No, not a selection of eccentric Slow Warts, although, admittedly most of us do have some interesting quirks, but three unconnected landscape features Andy thought were worth visiting. Like young men aspiring to better things in a newly opened America, we, but not young men, went west mainly with hopes of only surviving the weather, forecast to be heavy rain and a feels like temperature down to about 5⁰C. We were also in dangerous country, only a couple of miles from the border with slippery polished limestone. We do live dangerously.
Our fourth “curiosity” was our car park under the arches of the Barber Booth railway viaduct, especially chosen for us to change in the dry after the run, though, otherwise, a cold rain shower might have been welcomed by the hardier and Spartan like Slow Warts, (there are some). In a continuation of last week’s run around Bradfield way, we started on road and then track with the presence of Horsehill Tor towering impressively over us and taunting us to climb it, if we could or dared. We were up for the challenge as we left the bunkhouse to go up the left-hand side of the clough. Bob, who was making a welcome return to our group, advised going up the mainly bracken free right-hand side but, instead, we continued up through the heavy bracken on the left; it was good for the soul!?
Having enjoyed the deep bracken and the steep climb (what a combination), we reached bracken-free moorland within sight of our first curiosity, the cairn. Tim has checked up on its origin, a memorial to John Charles Gilligan erected for the National Trust with the final line appropriately being “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills………..”
Even in the rain, there was a splendid view of the Edale Valley which tempted us to continue around the edge on a grand ramble (see the track) to find the elusive second curiosity, a ruined cabin which is not too far from the flagstones of the path from Brown Knoll.
We were now ready to descend to the third curiosity a ruined sheepfold quite deep in Roych Clough where Chris’s attempts at rebuilding it were less than successful.
It’s always cathartic to face difficulties and overcome them, this time the combination of wind and rain both against us and coming from the south east provided the difficulty plus the climb but we persevered passing the Cowburn Tunnel Airshaft, which I suppose is another curiosity bringing the total to five. It was relief to head down into the Edale valley though, we couldn’t avoid the very wet bracken which provided us with a complete bracing shower. Quite a long sprint via Tim’s special short cut took us to the viaduct arches where it wasn’t raining! It was inevitable that we would go to the nearest pub, the welcoming Rambler where Bob’s latest novel The Last Crow was unveiled to us. Our outing of 2 hours 20 minutes was probably the last daylight outing unless we have another early one like today’s. A splendid outing, thanks to all.
Graham
