What we did on Monday
Sep. 2nd, 2005 02:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellarienAugust Bank Holiday Monday was advertised as being relatively fine, with 'perhaps the odd bit of rain', and 'clouds over the hills'. We wanted one last look at the heather, which we had noticed in passing on Saturday was still going strong. Bank holidays restrict most public transport options but do open up the odd new possibility because there are some services that only run at weekends. Hence, the 257, an undersized bus going out to Derwent via the far end of the Burbage Valley -- a location normally only accessible to us on foot after a tramp of at least a couple of miles. The ride was enlivened by the presence of both a lady from the University of Central Lancashire, administering a survey for the bus company, and a ticket inspector.
The plan was to walk along Stanage edge, one of the gritstone edges overlooking the Hope Valley, and then either take the pack horse route down into Hathersage or turn across the moor to Stanage Pole and the Redmires reservoirs and so to Lodge Moor. The views from the edge would have been magnificent, if they hadn't been veiled in rain and cloud. Even as it was, they were impressive, if not really photogenic. It was quite busy, even in those conditions, and the chink of climbing gear sounded from among the rocks of the Edge. By the time the rain we had seen sweeping down from the far end of the valley hit us, it was obvious that the Redmires route wasn't a sensible option. We made for the pack horse road -- narrow, steep, and solidly paved hundreds of years ago -- and ate an uncomfortable lunch standing in the inadequate shelter of a rock overhang.
True to form, the sun was starting to come out by the time we were halfway down the hill.
The way down into Hathersage passes North Lees Hall, believed to be the model for Jane Eyre's Thornfield. It doesn't look quite big enough to me, but it's an interesting old building.
We went on down to the village of Hathersage, and decided to follow the path beside the Derwent back to Grindleford, the next station down the railway line. The sun was glittering brightly on the river by now, and I saw a dipper, recognizable by its plump brown shape and creamy underparts, hopping on the stones. The path was quite busy, and at one stage passed across a meadow containing a herd of cows, some with calves. Unfortunately, some people saw no reason to leash their dogs, and we saw one poor little calf spooked all the way to the far end of the field. Farther on, we paused on a rock in a quiet meadow and spotted what we think was a weasel running across the path -- brown and quick, undulating almost like a squirrel and much too long in the body for a mouse. It didn't, alas, pose with its underparts on display so we could be sure it was a weasel, which has a wavy division between light and dark, and not a stoat, which has a straight one.
Not far from the station is Padley Chapel, another interesting old building. The chapel is housed in the former gatehouse that's all that remains of a sizeable manor house, the foundation-level ruins of which can be seen behind the building. The story is that when Catholics were being persecuted, three priests were seized from the house, where the lord of the manor was sheltering them, and taken away for eventual execution.
The plan was to walk along Stanage edge, one of the gritstone edges overlooking the Hope Valley, and then either take the pack horse route down into Hathersage or turn across the moor to Stanage Pole and the Redmires reservoirs and so to Lodge Moor. The views from the edge would have been magnificent, if they hadn't been veiled in rain and cloud. Even as it was, they were impressive, if not really photogenic. It was quite busy, even in those conditions, and the chink of climbing gear sounded from among the rocks of the Edge. By the time the rain we had seen sweeping down from the far end of the valley hit us, it was obvious that the Redmires route wasn't a sensible option. We made for the pack horse road -- narrow, steep, and solidly paved hundreds of years ago -- and ate an uncomfortable lunch standing in the inadequate shelter of a rock overhang.
True to form, the sun was starting to come out by the time we were halfway down the hill.
The way down into Hathersage passes North Lees Hall, believed to be the model for Jane Eyre's Thornfield. It doesn't look quite big enough to me, but it's an interesting old building.
We went on down to the village of Hathersage, and decided to follow the path beside the Derwent back to Grindleford, the next station down the railway line. The sun was glittering brightly on the river by now, and I saw a dipper, recognizable by its plump brown shape and creamy underparts, hopping on the stones. The path was quite busy, and at one stage passed across a meadow containing a herd of cows, some with calves. Unfortunately, some people saw no reason to leash their dogs, and we saw one poor little calf spooked all the way to the far end of the field. Farther on, we paused on a rock in a quiet meadow and spotted what we think was a weasel running across the path -- brown and quick, undulating almost like a squirrel and much too long in the body for a mouse. It didn't, alas, pose with its underparts on display so we could be sure it was a weasel, which has a wavy division between light and dark, and not a stoat, which has a straight one.
Not far from the station is Padley Chapel, another interesting old building. The chapel is housed in the former gatehouse that's all that remains of a sizeable manor house, the foundation-level ruins of which can be seen behind the building. The story is that when Catholics were being persecuted, three priests were seized from the house, where the lord of the manor was sheltering them, and taken away for eventual execution.
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| North Lees Hall, near Hathersage Said to be the original of 'Thornfield' in Jane Eyre |
A bit of stray architecture Near the Derwent river at Hathersage |
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| Padley Chapel, Near Grindleford |
Honeysuckle, near Grindleford |