Out & About: Stoops on Big Moor

Monday 29 August 2011

Stoops on Big Moor

It was back up to the moors this week to track down some of the elusive stoops.
Parked on the A621 close to the first stoop which was only about 100 yards up the track.

Geoff checking exposure

After finding the first stoop it was off looking for the disused Barbrook Reservoir.

Barbrook Res

Helping hand over the barbed wire

The first stoop was the largest and the next on the list is definately the smallest.

Rob brought his little friend

Eagle!!!

We went back towards Barbrook Res and then continued south until we stopped to have breakfast on an old bridge.
The next problem was getting accross the brook, fortunately Rob spotted a flat rock which only needed a small jump to get over to the other side.

JIm on the Barbrook Bridge!

It was a steep climb up to the next stoop and on the way i dropped one of my lenses from my pocket. Lucky for me Geoff spotted it.

Uphill from Barbrook

When we reached the stoop we could see another stone about 200 yds away and went to have a look. This turned out to be an aiming post, from that we could see others.
These would have been invaluable to travellers, especially in bad weather or snow.

Aiming Post

Another aiming post in B/W

Push harder !

Rob & Geoff went off to have a look at the next one which turned out to be a small cairn.

Robs pic of the cairn on Big Moor

Ike needs a stick now!!

Ike set off back to the car the same route we came, but we 3 decided to take a short cut.
BIG MISTAKE
It didn't look that far but unfortunately there was a big gully and brook between us and the track on the other side of the valley.
So we slowly went down to the barbrook 200 feet below, Geoff slid down some of it on his backside. crossed over the brook and climbed about 100 feet up to the track.