History, The Dark Peak, The Peak District1 Comment

Millstones on the Moors

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Autumn and winter are great times to see the many abandoned millstones that are scattered beneath the famous gritstone edges of the eastern Dark Peak.  During the summer months these iconic features tend to be hidden from view by bracken which grows prolifically in the area. Millstone production, along with lead mining was one of the main medieval industries of the Peak District and the two main centres of production were above Hathersage and Baslow.  Production is believed to have started as early as the 14th century, reaching its peak in the late 16th and 17th centuries.  It was a huge … Continue reading Millstones on the Moors

The Peak District, Wild Flowers and TreesLeave a comment

Fantastic Fungi

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At this time of year, walk into any woodland in the Peak District and you are likely to find a wide variety of fungi.  Here are a few of the specimens that we found today amongst the trees and grassland on the side of Woodlands Valley near to Ladybower Reservoir. We have attempted to identify some of the fungi, but if there are any experts out there who could help us by identifying, clarifying, or verifying, your comments would be most welcome!  Continue reading Fantastic Fungi

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Fox Moth Caterpillars

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Yesterday we ascended Kinder Scout from it’s North East side and the vegetation was covered with dozens of Fox Moth caterpillars.  We had to be careful to avoid treading on them.  These caterpillars enjoy sunbathing and I think yesterday they were making the most of the autumn sunshine. The Fox Moth lives on moorland and grassland, and the moth is a buff brown colour with two pale wavy stripes on each wing.  Continue reading Fox Moth Caterpillars

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Kinder Downfall – Going Up!

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   This wonderful photograph was taken by one of our customers on our walk on Kinder Scout last Sunday.   Kinder Downfall is the tallest waterfall in the Peak District, with a 30-metre fall.  It lies on the River Kinder, where it flows over the edge of Kinder Scout.  Although usually little more than a trickle in summer, after heavy rain it is quite impressive.  Last Sunday there was a strong wind which funnelled up the clough and the water was blown back up as it started to descend.     We could feel the resulting cloud of spray from a long way back … Continue reading Kinder Downfall – Going Up!

History, The Dark Peak, The Peak District, Wild Flowers and TreesLeave a comment

The wonders of Stanton Moor

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Yesterday we enjoyed a short walk onto Stanton Moor from the village of Birchover.  As well as being carpeted in beautiful purple ling heather, there are also a wealth of interesting features on the moor to marvel over.  Stanton Moor is believed to have once been a very special place to our ancestors.  In Bronze age times the landscape would have been very different with fertile farmland, and timber roundhouses scattered over the area.  Evidence has been found all over the moor of field boundaries, burial mounds, and stone circles.  The best known stone circle is the Nine Ladies.  Local legend … Continue reading The wonders of Stanton Moor

The Dark Peak, The Peak District, Wild Flowers and Trees3 Comments

Three types of heather on the moors

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This morning our ‘Nature Walk’ took us onto the Peak District moorland along Burbage Edge and across the beautiful Burbage Basin. It is a wonderful time to be walking on the moors as the heather is just beginning to come into flower.  It will be a few weeks yet however before it is at its best. There are three types of heather in the Peak District.  Ling Heather is by far the most common and it is the Ling Heather that gives the impression of our hills and moorlands being carpeted in purple.  Less common is the Bell Heather which has … Continue reading Three types of heather on the moors

History, Local Customs and Folklore, The Dark Peak, The Peak DistrictLeave a comment

The village stocks

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As you can see, we had a bit of fun recently on one of our group guided walks!  The village of Litton is one of several in the Peak District that has retained its village stocks.  Whilst there was great hilarity over our antics on the recent walk, in years gone by the stocks were a serious form of punishment.  The types of crime that might result in a day or two in the stocks included:  swearing; drinking in the pub during the hours of a church service; gambling on a Sunday; or even refusing to help out with the harvest.  … Continue reading The village stocks

The Peak District, The White Peak, Wild Flowers and Trees2 Comments

Spring Flowers in Deepdale

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Yesterday was our first ‘Spring Flowers’ walk of the year and what a treat we had in Deepdale and Great Shacklow Wood! Deepdale is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the rich variety of flora that thrive in its limestone soils.  It is owned and managed by the charity Plantlife International.  There are said to be over a million Cowslips in the dale.  We didn’t count them yesterday!  Having seen the carpet of delicate yellow flowers up the side of the valley though, I can well believe it. Early Purple Orchids were also out, and other pretty … Continue reading Spring Flowers in Deepdale

Birds, The Dark Peak, The Peak District, Wild Flowers and Trees, WildlifeLeave a comment

A wonderful walk!

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Eyam Moor Every year the Peak District Tourist Board organise a two week long walking festival in the Peak District and today was our first walk in the 2011 festival.   On a beautiful sunny day we walked from Hathersage, over the stepping stones over the river Derwent where we saw some newly hatched ducklings.  Then up onto Offerton Moor and Smelting Hill, with a wealth of spring flowers to see on the way, including at lower levels bluebells, wood anemones, celandine, and wild primroses.  As we got higher onto the moorland, the bilberries were in flower along with cowberries and of course gorse … Continue reading A wonderful walk!

Birds, Conservation and Environmental Issues, History, The Dark Peak, The Peak District, Wild Flowers and Trees, WildlifeLeave a comment

Heather Burning

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They have started burning the heather on the peakland moors.  It has been customary for centuries to burn small patches of heather during the early part of the year.  This started in the days when grouse shooting was important to the local economy.  To thrive, Red Grouse need a mixture of different heights of heather and low growing plants.  They nest in the older deep heather and feed on the new shoots of young heather.  As these birds never travel very far from their birth place, the buring of heather in small patches ensures that they always have the right mixture of … Continue reading Heather Burning