The Barrel Inn to Stoke Ford

Rob was off to a medal fair so there was only 3 of us this week, It was Geoff's turn to drive and he had printed out some maps so we set off up the A6 at 0:600 and parked up outside the Barrel Inn which is on the hill above the village of Foolow. When we set off there had been a lovely sunrise then passing along the A6 towards Whatsstandwell there was some mist hanging about and by the time we got to the Barrel Inn it was raining. It's been a number of weeks now that we haven't had decent weather on a Sunday morning. Geoff had wanted to go to this spot for a while because he's got a picture of his dad on the old bridge at Stoke Ford which was taken probably over 50 years ago. We sat in the car for a while until the rain eased then we decided to go for it. The footpath starts up the side of the Barrel Inn and rises gently up an old green lane, it was very pleasant and quiet apart from a family of yellow hammers that we saw. When we reached the top of the track there were some gorgeous views, on a good day with sunshine and fluffy white clouds there would be some stunning pics. It had been drizzling a bit so i put my big camera away and all this weeks pics are done with my pocket camera. The track then started going downhill through some scrub with sheep about and the odd derelict building. Lower down it was all bracken and then across some open flat fields, through the woods and then eventually down to the little bridge at Stoke Ford. Its all very well coming down hill according to my GPS we had descended over 600 feet, the trouble is we have to now ascend over 600 feet to get back!!!
We had our breakfast at the bridge where a nice young lady came jogging out of the woods and quickly disappeared. We did a few pics and set off back up the hill taking a different route, this again gave us some wonderful views over towards Carl Wark & Higger Tor way off in the distance. From this higher footpath we were able to see the footpath we used on the way down. I dropped my hat a couple of times and Ike very kindly went back to get it for me, well at 69 he is the youngest of us!!

This weeks route from The Barrel Inn to Stoke Ford

Nice green lane

Geoff & Ike

This tree looks a bit windswept 

Sheep with his summer coat

It looks a long way down the bottom of the valley.

Geoff just checking his map

Ike

The rocks on the top are where the footpath is for the way back

Derelict building in the middle of nowhere

Ike & Geoff checking the route

Cracking old bi plane went overhead, they do make a distinctive sound.

A knotted old tree

Geoff on the bridge at Stoke Ford

Looks like a great spot for camping

Geoff, me & Ike

Geoff looking towards Carl Wark & Higger Tor on the horizon

Geoff says take a pic in case this is the last style he will be able to get over

Ike

Thats the old building we passed on the lower path

These are the rocks we saw from the lower path

He's showing off now climbing over a gate.

Lovely wild flowers including this Harebell

Back to the car at The Barrel Inn.

 Despite the weather this was a great little walk, just under 4 miles with some cracking scenery, i will return when there is some better conditions for photographs.
See you next week.