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The Peak District – Day 3

The Peak District – Day 3

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The day dawned bright and sunny – but not for long. The cloud soon blotted out the sun although it was still bright.

We drove the few miles to Wetton Mill in the Manifold Valley which meant going over the border from Derbyshire and into Staffordshire although there was little difference in the countryside. We were still on limestone but the ‘dales’ are now called ‘valleys’.

Having parked the car we walked on a path along the Manifold Valley which, like the Tissington Trail, was once the track of a light railway. We started from near this bridge.

Peak District

Within about 500 yards all that water in the river disappears underground through the river bed. There is no discernible hole but disappear it does leaving the river bed virtually dry except for the occasional small pool.

Some way further along the path we caught sight or Thor’s Cave and, before you ask, no we didn’t climb up to it. We were both still recovering from yesterday’s exertions.

Peak District

After walking a few miles we creaked our way back to the car and drove to Alstonefield an attractive little village, typically built of stone in this area, just a few miles from the Manifold Valley.

Peak District

After walking round the village we moved on to Youlgreave back in Derbyshire by which time the sun had started to break through again.

Peak District

Near the church there was a narrow lane which descended the valley side to the bottom of the valley.

Peak District

At the bottom is the River Bradford.

Peak District

We walked along by the river which had Brown Trout swimming in the most amazingly clear water.

Peak District

After climbing back up to Youlgreave and the car we moved on to Arbor Low, an ancient stone circle and our last stop for the day.

I’ll leave you with this picture. Tomorrow we return home.

Peak District

The Peak District – Day 2

The Peak District – Day 2

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We had booked 2 nights in the Biggin Hall Hotel but first thing this morning we decided to extend our stay by another night so now we have all today, all tomorrow and part of Wednesday here.

This morning we walked out of the hotel along the road for a short way and took the public footpath through Biggin Dale.

Peak District

After a couple of miles Biggin Dale joined Wolfscote Dale which, if followed, eventually leads into Dovedale made famous by Isaac Walton. We walked a short distance south and spotted a small cave up the side above us and so scrambled up to have a look. As it turned out it wasn't very interesting but the view from up here was.

Peak District

You can see, at the bottom of the picture, the path that runs along by the river in Wolfscote Dale and it can be seen again in the distance to the right of centre of the picture. You can also see the start of the path that runs up to the cave.

Just below the cave there was a bridge and some stepping stones across the river leading to a very steep path up the other side which probably gave an even better view than that from the cave so we had to have a look. Amanda decided that bridges were for wimps and that she would have to use the stepping stones.

Peak District

Having crossed the river we started up the side, which luckily, had some crude steps cut into the earth. We eventually, after some rests, made it to the top.

Peak District

The dale going off towards the right hand corner of the picture is Biggin Dale, the dale that we had previously walked down. After a good look at the views we started back down.

Peak District

You can see some other people starting up, the bridge and, near what looks like a dead tree, the stepping stones.

After going back across the river we continued south to the junction with another dale and took our last look at Wolfscote Dale before turning east up the new dale.

Peak District

Following the footpath we were heading for the Tissington Trail which would take us back to Biggin. After about a mile we could see Biggin in the distance.

Peak District

We arrived back at our hotel somewhat foot weary but with a sense of satisfaction after a lovely walk.

More tomorrow.

Two churches and a wood.

Two churches and a wood.

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The next wood that we wanted to visit was Blakes Wood, Danbury near Chelmsford in Essex so that was where we were headed this morning but, on the way, we were going to call in to Woodham Walter Church. I have already mentioned this little tudor church in the Blog, with pictures, on 21st August 2006 but this time I went to get a picture of a Tudor doorway inside.

Notice the date of 1563 on the red plaque above the door. Doors of that age aren’t 10 a penny.

It wasn’t long after leaving the church that we arrived at Blakes Wood. One point of interest was an area damaged by the Great Storm of 1987 which has been left just as it was to see how the wood recovers naturally. You should be able to see the damage it did in this small area.

We saw some more Wood Anemonies in a part of the wood that also has a nice little stream.

After walking round the wood back to the car we headed for Ulting Church on the bank of the River Chelmer.

This church is mainly 13th century but what a setting!

This was our final stop and after walking back to the car along the banks of the River Chelmer we arrived back home for a slightly late lunch.

Gloom with a view

Gloom with a view

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Yesterday, Boxing Day, we decided that we needed a walk in the fresh air so we drove to Tollesbury to walk on the sea wall to Shingle Head Point.

The weather was at least dry but the sky was overcast in a uniform grey layer of thick cloud, together with a slight mist, making conditions rather gloomy. It was cold, but above freezing, and there was virtually no wind which is a good thing when one is walking a the sea wall above the salt-marshes with no protection from the weather at all.

The tide was out leaving large expanses of mud exposed and we saw a number of waders (birds) walking about on the mud searching for food. On the other side of the sea wall, on the marshes, there were large numbers of Brent Geese grazing. We could not see them at first but could easily hear them chatting among themselves.

We reached Shingle Head Point and looking across the point could see the town of West Mersea on the other side of the River Blackwater.

West Mersea

You should just be able to see, through the gloom, the light strip of buildings at West Mersea below the tree line.

Turning around and facing inland we could see the buildings at Tollesbury which is where we started. You may notice some barely discernable shapes on the marsh in the distance – grazing cattle.

Tollesbury

Conditions were quite different from when we first did this walk. England is not always sun and blue skies. :smile:

On our way back something must have disturbed the Brent Geese and they took off in two large flocks wheeling around the sky and, eventually, settled back down to where they started.

We, eventually, ended up back where we started and drove home. The weather may not have been wonderful but it's better than sitting in a comfortable armchair in front of a fire isn't it? Well – isn't it? :twisted:

Winter – here we come!

Winter – here we come!

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We are now in November and it is distinctly chilly compared with October’s temperatures. The clocks have also gone back an hour, to Greenwich Mean Time, which means that it now gets dark before 5:30 PM. But look on the bright side – it’s only seven weeks to the shortest day and then the days start to lengthen again.

One has to be selective when taking photographs at this time of year. When the sun is relatively low in the sky all day photographs of streets in towns and villages tend to have very dark shadows on one side and very bright sun on the other making the result unpleasantly over contrasty.

However low sun can produce especially nice pictures in the right location such as this one that I took of Maldon a few days before Christmas one year.

A promenade in the park.

A promenade in the park.

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We have had quite a number of warm, sunny days this September and so it was last Sunday when we went to Maldon.

We walked down to the Hythe Quay where the sailing barges moor and east along the promenade which slowly curves round as it progresses eastwards so I stopped to take this view looking back to the quay where you can see the barges with their tall masts moored alongside. The church is St. Mary’s which is one of Maldon’s churches and dates from Saxon times.

We turned off the Promenade before we reached the end and made our way to the riverside path and headed further east towards Northey Island. This view is from the path looking North across the river towards Heybridge Basin.

We reached the road to Northey Island and went down to the water’s edge. The causeway across to the island was still under water and is accessable only at low tide. It was on this causeway where the Battle of Maldon took place in 991 between the Saxons and the Vikings.

We made our way back along the riverside path and went back through the Promenade Park where I took this last photograph. The masts of the sailing barges can still be seen in the distance.

Another lovely warm September day.

A Sunny September Interlude

A Sunny September Interlude

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It was such a lovely September afternoon yesterday that we decided to take a trip out to St. Peter’s Chapel at Bradwell-on-Sea which is already featured on the web site.

The sunlight had that magical mellow September feel to it and walking from where we parked the car to the chapel the surrounding landscape, complete with blue sky and clouds, looked wonderful.

St. Peter's Chapel

St. Peter’s Chapel started life 1300 years ago as a Saxon cathedral and sits on the banks of the River Blackwater near the site of an old Roman fort and a lot of the building material was taken from that fort.

The river at this point is about a mile wide and we walked the short way across the salt marsh, which was a bit muddy, to the rivers edge (not a particularly bright thing to do when wearing sandals). There was a large area of the shore covered in broken shells of the Common Cockle through which a small stream ran into the river.

Bradwell-on-Sea

Here is a closer look at the chapel.

St. Peter's Chapel

Later that evening, when we were back home, Amanda spotted this in our garden.

Tawny Owl

Only it’s head is visible but it is a Tawny Owl roosting in one of our trees. An unusual sight at this time of day in bright sunlight. It made a nice end to a nice day.