C pointed out a strange half circle shaped object across the valley at one point, which he said was one of the adit entrances to Woolley Moor Colliery.  It’s strange to think that the big coal mines are so close.  In the end I waited until we were back on a country lane before I found a suitable place to disappear into the undergrowth.  Luckily Paul had waited for me because the others had got quite a distance ahead as we arrived in Milltown.  We traversed around the top of Fallgate Quarry and then further along past Hockley Quarry until we found ourselves back in the outskirts of Ashover.  A very nice walk and apart from a bit of damp at the very beginning and very end, it had stayed dry, always a bonus!

Goyt Valley & Shining Tor

I drove us to Errwood Reservoir and, still half asleep, drove half way up the car park to park, forgetting that we’d be coming back along the road at the bottom – doh!  Set off along the road towards Shooter’s Clough Bridge in glorious, very bright(!), sunshine.  Just past the next car park we turned up the hillside and began the steep climb up the side of the valley.  It started off steadily, became pretty damn steep up to the gate, then levelled off a bit.  Two guys came up behind us, steadily catching up, but they disappeared down into Shooter’s Clough as we climbed on up alongside the wall.  At the next junction we had fantastic views south over Shutlingsloe and we turned right, heading northwest to the very top of Shining Tor, from which there were more spectacular views.  It was also a rather busy spot, as we discovered as we sat to sit and eat our butties.  It was also darn cold!  I ended up keeping my gillet on as we headed north along the ridge, because the wind just cut through you.  It was something in the region of two miles all the way along to Pym Chair, where we stopped for another brief drink/butty stop.  We saw the lady Park Ranger yet again – she must spend every Saturday up there!!Following the road, we dropped down quite a way and took a footpath off to the right to pick up the end of Foxlow Edge, above the small ‘pepper’ pot folly.  This is “a small shrine or chapel, erected by the Grimshawe family to the memory of Miss Dolores de Ybarguen, a Spanish aristocrat who was the teacher at the estate school and governess to the Grimshaw family who died on a visit to Lourdes” (source Wikipedia).  We followed Foxlow Edge, with stunning views across the valley and up into Shooter’s Clough, although taking photos was difficult shooting straight into the sun.  I was hoping that we would drop down somewhere near the ruins of Errwood Hall, home of the Grimshaw family, who had an estate of 2000 acres, but in the end we came down on the wrong side of Shooter’s Clough stream.  By that time I’d really had enough anyway, but we had a pleasant wander back along the road to the car.