Walk 1.
Tittesworth Reservour from the Red Lion in Leek Thursday 13th October 2022.
The start of our walk today.
The Roaches, Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks
We always knew Ed likes playing games!
Tittesworth Reservoir from the road bridge to Meerbrook.
Distant views of Suttlingsloe.
Brindley Water Mill, Leek.
The path leading to Wolfscote Dale from Hartington.
Switching sides of the Dove,
A patient Grey heron.
A Dipper on he Dove.
A Dipper on he Dove.
Wolfscote Dale.
Biggin Dale.
Drinks stop in Biggin Dale.
Leaving Biggin Dale on the ay to Hartington.
The green track leading to Hartington.
Hartington Hall (YHA).
Enjoying refrteshments in the Devonshire Arms, Hartington.
Enjoying refrteshments in the Charles Cotton, Hartington.
Tittesworth Reservoir from our lunch spot.
Distant views of a Chinnook heicpter.
Rabbit feeding by the Tittesworth Reservoir,
Distance: 8.0 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Time: hours 0 minutes. O the move walking vrage 2.6m.p. Overall walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17.2 Celsius, although it felt a lot warmer in the sunshine.
Beaufort Wind Force: 0 - 1. Calm to light air, occasionally reaching 3.2 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
We arrived at the apartment in Leek at 10-35, five minutes after the time we were allowed to go in.
After taking all our gear into the apartment, we set off from the Red Lion in Leek on the first of our walks.
The route description was pretty good, although it wasn't clear as we approached the entrance of the Leisure Centre, but it wasn't long before we were back on track.
Just after Wardle Barn Farm we got our first views of The Roaches, Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks, reminding some of us of the days we had enjoyed walking over them.
The shock of the day was seeing how low the water level was in the Tittesworth Reservoir, it being only just over 25% full.
The facilites at the Visitor Centre and surrounding area have much improved - I now know why my water bills are so high!
Another surprise as we had lunch was seeing a Chinnock helicopter flying over the reservoir.
Throughout the rest o the walk we had good distant views of nearby hills and even Shutlingsloe.
Birds seen or heard today included: anada goose, Mute swan, European robin, Mallard, Rook, House sparrow and Common blackbird.
A good start to our three days in Leek, later celebrated with a pint or two of Hartington Bitter at the friendly characterful Wilkes Head in Leek.
Walk 2
The Great White Shark.
The start of our walk in Longnor.
Distant views of the main objective of the walk today.
The trig point on Sheen Hill - only to look at, not bagged!
Approaching the site Pilsbury Castle.
Who's that on Pilsbury Rok.
Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hiil as we descended Hitter Hill.
Resting on Parkhouse Hill.
I don't like the look of that!
It's great to be on a grassy slope like this.
Mike's view of Chrome Hill.
The rain is getting closer to Chrome Hill
Distance: 11.2 miles (13 miles). Climb: 1800' (2100').
Time: 6 hours 34 minutes (7 hours) On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h. (1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature. Max - 18.6 Celsius. Min - 12.2 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max 4 - a moderate breeze reaching 12.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mie and Ed.
It wasn't an easy drive across the moors from Leek to Longnor, but thankfully it lifted as we arrived at the start.
Throughout the morning, the weather was superb for walking, warm and sunny and not much wind. We kept on getting good views of the Great White Shark (Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill.
Lunch was taken near Pilsbury Castle, where basked in the warm ssunhine.As we approached Eark Sternsdale it befan to rain and the wind started to pick up, reaching a moderate breeze of 14.2 m.p.h. on Parkhouse Hill.
The climb up Parkhouse Hill wasn't pleasant, but the path descending the north west side of the hill was far too precipitous for m liking and we ended up retracing our steps - not an enjoyable experience - never to be reapeated!
We eventually escaped onto a path that gently descended around the east side of th hill eventually arrving at the road below Chrome Hill.
At this point two of us decided to head back to Longnor, missing out Chrome Hill. Only Mike continued over Chrome Hill, seeing no-one else and having to cope with the intermittent rain.
Ed and I arrived back at Longnor, by which time it was raining quite heavily, but we thought we could enjoy some liquid refreshment in one of the pubs or cafes in Longnor. Alas none wedre open, so we sat i the bus shelter finishing off anything we had left over from lunch.
Birds seen or heard today included: Rook, European robin, Carrion crow, Jacdaw, Raven, Common buzzard, Common kestrel, Common blacbird, Woodpigen and Freal pigeon.
Walk 3.Wolfscote Dale and Biggin Dale From Hartington.
Another Grey Heron fishing in the Dove in Wolfscote Dale.
Distance: 5.8 miles. Climb: 476'.
Time: 2 hours 43 minutes. On the movewalking aveage: 2.5 m.p.h.Overall walk verage: 2.1 m.p.h.
Temperature: Max - 16.8 Celsius. Minimum 11,2 Celsius,
Beaufort Wind Force: 1 - 3. light air / light breeze, occasionlly gsting to a gentle brez of 10.2 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
We arrived at Hartington around 09-30, early enough to park in the centre of the village.
It felt on the cool side so we all set off wearing fleeces, but were able to disard them as we entered the mor sheltered Wolfscote Dale.
We were lucky enough to get good views of a Dipper that seemed to be posing for us on the edge of the Dove in Wolfscote Dale.
Wolfcote Dale as teeming with walkers, D of E groups, a large Ramblers' group and a few independent walkers like us.
We wre in danger of gettingb back to Hartington too early, so I was forced to aree to a drinks break at about 11-15 in a sunny spot in Biggin Dale.
We ended up having lunch when we got back to Hartington, Micke and Ed sat by the duck pond, but I went back to the car to change out of my walking boots and shirt.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Grey heron, Mallard, Dipper, Wood nuthatch and Blue tit.
A delightful walk to finish our three day stay at Leek.
We ecided to try out the two hosteries in Hartington before heading homeward.
Firsrt was the Devonshire Arms with its real fireaking it feel warm and cosy. The second was the Charles Cotton Hotel, not quite as cosy. Between us we sampled five different brews, but none of them stood out to be worthy of note - in fact, I was grateful that only half pints of the brews were purchased.
Overall a really good three days in Leek, staying in a top quality apartment with excellent facilities, all that we needed. It was only a few hundred yards from our favourite Leek pub, the Wilkes Head where we enjoyed our favourte beer, Whim's Hartington Bitter, On the Thursday night we were invited to join in the landlord's birthday celebrations wiyj lots of food on offer. Unfortunatley we had already eaten at Ed's favourite place - the Green Dragon (Wethespoons, although they didn't have a beer on that he liked).
Home quite early on Saturday, time to clean my boots before it started to rain, and feed the washing machine before completing this blog.
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