5th May 2024: Edale - Buxton
Trains to the Hope Valley line were passing through Stockport, which saved me the bother of heading into Manchester before heading out to the Peak District. I was repeating a walk I had done a couple of times before along some quiet paths and valleys.
A few people got off at a busy Edale while I turned my feet south towards Mam Tor. When I got to Mam Nick, rather than going to the summit of the hill, I carried straight on over. It was extremely busy as usual with people parking all over the place. I expected yellow tickets would be fluttering later in the day. I charged peacefully on south past old mine workings before dropping to Peak Forest then entering Dam Dale. My hope had been that the early purple orchids would be out, and I wasn't disappointed.
The same valley is given a number of names along its course. Next after Dam Dale was Hay Dale, above which circling buzzards were being interrupted by unhappy crows.
Then came Peter Dale where they had a nice crop of dandelions.
And finally the tranquil, beautiful Monk's Dale. With all the mosses, ferns and lichens, it can't help but feel like a temperate rainforest. It looked particularly gorgeous in the green sunlight with wildflowers everywhere: bluebells, celandines, wood anemones, red campion, just to name a few. The going underfoot is always hard though, broken ground made of slippery limestone.
The exit of Monk's Dale climbs up a short way, where there were more orchids.
The Angler's Rest in Miller's Dale is one of my favourite Peak pubs so I rarely walk by, even when it's as busy as it was that day. The beer was excellent and I can recommend the food too.
After Blackwell Mill cottages I climbed out of the valley to Cowlow then Woo Dale before finding my way into Buxton via allotments and backstreets to have a pint (or two) in the wonderful Seasons bar.
Total distance: 24km
12th May: Hartington - Middleton - Pikehall - Biggin
This is another regular walk which I always vary by a little as it has so many options. I started from the old station car park before having a look at Hartington Meadows Nature Reserve. Lots of cowslips but nothing else that caught my ignorant eye. From there I crossed the A515 and headed down Green Lane, having a quick look at Green Lane Pit Nature Reserve but not spotting anything much. I took the path by Kenslow Wood where the fields were full of buttercups - my boots were dusted in yellow pollen afterwards.
Eventually I dropped down to Rowlow Brook which becomes the River Bradford by Middleton.
It was busy by the Bradford, whereas the rest of the route was extremely quiet. There were plenty of families with kids running round by the swimming area of the river below Youlgreave. I turned off before this point to go south to Mawstone Farm. There was a splendid patch of bluebells on the open hillside.
And there were more bluebells further along near Rock Farm.
The lower part of Gratton Dale was waterlogged - I remember it as being a seasonal thing but the bypass footpath looks pretty permanent. The valley had plenty of cowslips, bluebells and orchids.
From Pikehall I used the lanes, fields and roads to reach Biggin for a pint at the excellent Waterloo Inn (food recommended again) before the walk through the fields back to the station.
Total distance: 24km
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