Middleton Top to Harborough Rocks on the High Peak Trail

A quick decision this week and we were off to Middleton Top Engine House for a walk along the High Peak Trail to Harborough Rocks. It was a lovely fresh morning and still quite  dark when we pulled into the car park, the ticket machine was out of order so that was a relief. /we got booted up and set off towards H- Rocks. The track follows the old railway and is a solid surface with a few puddles here and there but generally good going. Its also quite flat until you hit the Hopton incline 1:14 which is the steepest railway incline in England according to the information board.
We went past the old boiler buried in the embankment and then at the top of the incline we had a look at Hopton Cottage which was an old railway building and for a few years in the 90's was HQ for the White Peak Astronomical Observing Group which i am one of the founding members. The track took us past the wind turbines on Carsington Pasture and onto Harborough Rocks where we had a wander up to the cave where we could see the ancient burial mound of Minninglow.
We had our breakfast there and then had a slow walk back.to the car.

Along the High Peak Trail

Dawn light at Middleton Top car park

This old boiler laying down on the embankment by the track side is rumoured to be the remains from Sheep pasture Incline engine house. The area was known for its shortage of water and regular tenders use to come up by train to top up stored water for the use of engines.

Ike, Geoff and Rob looking at the old boiler

First glimpse of the wind turbines

Hopton Cottage

Perfect synchronisation 

An odd style

Wind turbines on Carsington Pasture

On the trail

Harborough Rocks

Minninglow in the distance

Breakfast at the cave

Shadows looming out of the dawn

Old and new windmills together spanning the technologies 

We think this is a sheep on the top and a railway Frog cast in the block.

Don't know what this is for.

Hopton Tunnel

Redhill quarry nature reserve

Geoff

Back at the car park

 It was dark when we got there but we got the best light of the day again (after the sun eventually came up) with some lovely low warm glows casting long shadows. The walk was about 4 1/2 miles on a good surface, sometimes it was blowing a bitter cold wind and other times quite pleasant.
See you next week.