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