Lantern Pike

I fancied walking up Lantern Pike this weekend so, yesterday afternoon, I set off from the village of Hayfield along the Sett Valley Trail.

This trail was a railway line until about 1970 and while I'm not a big fan of railway trails, this one is one of the more interesting in my opinion as it has open views around it and today, was lined with scarlet elf cups and candle snuff fungus.

This is one of the views from the trail, looking across to Lantern Pike.

After walking perhaps a mile or so along the Sett Valley Trail, I took a path off to the right.

Then started to ascend.

Kinder Scout in the distance below. The sun was shining over Hayfield (in contrast to fog at home and driving over) and the air was so mild. I was too hot on this stretch of the walk and at one point I feared I might go home with a sunburnt head!

Heading up the heather and grass slopes to the top of Lantern Pike. There were quite a few skylarks singing up here today.

The name of this hill comes from the beacon tower which used to stand on top of it. The tower fell into disrepair, was ruled as dangerous and then demolished in 1907.

These are a couple of view from the top, looking east to Kinder, then a little further round back towards Hayfield.

I was heading north.

After descending Lantern Pike I reached a junction and sat down on top of a stile for some refreshment and to decide which of the routes available I wanted to take.

I decided to take the longer way back so headed north a bit more and then over Matley Moor.

Before crossing the main road and heading over the moors in the distance in the photo above.

This section of the walk was a bit dull. I was walking over a grouse moor so it was all quite barren and boring.

I enjoyed cooling my feet in this stream we crossed.

There's the shooting cabin I was aiming for, with Kinder Scout ahead.

Here, I turned right and followed Snake Path back to Hayfield.

I believe Snake Path is an old trader's route and was apparently opened in 1897 by the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society as part of their aim to win public access across the moorlands.

That's Hayfield ahead, not far to go now.

Back at the car, I had clocked up 7.4 miles on today's walk - the longest walk I've done for ages! From here, I went on to Glossop and had an early dinner (or late lunch!) in the new Pizza Express there before heading home. A pleasant start to half term!

52 Weeks Wild #6

A collection of my wild moments from the past week...


Only it's not been a very good week at all for getting outdoors.  This is the first weekend of 2017 that I haven't been out for a walk. It was partly due to the weather and partly laziness. There were other things to do and it was very easy to just stay at home when the weather has brought sleet, rain, snow and - my least favourite - wind. I hate windy days and this weekend brought a strong and pretty chilly one!

Last Monday I spent a bit of time in the garden and the thawing droplets on the grass caught my eye, it looked like the grass was diamond tipped!

On Tuesday I had to go on a sessional staff training day with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust so I had an afternoon away from school (I don't work Tuesday mornings usually so I also lost a free morning). Most of the day was indoors but we did get out for half an hour in the afternoon.

I spotted a barn owl whilst driving home from school on Thursday evening. I should have been able to take a photo really, but the camera settings were all wrong as I'd used it indoors the night before so I took a terrible photo and then the owl flew on! I've seen tawny and little owls on my journey to work before but that was my first school run barn owl!

As previously mentioned, I failed to get out for a walk this weekend but I did take the scenic route home yesterday, after an afternoon in Cheshire, coming home over the snowy moors in the fog. I did stop to take in the views (or lack of!) at one point and found a little roadside snowman.

Today I had things to do at home and didn't fancy a walk in the wind but I did head out very briefly to appreciate the snowy landscapes at Home.

I've also made sure there's plenty of food out for the birds too :)


How was your week?

52 Weeks Wild #5

A collection of my wild moments from the past week...

Last Sunday brought a walk up Parkhouse Hill and a bit of snow and mist. I've already written a post about the walk - here - but I'll include a few photos in this post too...

The working week has not been very wild at all... a couple of late finishes at school and well, I guess I was just not in the mood for it this week. I was dreading Friday all week, as I had to spend the morning in hospital for an unpleasant procedure. I had to get up really early, leave the house around 7 and I arrived at 8, just in time to catch the sunrise from the car park...

I wasn't feeling my best this weekend following Friday but did manage a short walk yesterday above the village of Combs (see previous post)...

and this morning I enjoyed the sunshine and misty scenes from home.

A walk from Combs

I wanted to get out for a walk today, whilst the sun was shining, but wasn't feeling my best after a hospital visit yesterday in which I had to have unpleasant things done to me! I didn't head out until the afternoon and a no-indecision-allowed route had been picked from a walk book, a route I hadn't walked before, above Combs.

Starting from the village, I saw my first snowdrops of the year.

This was a slow and steady sort of walk, I wasn't quite up to full strength so ambled through the countryside and slowly uphill.

The first stretch of the route goes through a couple of farms in Allstone Lee.

After crossing a stream, I began a long and quite steep ascent up towards Combs Moss, a grouse moor.

That's the edge of the moor in the distance below.

Looking back towards Combs and Chapel-en-le-Frith, with Kinder in the distance.

The view back towards Chapel and Kinder as I neared the top of the hill...

and below with Combs reservoir to the left...

I made a panorama out of four photos of the view...

Then carried on for the final bit of the uphill stretch. In the first part of the walk I'd seen ravens, grouse and pipit and been surrounded by birdsong, including a couple of song thrushes down by the farms.

On reaching a lane, I turned right, passing the outdoor pursuits centre and made my way down a track
and then along a lane for a little way...

I saw a weasel as I wandered down the lane which was a bonus!  I left the lane and headed across fields, beneath a stony ridge, back towards Combs.

Below is Combs Edge, the edge of the grouse moor and the fields I'd walked up earlier.

The final stretch took me down a track and then I followed a lane back to the village.

This was just a short walk at 4.5 miles but that was plenty for me today whilst in a little pain and feeling sorry for myself!