Rime ice on the rushes

On a very cold walk along Stanage Edge today, I marvelled at the rime ice that had formed on the rushes and other vegetation. Rime ice is the white curst that builds up on the windward side of objects in exposed areas, thereby showing the direction that the wind has been blowing in. Continue reading Rime ice on the rushes

The Boxing Gloves

All around the top edge of Kinder Scout there are fascinating gritstone rock formations. On our walk today along the northern edge of the mountain, we passed these.  They are known as ‘The Boxing Gloves’.  If you use your imagination a little, you can see a face with gloved, raised hands up in front of it. Whether you think they look like a man with boxing gloves on or not, it’s a really beautiful place! Continue reading The Boxing Gloves

Harry Hut on Chunal Moor

Chunal Moor is a beautiful area of high, heather covered moorland in the Dark Peak with paths leading onto it from two points on the A624 between Hayfield and Glossop, and from Mill Hill. Upon studying the Ordnance Survey map, you will see the highest point on the moor is named Harry Hut. So who was Harry and where is his hut? Well, it appears that no-one knows! There is certainly no hut there now, but there are a few loose rocks around the trig point, so maybe Harry did build some kind of shelter there many years ago. What … Continue reading Harry Hut on Chunal Moor

The Sleeping Dragon

Our walk yesterday took us over five small hills in the area of the upper Dove valley, one of which was Chrome Hill.  From my photo, it’s easy to see why is it known locally as ‘The Sleeping Dragon’. The classic walk over Chrome Hill is to ‘walk the dragon’s back’ which is exactly what we did.  Stunning views can be enjoyed from the ridge back up the valley towards the moorlands of the Dark Peak to the north, and looking south down the Dove Valley over White Peak countryside towards Parkhouse Hill, Hitter Hill, and High Wheeldon. You can … Continue reading The Sleeping Dragon

The Queens Chair

If you’re out walking on The Roaches on the Staffordshire side of the Peak District and you fancy a sit down, you couldn’t go far wrong by stopping for a rest at The Queen Chair! This is a seat with a fabulous view!  It’s carved out of the gritstone on the edge of a cliff, and above the seat is a plaque declaring that the Prince and Princess of Teck visited the site on Aug 23rd 1872.  Apparently Sir Phillip Brocklehurst of Swythamley, a wealthy local landowner invited the royal pair. The Prince was a minor German aristocrat and the Princess … Continue reading The Queens Chair