May 23 2010 - Climbing on the white stuff ... during the drier days, we took in some climbing on the limestone around the south of the Peak District. For a few evening sessions, our venue of choice is Harboro Rocks since it takes very little preparation, sling the chalk, boots and bouldering mat into the back of the car and away you go! We headed to Intake for some
sports climbing and Rheinstor, near Youlgrave, for some Boux-like pocketed
limestone trad climbing. Rheinstor can seem pretty fierce, the VS 5b warm up had the knuckle joints
screaming and the E1 round the corner was even more powerful. In between
times, when the weather was less clement for climbing, we managed a little mountain biking round Bakewell (in the world's stickiest mud) and a couple of slightly damp sessions at the Cratcliffe (gritstone) boulders.
August Bank Holiday - I hate the Bank Holiday traffic
so I just went on a bike ride from home, Belper to Friden Brick Works. The grind up Day's Lane is always a good warm up for the local rides but the bridleway parallel to the road at the Gorses is always (traumatically) overgrown with nettles at this time of year, so with legs stinging, I rode past Dannah Farm (posh restaurant and accommodation), past Alport heights to join the High Peak Trail at the Black Rocks Picnic area.
It was predictably busy but it was an enjoyable afternoon's
riding nevertheless. I had a
bit of a chat with the guys running the Steeple Grange Light railway,
it is really worthwhile to take a ride on it if you are in the vicinity,
the enthusiasts who run the trains have a great depth of knowledge
of the line and Wirksworth in general.
2nd October 2010 - headed
up to
Burbage
North
Gritstone
crag for
a day's fun. It was a tad windy on the top but our small team completed
a variety of routes Obscenity Crack (complete with obscenities),
Amazon Crack, The Fin, Knights
Move,
Rainmaker,
Sentinel
and
Greeny
Corner.
Long Tall Sally also went down, despite the river pouring out of the
starting crack. At least the delicate bit of getting your foot onto
the slab was dry. Sadly we did not have time for Brookes Layback or
the Grazer. Rounded off
the
day
with
a
pint
of Derbyshire's
finest
- Hartington
IPA!
15th October - Burbage North
again but just for part of the afternoon and guess what, it was a bit
blowy - cold and blowy when the sun disappeared!! Anyway, in between
throwing dog sticks, we did Black Slab, an amenable VS but with only
one piece of gear at about 2/3 height. Why do slabs feel steeper than they are when
you are on them? The Grazer, which felt a little wobbly going over
the (well protected) crux roof as my hands were a bit messed up on
the knobbly bit from which you can reach a good jam. Hope it rained and removed the blood from the rock before the next team went up! Next we did the
enticing E1 flake just to the left of the sentinel (if you think it's
done when
you get off the top of the flake and onto
the ledge, you are in for a surprise) and the Sentinel itself. The
top is a wonderful jug-fest, but steep. With some thoughtful foot placements
and a heel hook or two, you don't need to be a thug!
19th October - Crikey, what's going on? Getting out for loads of climbing in the Peak. Headed out yet
again for some gritstone climbing. Plan A was High Neb at Stanage,
however the wind was so strong on top that it was completely unpleasant
and difficult to stand up we fell back on plan C - Lawrencefield (plan
B was Rivelin but abandoned as it was too far to make it worthwhile)
along with about a million others! We managed to get Meringue (a strange
wire protects the crux move when you are almost at the top), Tyrone
and an HS whose name escapes me. The grit was a little chilly on the
fingers but infinitely better than Stanage in a hooley!
Jan 2011 - headed up to the dark peak round Ladybower
to do a couple of of my favourite mtb circuits since the weather was
too grim for any climbing. The first heads up from the viaduct
on the A57 Snake pass road and comes back up towards Sheffield, but
on the bridlepath up to Cutthroat Bridge. Then up to Whinstonr Lee
Tor and back down to the reservoir track. At the top end, head off
up Cut Gate (Can you ride the start of the real uphill - I certainly
can't!). The peat was not all rideable but it is always worth it for
the rocky singletrack and the short loop round North America and back.
Then a blast down the track on the East side of the reservoirs back
to the car. The second one starts the same as the first but crosses
to the west side of the reservoirs at Fairholmes and up onto the moors.
Drop down to Rowlee Farm, cross the A57 and take the bike for a walk
up the stony track that leads ultimately to Hope cross. Down the gnarly
descent to Ladybower and along the track on the south side back to
the car.
Sept 2011 - not written any diary entries for a while now, basically had a load of other things going on ... anyway, managed to make some time to take a stroll up Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill near Longnor, Earl Sterndale and Crowdecote close top the border of Derbyshire and Staffordshire. We set of from Crowdecote and took the track that leaves the Earl Sterndale road less than 100 yards from the junction. Passing through the first farm was great, where we bade a quick hello to the friendly farmer (and his enormous ginger cat who was watching us pass from the roof of an outbuilding). The footpath took us along the Dove valley to a second farm, Underhill. Getting past this was truly horrible with mud and cow dung deeper than our boots - hurrah for gaiters! We arrived at Glutton Bridge, which is little more than the MoT station and garage, turned right along the main road and took the path towards Parkhouse Hill beneath Hitter Hill, dropping down onto a minor road that took us between these two classic Peak District Hills. First to fall was Chrome hill. From the cattle grid, a concessionary path took us to the access land and steeply up to the summit, from which the views were underwhelming! The weather was rubbish, although it did clear a little on the way back. We traversed the ridge to the cave at the NW end and back to the cattle grid. On this particular day, the Chrome Hill ridge had more of a big mountain feel in the fog than one might imagine for its altitude of 1000 feet or so would normally give. We crossed to Parkhouse Hill and found the ascent steeper and a little exposed in places since the soil, grass and rock was very slippery in the wet weather. The fog had lifted a bit and, despite being lower and smaller than Chrome Hill, gave extensive views over the Peak District to the east, the Dove valley to the south and the Staffordshire Moorlands to the west and NW. All in all, a decent day out with a decent pint or real ale and bar meal in the friendly Pack Horse pub at Crowdecote to round it off. If you are looking for Crowdecote on OS maps, you need to look for Crowdicote as the OS have problems spelling Peak District place names ... they call Youlgrave Youlgreave for another example.
Selected Previous Peak District Diary entries ...
Dec 23 - Cratcliffe for some bouldering - minging despite the
morning's sunshine, fell off, wrecked my favourite climbing trousers, grazed knee and went home. Beer was a better
idea.
Dec 26 - in an effort to shift some Xmas Pud, took a stroll
from Baslow. Up towards Baslow Edge then the path from the gate down to the
Sheffield to Baslow road. Over to Gardoms and across the moors. Over the moors
to White Edge, crossing the Curbar road at Curbar gap, back along the top
of Baslow edge and dropped back down to Baslow. Still plenty of pudding to
lose!!
Dec 29 - Mountain bike ride in the Peak District. Started at
Ashford and headed up the hill of despair from Upperdale Farm, near Monsal
Head crossing under the Monsal trail. Still could not manage to ride it,
steep and technical ascent. Progress not helped by the 4x4 drivers, enjoying
the peace, quiet and fresh air of the Derbyshire countryside. But at least
they were not ripping up the trails like the kiddies on their trail bikes.
The wind was a bit grim but when we hit the high peak trail it helped us along!
Deep Dale was its usual muddy, slippery self which made the last gnarly section
very interesting.
Jan12/13 2008 - Great, a full weekend out in the Peak District.
First of all some gritstone bouldering at Cratcliffe and Robin Hood's stride,
near Birchover (Very busy) and then a mountain bike ride round the Manifold
Valley in the heart of the White Peak District. We set of from Hulme end in
the wind and Derbyshire drizzle, although the mass of Wetton Hill reduced
the effect of the strong breeze. We cut across to the Manifold
Valley Trail (Manifold Way) and turned right, following the left hand
road to the ford. Then left through some of the glutinous Derbyshire White
Peak
Mud
to pop
out at Grindon. Back down to the Manifold Valley via a Bridleway (and footpath
where we went wrong by following the horse hoof prints) and then blasted
back up to Hulme End, past the Ecton Copper mines, aided by a stiff southerly
breeze.
Feb 2nd - decided to get out and try to get a bit fitter so
parked up at Middleton Top, the start of the Pennine Bridleway. The countryside
was beautiful as there had been an inch of snow overnight. It made the mountain
biking more interesting as well, adding some extra slippiness to the route!
Headed over to Grangemill, up past Aldwark towards Longcliffe. A right turn
and more road work to reach one of the least pleasant stretches of the route
- where the farmer just allows the waste to run off from the cow sheds to
lurk in deep and smelly cow shit coloured puddles on the track. Down into
Gratton Dale and over to the climb of despair out of Middleton. From the top,
a track, frequented by trail bike riders (ripped up and rutted to hell of
course by these irresponsible and thoughtless people who do not seem care
about the countryside or other users of the countryside - why were roads covered
in tarmac in the first place?). Then a blast (OK, trundle owing to the headwind
and a lack of fitness) back along the trail to Middleton Top and a well deserved
Mars bar!
Feb 24 ‘08 - During the last couple of weeks, the weather
has been fairly dry here in Derbyshire, unfortunately I have not had the time
to take advantage for a spot of gritstone climbing but at least yesterday
I managed to escape for a mountain bike ride. I parked at Ashopton Viaduct,
Ladybower reservoir and headed along the side of the reservoir, north towards
the moorlands. At Howden dam, I crossed, past Fairholmes and continued north
on the access road. Round the corner I took the steep bridle path to Lockerbrook
Farm and continued on to the Snake road near to where the walk to Alport Heights
begins. I took the stony bridleway up the flank of Kinder that leads to hope
cross, crossed Jaggers Clough and along the road in the direction of hope.
Before reaching Hope, I took the bridleway back up towards hope cross but
turned right on meeting the gate, climbing in the direction of Win Hill. I
picked up the bridleway that drops then into Aston and along Part of the Touchstone
Trail (I think that is something to do with Bamford's Millennium Project)
, crossed the dam (avoiding the dog muck left by the usual irresponsible dog
owners) and back to the parking at the viaduct.
Business services.
OK,
we are not the official web site of the Peak District but we have a lot of
useful information to attract visitors (over 100,000 last year - individual
visits - not just hits which are not a measure of the number of people who
visit a site but measure the number of files/images viewed on a site. A page
with say 20 images would register at least 21 hits for each visitor, and when
they return to that page, would register another 21, thus rattling up a huge
number of hits as opposed to just recording the one visitor). If you have a
holiday cottage or cottages to rent, or rooms to rent in hotels, guest houses
or farmhouse Bed and Breakfast establishments in the Peak District National
Park, you are invited to advertise
your accommodation can you afford not to? We consistently appear on the
first page of Google, Yahoo, msn and other search engines for Peak District
accommodation and tourist information related searches(see bottom of page for
current figure - feel free to click on the counter and examine our site statistics
- that is the only reason we have it so that you can substantiate our claims).
We also produce cost effective web sites (starting from £75 for a one page
web site including a year's free rental of web space) with substantial discounts
for property owners advertising on this site - contact
us for details.
If
you manage a Peak District tourist attraction and would like to add it to the
site, please contact us with your details and images.
If you are in business, Chevinside Publications offer a web
design and search engine optimisation service (remember we offer substantial
discounts for web sites that we makeover or build from scratch for bed and
breakfast (B&B) rentals, self-catering cottage rentals and hotel owners
who advertise with us).
January saw the launch of the Dateactive web site online
dating for mountain bike singles - friendship and also a dating site
for anyone with an interest in the outdoors, sports or an active lifestyle,
which
we manage for a client. Also we have launched our Peak
District Visitor web site, ahead of the major re-design of this site
in a month or two. The two sites will gradually diverge in order to provide
better coverage of the region.
Please contact us with requirements for paper based publications such as
flyers, leaflets and brochures. Currently in preparation is our 'Insider's
guide to Peak District Villages' series of leaflets, written by Tom Bates.
Most of the leaflets are produced now, covering Peak District places
like Hathersage, Tissington, Wirksworth, Carsington, Bradbourne, Youlgrave
etc. A few other Derbyshire villages are planned but not yet produced (Aug
2008). We welcome contact from writers, particularly local to the Peak District
for
publishing.
Contact
us by email or
by phone 0114 360 1004
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