Alport Castles

Still in the grips of winter, there had been another heavy snowfall a few days earlier and I was itching to get out and walk amongst it 

I’d recently purchased some Grivel Spider spikes for about £27 and I was hoping I’d get the opportunity to try them out, they’re not the full crampon, but I was hoping this would be a cheaper alternative.

I was looking for an easy route to walk on without any risks as conditions could be tricky to walk in. It was a bitterly cold weekend and the roads weren’t great so I opted for the Peak District again. 

But this time I was heading to a place I hadn’t been before, Alport Castles.

It was an 11.3 miles walking above Alport Dale.

Driving along the A57 Snake Pass is a stunning drive, the sun was out, the sky was blue and the hills were white with snow. As I approached Ladybower Reservoir, looking at the valley full of pine trees reminded me of somewhere like Canada. I had my music high and I felt brilliant, I couldn’t wait to get out there.

I parked along the Ladybower Reservoir at the Bridge End car park. From here I was straight into the woods of Hagg Side and a fairly well trodden path was in front of me. However the hard snow got a little deeper as I gained height and made the ascent just that bit harder.

Once out of the woods at ‘Open Hagg' excellent views of Kinder Scout and beyond could be seen. Although I couldn't see the Snake Pass road though Haggtor Coppice, I could certainly hear the traffic on it.

I made my way towards Woodcock Coppice and a gentle ascent up to Rowlee Pasture.

The wind was bitterly cold, and had whipped up leaving some fields bare while forming deep snowdrifts elsewhere as it became more exposed from here.The walking was varied, from clear paths to deep snow fields.

I decided to try my new Grivel Spider spikes. Probably not the ideal conditions but I thought it will give me an idea of how they perform. I found them difficult to put on under my boot, and not obvious which way round they go. Once on I found them very uncomfortable, sitting in the mid boot, in front of the heel. I also found they moved about no matter how tight I pulled the straps. They were also balling up with snow, so I removed them after a short time as they weren't needed and more of a problem on than off. I was unimpressed.

Whitefield Pits and the route ahead

Looking back at Whitefield Pits

A bit of wind protection needed

I was soon passed Whitefield Pits and looking at the magnificent gritstone cliffs overlooking Alport Castles. These rock formations were caused by huge landslides, leaving these gritstone castle like formations standing alone, the largest of these was named ‘The Tower’ 

The Tower

Gritstone Cliffs, home to Peregrine falcons

The bird hide

The cliffs here at Alport Castles are home to Ravens and Peregrine falcons and a bird hide has residents overlooking the site. Continuing on beyond the high cliffs across moorland I pass a dead sheep, clearly a victim of the recent harsh weather.

The poor sheep shows an unforgiving nature

An exposed landscape 

My target was the trig point on Westend Moor which is just over 500m the highest point of the day. The trig pillar was about the only shelter in this exposed part of the Peak District and was a good spot to have a break as I was just under halfway through the days walk.

Trig point on Westend Moor

I now backtracked a short distance back to Alport Castles through some deep drifts. I then picked up the path heading northeast descending into Fagney Plantation.

Descending down into Fagney Plantation

Its a beautiful little wood, and the snow glistening in the sunshine just made it that bit more rewarding. The woodland path took me to the reservoir perimeter road, from here it was a 4 mile walk along Howden, Upper Derwent and Ladybower Reservoirs back to the car.

It was a great walk in the snow, the weather, although cold was beautiful. I only saw a hand full of people all day. Alport Castles is a stunning little gem, tucked away from the many, to be enjoyed by the few.

Kinder Scout

Keeping the winter walking going into February I was back out, this time up Kinder Scout.

The route I am taking is from Hayfield, passing Kinder Reservoir, then William Clough up to the Kinder Plateau. I’ll be making my way along the western side of Kinder, passing Kinder Downfall on the way to Kinder Low, skirting Brown Knoll, and around Mount Famine before making my way back to Hayfield.

It was a cool dry February day, It was bright with high clouds. There had been some snowfall the previous week but most of it had melted away, apart from pockets on the plateau.

I parked on Kinder Road, just before Bowden Bridge car park in Hayfield. Plenty of free parking here, and once changed into boots and geared up, I headed out just like the 400 or so protesters did in 1932 as part of a mass trespass to change legislation so the general public had the right to roam mapped access land.

Looking back down the steep cobbled path by Kinder Reservoir

The early stage of William Clough

William Clough is a little adventure in it's self, criss crossing the stream for time to time as the path changes from one side to the other. At some stages a path appears on both sides.

It often strikes me how quiet and peaceful this clough is, with only the running waters of the stream breaking the silence.

Gaining height now, and a sighting of snow above

Looking back down William Clough

Arriving at the crossroads of Wiliam Clough and the Pennine Way

Looking south east along my planned route

It's a bit of a steep climb to ascend this last section of the path onto Kinder Scout, and I had a bit of snow to negotiate.

The snow was pretty solid, so using the existing boot steps, climbing was made easier

Pockets of snow on the plateau path

Arriving at a partly frozen Kinder Downfall

Check out the walkers on the far side for scale

Looking down to Kinder Reservoir from Kinder Downfall

Looking back at the western side of Kinder, and the ground I've just covered

Kinder Low trig point 633m

One of the more deeper snow drifts

Having left Edale Cross, I was now on a path to Mount Famine

Mount Famine

Nearing the end of the 10 mile walk

Bleaklow

I returned to Bleaklow again in January, having recovered from my Welsh wash out at Aber Falls in December. I was walking almost the same route that I had done back in October. This time I was taking Andy to the crash site along with the other postcard attractions of the Hern Stones Wain Stones, and Bleaklow Head.

Although Aber Falls wasn’t the best experience I’ve had, it was experience gained, and in a funny way it has given me more confidence. 
I also felt it was time to invest in better gear, so a new black Berghaus soft shell jacket was purchased to replace my old red Sprayway jacket. And a pair of Rab Baltoro gloves were bought as well.

  

It was a bit colder now in mid-winter but still an excellent day. Again heading up Doctor’s Gate from Old Glossop before branching off to Higher Shelf Stones along Crooked Clough. 

Andy taking his own photo's 

Having left the trig point at Higher Shelf Stones, I found the crash site straight away heading NE without problems. Andy throughly appreciated the experience and was quite moved, as I was on my first visit to the crash site.

We were experiencing sub zero temperatures, so Andy and I needed to keep moving in the cold sharp wind. The ground was frozen and much easier to walk than in October, so we soon found ourselves at Bleaklow Head having negotiated the deep peat hags and passed Hern Stones and the Wain Stones.

Sadly this would be my last walk with Andy for some time as a back injury would keep him off the hills for a good while.