Birchen Edge & lord Nelson

After missing a couple of weeks with holidays and other activities it was back down to business. Only 3 of us today with brother Rob off medal hunting again. With the sunrise now coming later (07:10) this morning we opted for a later start so we set off at 07:00 and zoomed up the A6 through Chatsworth Park and turned right at Baslow roundabout and parked in the RSPB car park beside the Robin hood. We took the low route which has a steady incline to the top of Birchen Edge. On the way up there were some lovely views and the sun broke over the edge in front of us shining down through the Birch trees. When we got to the top we were very close to the trig point and we could see Nelson's monument and his 3 ships. A nice steady walk to the monument and 3 ships taking a few photos when we got there.  The monument consists of a gritstone column with a ball on top. It was erected in 1810 by a local businessman in honour of Lord Nelson. The 3 ships are nearby boulders which have been carved with the names of three of Nelson's ships: Victory, Defiance and Royal Soverin. We wandered further down the track and found a suitable area to have our breakfast. We packed up ready to move when this couple came over and started chatting, they had come onto the edge looking for a stag. In fact we had heard it bellowing but didn't realise what it was. They went off in search of it and we carried on back towards the car park. Unusually we passed a few more people just coming onto the edge, on Sunday mornings we normally see very few folks about. We had a warning that the path down from the edge was quite steep which proved to be the case. Geoff in particular struggled a bit there were some very large boulders to clamber over. We just took our time and eventually got back to the car. 

Edensor in Chatsworth Park

It looked like frost but it was just a heavy dew

A memorial Oak tree on the path up to the edge

Quite a few fungi about

The sun bursting through the trees

Ike

Nelson's Monument 

These huge blocks just look like they've been put there

Ike

Geoff

Ike & Geoff at the trig point

Geoff photographing Nelson's monument

Geoff with the 3 ships behind him

Geoff starting to descend

Butterfly in Geoff's garden

A very short walk where we have been several times before but still enjoyable and nice to get out with the gang on Sunday morning.

Nelson's Ships & The Stardisc.

We had a couple of guests this week, Geoff's daughter Sally with her son Sam and partner Brian joined us while brother Rob went over to the dark side and deserted us for a trip up to Doncaster.
We had a  07:00 start and set off north in 2 cars to arrive at The Robin Hood car park just under Birchen Edge. It was quite windy and damp as we set off up the footpath towards the higher level on Birchen Edge. There was a spectacular view on the way up overlooking the golf course with a rainbow visible in the distance. Its quite a steep ascent up to the edge with several large steps which is a worry for Geoff and his knee's but at 76 years of age he took it all in his stride.
Once on the top we headed towards our objective and that was The 3 Ships and Nelson's Column, with Brian having been in the navy we thought it might be something he would enjoy. After taking a few photo's around the monument and rocks we went back down to the car park where we had our breakfast. After a breakfast break we called in to the Stardisc at Wirksworth on the way home. It was very windy up there but there were some lovely views to photograph.

Lovely rainbow on the horizon

First glimpse of Nelson's Monument

Nelson's Monument sitting above Birchen Edge
Derbyshire had its Nelson’s Column only five years after Trafalgar, while Londoners had to wait a further thirty for theirs! This gritstone column stands 12ft high on rocky Birchen Edge overlooking Baslow in the Derwent Valley, 1,000ft above sea level. A simple gritstone obelisk, it was erected in 1810 by John Brightman, a Baslow man

Sally in photo mode

Nelsons Monument

These three pieces of exposed and weathered gritstone are named after three ships in Lord Nelson's fleet -  Victory, Defiant and "Royal Soverin" (yes, that's how it is carved in the rock)

Ike & Geoff

Sally, Sam, Brian, Jim & Ike

Brian, Geoff, Sam, Sally and Ike

Sam just sheltering from the wind.

The trig point on Birchen Edge

Heading back down the footpath from the edge

It might be poisonous but it looks like something has had a nibble at it.

Geoff chatting to a nice young lady.

Not exactly sure what this is but wouldn't risk eating it

Oh dear, Sally got her locks caught in the branches of a tree.

Geoff and his daughter Sally.

This is the view from the platform above the Stardisc. You can just make out the chimney at Middleton Top engine house above the quarry.

The Stardisc at Stoney Wood in Wirksworth

Sally & Jim at the Stardisc

Sally looking for her star sign

Geoff photographing the nameplate on the WPAOG sponsored seat.

This was another cracking day out and the weather turned good in the end. The Stardisc was somewhere that Geoff had never been to and i think he was quite impressed. I think Sally, Brian and Sam enjoyed it and i hope it gave them a memorable day.
Cheers