Heading down the steps to the Monsal Head viaduct.
Cressbrook Mill from the Monsal Trail.
Looking over Cressbrook weir to Water-cum-Jolly Dale.
I think we need to look for an alternative route to Litton - the path through Water-cum-Jolly Dale a flooded a little too much to even attempt.
"Are you sure this is the right road or did someone send you a text?"
Looking downthe valley owards Cressbrook from the top of the escape route road.
The start of the track leading to Litton Mill.
Looking back to Litton Mill and the route we hoped to taking.
Outside Litton Tunnel, the first of the tunnels on our route.
Men behaving badly as they emerged from Litton Tunnel.
Emerging from Cressbrook Tunnel.
Lunchtime on he platfom at the Upperdale station on the Monsal Trail.
Only the Headstone Tunnel left.
The Monsal Trail at Thornbridge Hall Station.
Pennyunk Lane.
Look down the muddy track towards Pennyunk Lane.
Walk stats: 10.0 miles. Climb: 770'.
Time: 5 hours 13 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Nigel.
We arrived at Monsal Head with dampness in the air and the valley tops in mist, but it wasn't cold. In fact I decided to put my waterproof jacket in my rucksack before I suffered too much from "boil in the bag syndrome". Near views down the valleys were pretty good, but this wasn't to be a day for crystal clear distant views.
Our first problem occurred after we had dropped down from the Monsal Trail to the Cressbrook Mill.
The path leading into Water-cum-Jolly Dale was well and truly flooded, but thankfully there was an easy escape routeclimbing up Bottom Hill Road that led to a track taking us back to Litton Mill.
Once again we came across a section of road that was flood, but with care we managed to get round it without getting wet feet.
Once on the Monsal Trail, problems with flooded paths was a thing of the past and we could look forward to he main objective of the walk, going through Litton Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel and Headstone Tunnel.
Though we all had head torches, the tunnels were all well lit and disappointingly we didn't have to use them.
We decided to have lunch at the Upperdale Station, sitting on the edge of the platform as this seemed preferable to all of the wet benches we had passed on route so far.
After lunch it was the Stonehead Tunnel that led to the Thornbridge Hall Station and the road heading for Ashford in the Water.
However we turned onto Pennyunk Lane, a pretty good stony track for a mile so, before we left to take a muddy track that contoured round the fields back to Monsal Head.
Not many birds seen or heard today, those we did included: Mallard, Woodpigeon, Blue tit, Rook, 7 Whooper swans and a Common kestrel (seen as we started our journey homeward.
Overall a veryenjoyable, one I will do again, but perhaps in the Summer when we can walk through Water-cum-Jolly Dale along the riversided path.
Overall a veryenjoyable, one I will do again, but perhaps in the Summer when we can walk through Water-cum-Jolly Dale along the riversided path.
As a one off change we decided to sample the Lees bitter at the Bears Paw at Upton, and Celia was able to join us. It was only Celia joining us that made this choice worthwhile. The Lees bitter was only on smooth flow, but they did offer MPA and Founders on hand pump. Both the Lees bitter and MPA were served too cold to make them enjoyable. I assume the temperature of Celia's lager was OK.
1 comment:
Yes, my lager was fine; shame about your beer. Great to be able to join you. Celia
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