Lathkill Dale & Fern Dale

Another 06:00 am start and it was off up to the top end of Lathkill Dale. It was Ike's turn to drive and it didn't take long to get there. Booted up and through the gate and the first stop was a dew pond to see if there were any newts in it, there was quite a few. We've been through Lathkill Dale a few times but this time we were taking a new footpath that led us into new territory Fern Dale. Fern Dale is a lovely little dale with lots of limestone outcrops with tree's growing out of them. On our trip around we bumped into a chap we had spoken to a couple of years before, his name is Bill Gee and a very knowledgeable man. We had discussions about the local area and Horse drawn funeral carriages of all things.

Route around Lathkill Dale & Fern Dale

The first Dew Pond

Many sheep & lambs

This is one of those Water Boatman insects

Geoff & Ike

Snail

Views of Lathkill Dale

Heading into Manchester

First one this year

Peacock in One Ash Grange Farm

One Ash Grange Farm pond

Ike & Geoff

Breakfast stop

Spotted Magpie Mine way across the valley

Rob, Ike, Bill Gee & Geoff

Trouble getting over the style

All the sheep went running to Rob, they thought they were going to get fed

One of the larger Dew Ponds

Limestone walls

Views of Fern Dale

The ground was carpeted with Celandine

Another Celandine

Found him just as we were coming through the last gate at Lathkill Dale

Another cracking little walk only 3 1/2 miles, through some lovely scenery. We saw a hare, peacock and heard several skylarks and an abundance of lambs plus a meet up with Bill Gee.

Being out in the countryside is good for the soul.

See you next week

Cheers

Jim

Lathkill Dale and One Ash Grange

Four of us together after a few weeks away for various reasons. Geoff decided it was his turn to drive and Rob wanted to go and have a look at a couple of dew ponds for newts. So we set off at 06:00 and headed up to Monyash, we parked up just outside the village and walked through part of the village to the church yard where we set off towards Derby Lane. One of the dew ponds was dry so we pressed on passed Cales Farm and continued to One Ash Farm, this is a medieval farm with a lot of listed buildings including an C18 grade II listed pigsty. From One Ash Grange we headed down Cales Dale, the descent was a bit dodgy on the upper slippery lime stones, Geoff had to be particularly careful. We stopped for breakfast at the junction of Cales Dale and Lathkill Dale just before the wooden footbridge. Very little water in the river Lathkill at this point and none coming out of the Lathkill Head cave. We had a slow walk past Parsons Tor high on the side of the dale and on past the spill from Ricklow Quarry. Before we got to the car there was a little pond to have a look at and it was teaming with newts. Back to the car and off home.

Monyash Church

Ike, Geoff and Rob

Rob

Rob, Me & Ike

Pig Sty One Ash Grange

Pig Sty One Ash Grange

Shrine One Ash Grange

Entrance to the shrine One Ash Grange

Geoff

Breakfast

Orchid

Moth

Not much water in the river Lathkill

Lathkill Head Cave

Lathkill Head Cave

Geoff

Me

Geoff

Rob & Ike looking for newts in the pond

Small pond teaming with newts

Geoffs car ready for the trip home.

 This was a 5 mile walk in mixed weather, it started out with low cloud and we never saw any sun until we were nearly at the end of the walk. Cool at times in the wind but warm in the shelter of the dale. Passed a couple of dew ponds but the best pond for newts was only 100 yards from the car.
A cracking walk thoroughly enjoyed it after the lay off.
See you net week.