Monday March 4th
Bleaklow: Grinah and Barrow Stones
After a pit stop for a coffee and a gander at the ducks at Fairholmes, we set off for the Fagney Plantation, where we parked up. The day was clear, still and cold(ish), with superb reflections in the reservoirs of the surrounding scenery.
The first section is along the road up to the turning circle and thence to the old stone bridge across the Derwent at Slippery Stones. From here, the walk to Humber Knolls is pleasant (if muddy) and then beyond to Hoar Clough is fairly easy going.
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| On the way to Humber Knolls |
We went up the east side of Hoar Clough towards Shepherds Meeting Stones, stopping for lunch just below in the rocks which gave some shelter from the wind.
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| Shepherds Meeting Stones in the distance |
From there, the route is less clear- although a public footpath is marked on the map, there's little trace of it on the ground. However, once over the watershed, we could follow a vague track, passing a gritstone toadstool sitting in its own pool.
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| Gritstone toadstool with typical Dark Peak pool and path (foreground) |
To reach the Grinah Stones an ongoing tramp across the fairly pathless moors was established. It has to be said that negotiating quite a lot of miles across the deserted heather moor, with deep cloughs and bogs, is not Jacinta's favourite type of walking, but we managed it and eventually reached the welcome sight of the Grinah Stones.
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| Grinah Stones with Win Hill in the distance |
The views from here are magnificent and the snow on Kinder in the distance was fantastic.
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| Distant snow on Kinder |
There was a real feeling of remoteness and space and we scarcely met anyone all day. We came across some rather frozen-looking people working for Moors for the Future, laying stones in the gulleys near the Grinah Stones, but that was about it.
We then made the easy journey to the remarkable Barrow Stones and finally started the descent to Round Hill.
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| The Barrow Stones |
Probably the very wet February had added to the existing wet/muddy conditions and it was not until we reached the shooter's track that leads off the moors for about the last two miles, that we were on firmer ground (at last).
A walk of 12+ miles with 550m ascent.
