A stroll around Stanton Moor and it was cool and grey ...

This stroll involved a largely uneventful walk around one of my favourite [nearby] places, Stanton Moor.

We entered the access land via one of the stockproof kissing gates ...

After passing the Cork Stone we took one of the less well used routes across the moor ...



 From up here it is quite easy to see what impact the new Arc Leisure Centre has had on Matlock ... it's certainly the most prominent white building ...



 You can just see Riber Castle's turrets sticking up above the horizon on the right hand side.

It was so cool on this particular April day that my Beloved kept her gloves on ...

 

We turned back as soon as we got to the Nine Ladies stone circle though the photograph below only shows seven standing stones. I assume there are two out of picture to the left !



 We made out way back along the main path across the moor ...



  I love these silver birches which stand near the stone circle.

There are signs of ancient earthworks across the moor and I always wonder what has been explored and what remains unknown. This tumulus shows signs of exploration.



 Inevitably we got back to the Cork Stone ...



 I took one final photo of the Cork Stone before leaving the moor. I'm just under six feet tall so looking up gives you an idea of its height ...

This walk was followed on the 26th April 2011
 
Length of stroll ~ 1.78 miles *
 
Total mileage walked so far in 2011 ~ 142.07 miles
 
Total mileage between the 1st September 2009 and the 26th April 2011 ~ 670.12 miles

  32 of 2011 [which means in 2011 I was averaging just under 4.44 miles a walk.]
 
* distance calculated on Ordnance Survey's Getamap 

Cold and dull ...

No ... not me, though you might have thought it was according to a comment elsewhere from 'Anonymous' who said I should make it more personal ...

Now, where was I ... ah, yes, Hassop Station on the Monsal Trail. Again I was on mi tod, Natasha having stayed at home.

I went out to do another walk for the revamp of Teashop Walks in the Peak District.

The first part was along the Trail towards Great Longstone. I say 'along' it was more a case of walking at the side of the trail, where the dog muck was ...

 I nearly got as far as Great Longstone but swung back along the road towards Hassop Station and Toll Bar House. I passed Rowdale House ...



   Just beyond Cracknowl Wood is Cracknowl House. There's no drive to it but it seems to be lived in. It's a strange place ...



 In the field wall next to Cracknowl House there's a metal kissing gate with an interesting weight to keep the swing gate shut.



I reached the bridleway that leads into Bakewell. The slope running down to Holme Hall is fun ... basically a sheet of ice. Holme Hall looked good though ...



I wonder who lives in a house like that ?

Just beyond Holme Hall is Holme Bridge, a 17th century packhorse bridge leading towards the A6.



Walking alongside the A6 I passed Victoria Mill before following the stream at Brookside.



Down at Bakewell Bridge, astride the Wye, I watched the wildfowl being fed. It had started to rain by this time and a drop of water must have got into my dictating device as it just stopped recording or playing back. It has since recovered.



After walking up to Bakewell Station I turned left to follow the Monsal Trail back to Hassop, passing under the road between Bakewell and Hassop as I went.



The sky actually seemed a bit bluer as I got nearer to Hassop Station.



Since then the Country Bookstore and the tearoom has closed ~ just as I was about to use it in my revamped teashop walks book.

Date of walk ~ 27th December 2009

Length of walk ~ 4 1/4 miles

Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 112 1/2 miles