Day 244 - Monk's Dale and Chee Dale

Today I'm two thirds of the way through 366 Days Wild!

I went out for a walk, five miles long, taking in two of my favourite Dales. Starting in Millers Dale, I walked into Monk's Dale

At this point, about to enter my favourite part - a green world of mosses and ferns!

Not the easiest terrain as it's very uneven and muddy, with slippery limestone rocks all over the ground but I love it here! Last time I walked through this part of the dale, it was dark and large groups of crows were roosting in the trees overhead - very noisy!

Today, I slipped off a rock and got covered in mud! As always, I saved the camera rather than myself so have a few new bruises to add to the collection! All part of the fun :)

I love how moss hangs from so many branches here, making everything green!

Some little eggs (I assume) on a branch

I had a great ten minute close encounter with a goldcrest. I stood still and he hopped around me, landing on every mossy branch and stump!

This photo was taken without zoom... (the bird is on the middle tree)

I climbed over the stile in the wall and left Monk's Dale behind. I was rather temped to just turn around and go back to Miller's Dale the way I came, but I'd planned a circular walk so I stuck to it!

After Monk's Dale, I joined the Pennine Bridleway heading for Wormhill

There, I saw my first snowdrops of the year, in gardens and the churchyard.

I walked across fields (there's another dark cloud moving on - it has been a cold and windy day with several light snow and hail showers)

And eventually made my way down into Chee Dale. On entering the dale, I heard a raven, spotted a Suffolk sheep hiding behind some trees and then turned around just in time to see a fox running away, down the bank to my right.

I'd hoped I might see the fox again and he suddenly reappeared ahead, crossed the path in front of me and ran off up the hillside. This is the only photo I managed to take! That's the second fox I've met out on a walk this month.

It's been a long time since I last walked in Chee Dale. I was only walking a short stretch of it today. It was here that I saw my first ever kingfisher years ago, and the first water vole I ever saw was here too, in a different part of the Dale!

I don't think I've ever walked in Chee Dale and not seen a dipper. They're common in the Peak District! This one was singing and there was another answering nearby.

From the dipper it was just a short, flat walk back to car at Miller's Dale. Before I reached it, I had the pleasure of watching (and hearing) a pair of ravens circling over head.