Walk Around Calver & Bubnel

Just 3 of us this week, Ike was on Christening duty. We went up the A6 and parked outside the school in the lay by at Calver. This was a route none of us had been on so we were looking forward to it. We diverted slightly to have a look at these lovely little cottages just off the main road. Back on track we just followed the footpaths on the map. Unfortunately there was a lot of muddy tracks about just like last week. There was an initial climb up a muddy track and i managed to slip in the mud and skidded about 6 feet back down the hill. After we got to the top it was a lovely level track with some good views. Rob was in front and he heard a bird of prey sound and when he looked over the wall there was a pheasant amongst a load of feathers still twitching. Looks like something had just attacked it. We met an interesting chap out with his dog who had moved into the area and had a good natter with him. We stopped for breakfast in an area sheltered from the wind then carried on until we hit a road. WE spotted an odd looking stone structure in a field and still not sure what it is for. From there we just followed the track which was muddy again past Bubnell Hall then onto Calver. When we got to a small bridge Rob and myself gave our strong walking sticks (Rob had cut them from a hazel) to a young Chinese couple and he insisted on taking our picture. Back to the car and off home.

lovely old cottages in Calver

A shed with En Suite

Snowdrops

Rob

Some nice houses

Rob & Geoff

Calver Mill (AKA Colditz)

Geoff & Rob

Geoff in a tunnel 

Dead pheasant

This pipe through the wall Rob thinks its to let badgers through.

Fabulous gate covered in moss

More mud

We're not sure what this stone structure is for.

Old barn

Bubnell Hall with Baslow behind

This looks like the remains of a dwelling of some sort.

Mandarins

A well

Geoff negotiating even more mud

Calver bridge

The Bridge Inn at Calver.

 A cracking walk just over 5 miles along a new route for us and we might revisit in the summer.
See you next week.

Walk Around Winster and Clough Wood

We decided to go for a village walk today because we said it would be damp and muddy, so Winster was picked and looked forward to a nice walk around the village on level compact surfaces. It was my turn to drive and we parked up in a free car park on the outskirts of the village. After we got booted up we walked onto a footpath that led us straight onto a sloping muddy track, so that was that!!!
It started off going downhill then across a stream then uphill through some rough pastureland into Clough Wood. We climbed through Clough Wood then dropped down to the stream again, after that it was a steady slog uphill for more than 300 feet, very tiring
When we got to the top of the hill we came across one of those Eco homes with a grass roof. From there we dropped down into Wensleydale and back along the road to the car at Winster.

Route around Winster

Rob messing about

Geoff reborn!!!

Ladder and chair up a tree, Rob says its something to do with the deer.

Geoff

Me, walking up a mud track

Geoff

Ike & Rob

Geoff

Geoff in the mud

Fungi

Geoff talking to a dog walker in the woods

Rob, Ike and Geoff

Geoff

This is the remains of Watts Shaft Engine House for the Old Mill Close Mine near Wensley.
We had our breakfast here.

Ike on top of the shaft

On the 300 foot climb to the top of the hill

This is all you see of the Eco house 

The house from the front

Heading down to the main road with Wensleydale in the distance.

Half naked lady taking a bath

On the way back into Winster the fields are covered in old lead mine workings.

This was only just over 3 1/2 miles but it was a lot of ups and downs in muddy conditions. The mist didn't lift all morning but we still enjoyed it.
See you next week