Unlikely bedfellows, but Slow Warts can find them especially if they gather at the unlikely car park of the “Elbow” at Midhopestones. Nine of us set off from here along the unforgiving concrete leading to Thickwoods Lane where, to preserve any further damage to bones and joints, we diverted into the soft ground of the Thickwoods themselves. Apart from a few fallen trees and brashings, the wood was not so thick as to hamper progress across to the woodside path and then on to the open moorland.
Our catalogue of Dark Peak curiosities was to be enlarged by a visit to a ruined cabin or sheepfold (it was difficult to tell) on the moor below Pike Lowe but first, a stretch of concrete, including apparently, some unseen wartime underground bunkers, had to be endured before crossing the welcome soft curative bog of Fenny Common Ings. The ruin itself showed some sign of questionably being a cabin but we curious Warts, weren’t sure so it was left unresolved. More visits needed, perhaps?
Ian and the Slow Warts on a steep hill (?) at the ruin. Photos thanks to Ian
(there must be something very massive inside that hill)
And now on the flat at the ruin
We weaved our way through a series of burnt patches of heather to condition us gently for later further jungles of waist high heather, to reach Pike Lowe. It is only visible either from a significant distance away or from within 50m of the top, in between it’s guess work or strict compass use which was used by Ian (W) to arrive before the bogster mob. Thoroughly enjoying ourselves, we dashed through moderate heather over Candlerush (does anybody know the origin of the name?) to the stream for a slower pace in some increasingly challenging (mainly for me) heather. There are few trees on this moor but there is one in Hawthorn Clough and although it doesn’t have a Blue Plaque attached to it, instead, the venerable Slow Warts have named it Tom’s (Westgate) Tree. In due course it is hoped it could set a precedent and be named on a map along with, for example, the Major Oak, unless it is already on a map (?).
After such pondering, we changed from a mainly southerly direction to a northerly one for the return over three or four significant streams and some deep, deep heather. It could have been worse, the original plan was to also visit Fox Stones for an even longer wade through the heather, maybe such delights must be waited for, deferred gratification perhaps? So Sugden Clough was hard won but provided us with a sprint finish opportunity down the soft track through the ex-military and current grouse shooting artefacts. But, the concrete was there later to hammer our (more likely my) bones and joints almost to destruction, after all we must suffer for our art: no pain, no gain?
The cure for all this was a visit to The Plough at Low Bradfield, where there was hardly any room, too many diners (?), nevertheless the rosy glow of the beer allowed us to reminisce on past glories, after all what else can Slow Old Warts do? It had been a splendid two-hour outing enjoyed by all.
Very many thanks to all.
Graham
Our track with thanks to Chris