Gardoms Edge and The 3 Men Cairns

This week we found ourselves back at the Robin Hood Car Park although a little later than planned because brother Rob decided to have a lie in. It was Ikes turn to drive and his car was covered in frost before we set off. We wanted to walk along the top of Gardoms Edge and take in the views.

This weeks route

Shiny boot competition

The first thing we did after arriving at the Robin Hood was to see who had the cleanest boots!! I think it was a tie between me, Rob and Geoff.
After leaving the car park its just a couple of hundred yards down the road to the footpath sign, over the style and a steady uphill walk. As we walked up the hill the sun was just rising over the hills at the far side of the valley.

Sunrise from Gardoms Edge

The warm light from the rising sun made the colours in the bracken stand out

This looks very like an old packhorse route up to the edge

When we eventually got onto the track on  Gardoms Edge the views were fantastic

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

Rob, Geoff & Ike

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

Brother Rob on the edge

Me

Me getting ready for take off

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

No its not a modern highwayman on Gardoms Edge, its just Ike

Birch trees everywhere

Sheep's Skull

Sheltered from the wind for our breakfast stop

Magical sun rays through the woods

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

All the views from Gardoms Edge are spectacular

The Three Men are 18th century additions to a Neolithic oval barrow, the outer rim still quite visible. This is the only burial found within the Meg's Walls enclosure.
The 3 cairns are said to commemorate 3 shepherds who died on the moor

Came across this climber trying his luck  on this outcrop close to Gardoms Edge.

Moorside Farm with Birchen Edge in the background.

This was another great walk although only 3 miles we saw some fantastic scenes. We met a photographer taking some serious pics and a climber taking some falls ( 3 while we were there) We found out there are a couple of ancient stone artifacts close to where we have been, so that's a return trip planned to find them.
See you next week

Nelson's Monument to Wellington's Monument

It was my turn to drive this week and we headed north to park up in the Robin Hood near Birchen Edge.
The route this week took us past some familiar places but also onto some new ground that Geoff hadn't even been on.

The route marked in red

It was a nice steady walk up through the lower section of Birchen Edge we passed Nelson's monument and it was a different view from below it for a change. From the top the vista looked like a South African grass plain. The ground was a bit boggy in some places and even though  there isn't a footpath marked there is a couple of slab bridges over the brooks. We walked down to the cross roads then past a couple of old friends the Stoops. Walking past the stoops continued onto Wellingtons Monument, from there down hill through the woods to A621. We found an old pack horse bridge over the Bar Brook where we had our breakfast. After breakfast it was over the road and up through the birch woods with some more great views over towards Baslow. After reaching the top of the woods it was downhill to the Robin Hood.

Debris from the recent wind

Nelsons Monument

Geoff, Rob & Ike

We go this way???

A grand vista

Rob on the slab bridge

The sun just about to rise over the distant hill

Bridge over the Bar Brook

Looking south over Bar Brook

The old stoop

The modern stoop

Another view of the modern stoop

Wellingtons Monument

Geoff  using the trees to navigate down through the steep woodlands

A mini cairn

Lovely leafy path through the woods

It must be a tight squeeze for the sheep 

Breakfast on the old pack horse  bridge.

A small waterfall on the Bar Brook

The Bar Brook with the elevated driveway to the Cupola

Pack Horse Bridge over the Bar Brook

You  just cant see the woods for the trees

Rob & Ike getting tangled up in branches of the tree

Rob looking through the keyhole

View over to Baslow

Rocky outcrop

Moorside Farm with Birchen Edge in the background, you can see Nelsons Monument and the 3 ships  on the horizon.

This was a cracking walk with some unexpected gems turning up. Although the track was muddy in some places it was on the whole surprisingly dry underfoot. Although it was a tad over 4 miles there was quite a lot of ascents and descents especially through some of the steep sided woods. A grand morning out.
See you next week