Glorious Poppy Fields and Curbar Edge

Back from a holiday in Scotland so i joined up with Ike and Geoff for a quick trip up to Bubnell to show them the poppy field. I had been up the day before and thought they might enjoy it. Just the 3 of us, Rob was off to a reptile fair. We set off as usual at 06:00 and it didn't take long before we got parked up right outside the poppy field at about 06:40. There were already a couple of photographers there, one of them Ray a professional snapper had travelled 50 miles just to get pics of the poppies.
We had  wander around the poppy field and then went on to Curbar Edge where we found a sheltered spot from the wind to have our breakfast.

Poppy Field at Bubnell near Baslow

Ike & Geoff

Ike, me and Geoff

The Derbyshire Stoop at the entrance to Curbar Edge car park

Footpath to Baslow Edge

Some heather starting to bloom

The poppy field from Curbar Edge

One of the old unfinished millstones

Breakfast time

Baslow Edge in the background

Curbar village

Geoff & Ike

A Meadow Pipit

Calver Mill

Cracking little catering truck at Curbar Edge car park

 This was a lovely Sunday morning stroll, we were expecting it to be warm but that was a mistake it was quite cool on Curbar Edge with the wind blowing. That poppy field is the biggest field of poppies I've ever seen and with modern farming methods may never see it again.
See you next week.

Curbar Edge and the Old Curbar Horse Trough

First of all apologies for last week, i had other plans and Rob was off medal hunting so there was no trip our and no blog.
There are only 3 of us this week and i had found out about an old horse trough in the village of Curbar so we headed up the A6 and arrived there about 06:40. We parked just beside the horse trough and had a good look at it. This corner of Curbar has the trough and the village well which was the main water supply up until about the 1930's. We drove down onto Curbar Lane and spotted the Pinfold which was restored in 2010. The Pinfold was used to keep stray farm animals overnight until the owner paid to have them released. We decided to go up to Curbar Edge and parked up beside the official car park and walked for a mile or so along the edge. We stopped for breakfast in a lovely spot and when got ready to return to the car we heard a cuckoo and then Ike spotted it some way off, Rob managed to get a shot off on his camera and verified it was a cuckoo, a great sound sadly not heard that often these days.
We walked back to Curbar Gap and crossed over to Baslow Edge where we went to have a look at the information point. From there we called in at Whatstandwell to have a look at the weir just north of the bridge. then we had a short stroll along the Cromford canal before heading back home. On the canal we saw some Perch and Pike as well as several types of water birds with young and a nesting swan. The sun was starting to really burn through and the slight breeze was getting quite warm. All in all a very nice morning. Next Sunday is the Blackbrook community get together and not sure if Ike is coming.
See you next week.

Curbar village well and the circular horse trough

Rob & Ike photographing the trough & well

 The next few pics are general shots along Curbar Edge

Me

Rob & Ike

The profile on the main rock looks like a face

Ike

That's my shadow

Breakfast stop

Rob

Calver Mill below in the valley

The old roman road up through Curbar Gap

Curbar Edge from Baslow Edge

Rob & Ike looking at the information board

Ike pointing again

Curbar Edge in the distance

Rob

Ike

The tree on Baslow Edge next to Curbar Gap

The weir just above Whatstandwell bridge

Mother & babies

Cromford canal

Moorhen on its nest

Swan looking graceful

Same swan all fluffed up

A beautiful morning for a walk but next week i think I'll put my summer walking gear on, i was just overheating a bit. Is summer really here or is nature just giving us a false sense of security.

See yo next week.