Pack Horse Bridges in the Goyt Valley and Three Shire Heads

This week there were only 3 of us, Ike was away on a family holiday. Set off up the A6 as normal at 06:00 ish and went straight to Errwood where we went a few weeks ago. We went past the car park where we stopped on the visit to Errwood Hall and the road from there is one way and little more than a track. The Goyt Valley pack horse bridge was only a mile up the road and we were lucky to find a spot to park off the track. We opened the car door and that's when we thought is this a good idea, within seconds we were being eaten alive by thousands of midges. Being so close to the bridge we decided just to be quick get a couple of pics then off. By the time we had got down the path to the bridge we realised it was a mistake, some quick pics then back up to the car and off. We were still being eaten alive in the car so opened the windows to try and blow the little buggers out. Anyway the next port of call was the road above the Dane Bower Quarry, we pulled into a layby and tried to remove the rest of the midges from our clothes. A chap pulled up in a Range Rover and was going bird spotting he saw our dilemma and gave us a squirt of his midge repellent and this seamed to do the trick.
The object here was to cross the River Dane and circle around to Three Shire Heads and come back on this side of the river.

Goyt Valley Packhorse Bridge. This bridge was previously further up the valley where the Errwood Reservoir  is now.
It was moved around 1963 before the reservoir was finished in 1968

Geoff with his anti-midge protection on. Could this be a world seller!!

This disused chimney is the remains from an 18th century colliery. It is a scheduled monument and is 1 of only 9 left in England. It was for an adjoining furnace that ventilated one of the mine shafts of Danebower Colliery which operated between 1780 and 1880.

Geoff & Rob in one of the Grouse Butts

Me crossing the brook

Geoff and Rob

Some brilliant views on the way to 3 Shire Heads

Me and Rob at Panniers Pool

Panniers Pool

Me taking a long exposure of 3 Shire Heads

This is the result of the long exposure pic

Rob, Geoff & me at 3 Shire Heads

3 Shire Heads and Panniers Pool with the water coming into the River Dane on the left.

The view downstream from the packhorse bridge

2 trail bikers we met, very nice guys.

Looks like this paved walkway across this boggy land has been here for years, we don't know if it was for walkers or mineworkers in the past.

Lots of old buildings around

The chimney on the hill, don't know what these posts were for.

Rob with 3 Shire Heads way off behind those hills

This grouse was making a bit of noise but didn't move when we walked past him.

Curbar Gap & Unidentified Flying Objects

We watched the weather forecast and decided on the morning to head for Curbar Edge. The sheep at the cattle grid entering Chatsworth Park held us up for a bit until Geoff got out of the car to hold them back until we got through. It only took about 45 minutes to get there and we parked up alongside another early bird in a layby near the top of Clodhall Lane.
We walked down the hill to the footpath on the right, this led us through the woods and eventually after a climb up to Curbar Edge.

Chatsworth House cattle grid

Ike checking his engine

An unusual view of Curbar Bridge

These little plants looked great against this rock

Geoff in the woods heading for Curbar Edge

Rob & Ike on top of the world.

The white building is the impressive 7-storey Calver Mill that operated from 1785 to 1920 still stands on the River Derwent to the East of the main village at Calver Bridge, just off the A623. The mill's somewhat austere external appearance allowed it stand as a film-double for Colditz Castle in a film about the prisoner of war camp but it has since been converted to flats and its appearance has now softened considerably.

Ike, Geoff & Rob

Rob getting comfy on the rock

Me, photographed by my bro

Geoff snapping the scenery

This was our breakfast stop

Rob

Some great rock shapes up here.

Geoff in the heather

Is it a bird, is it a plane, no its Bruce's glider.

Bruce and Geoff with his glider above

Glider with Froggatt Edge in the background

Bruce Drysdale with one of his remote controlled gliders

Bruce and his glider in the air

You can just make out Bruce and his glider high up on the edge.

Adam taking notes from the boys

The weather was changeable with black clouds streaming through, blue sky then fluffy whites. At least the rain kept off and in the end it was very nice.
We had a great walk along the edges and on the way back we saw this object in the sky that turned out to be a radio controlled model glider.
The guy controlling it was called Bruce Drysdale and he put on a fantastic show for us. His control over the glider was awesome and when it came close you could here it whistling through the air.
He told us he had one of these gliders kitted out with led lights along the wings and recons the locals in the village below thought it was a UFO.
After our chat to Bruce we went back down the edge to the road where the car was. There was a chap there with a clipboard and he was doing a survey to see what could be done to improve the facilities for walkers. By the time we had finished talking to him i think he was ready for a darkened room and some quiet.
It was a lovely little walk, probably less then 4 miles but the scenery over the Derwent Valley was staggering.
See you next week
Cheers