Out & About

Sunday, 24 November 2019

Birchen Edge in the Mist

We all set off in Robs car in the dark at 07:00 and ended up in the National Trust Robin Hood car park. Booted up and headed onto Birchen Edge. It was a lovely walk up through the silver birch tree's. There was a lovely soft mist and the bracken was absolutely glowing with some of the greens almost fluorescent. Sorry for the overload of bracken and tree shots but every step seamed to give me more and better scenes. We got onto the top of Birchen Edge and the mist was a bit denser up there but it didn't take long to get to the Three Ships and Nelsons Column. The 3 rock formations have the names of 3 of Nelsons ships engraved on them, Victory, Royal Soverin and Defiant. The column was apparently erected in 1810 which is 30 years before Nelsons column in Trafalgar Square.
We continued along to the trig point then down off the edge and found somewhere for our breakfast.
After breakfast it was a nice slow walk back along under the edge back to the car.

This weeks route on Birchen Edge

Geoff rock climbing

First glimpse of Nelsons Monument and the Three Ships

The Three Ships, Victory, Defiance and Royal Soverin

Rob in front of Nelsons Monument

Geoff, Ike & Rob

Breakfast time

A great little walk this, first outing for my new boots and they were great. We have been up here before but not in these conditions. With the soft mist the bracken was a gorgeous golden bronze colour and it frequently was growing alongside the silver birches and bright green mosses.

See you next week

Sunday, 17 November 2019

The Derbyshire Reservoirs

The four of us today had a quick trip up to see the Ladybower plugholes and the water pouring over Derwent Dam. It was my turn to drive and we set off at 06:30 in the mist and it didn't let up all the way. It took just over an hour to get there and we parked in the lay by just in front of the dam. A quick shot of the east plughole then a walk across the dam to the west plughole. Both of them were overflowing and the noise was quite loud. The mist was still hanging around and it was raining, although it was pre sunrise there was not a sign of any decent light in the sky.
We got back to the car then went further on over the Ashopton bridge and up the side of Ladybower until we got to our usual parking spot there just before the Fairholmes car park. We got booted up and walked up the east side and got some shots of the water flowing over the dam wall. We were soaking wet so decided to go back and sit in the bus shelter for our breakfast. Then a quick stroll up to the top of the west side of the dam and the monument to Tip the dog.