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2022.10.16 A check on reservoir water levels and Autumn scenery - Sunday ** 257bus 8.55am at Sheffield Interchange (some of these buses now go into Fairholmes SK.172:896), walk starts from bus stop ~N / ~E / ~N passing Derwent Dam Wall, follow Dam East edge Northward for ~2km and at SK.170:918, diverge from dam uphill into Abbey Tip Plantation and turn E (slightly N) & follow above Abbey Brook to cross Cogmans Clough at SK.185:922 turning N then ENE above Abbey Brook towards but short of Gravy Clough (on other side of Abbey Brook), turn ~ESE (along & well above Abbey Brook, then turn S then ~SSW along Sheepfold Clough (tea break), continue ~SSW to Lost Lad Hill End then ~SE to Lost Lad at SK.193:912, continue ~ESE well below the Trig beacon at Back Tor and turn ~S to pass Bradfield Gate Head SK.198:907, continue S (slightly W) along Derwent Edge passing Cakes of Bread and Dove Stones and continue to Salt Cellar Boulder (lunch break) - (divert slightly W from the Path), continue along Derwent Edge ~SSE passing White Tor and Wheel Stones, continue ~S past for ~500m just, crossing FP and line of Grouse Butts, but turning ~SW towards Whinstone Lee Tor, then ~150m ~S joining Bridleway ~E to short of Highshaw Clough SK.213:875, ~S to and across the A57 Road at Cutthroat Bridge, continue ~S on a track (at the Bottom of Hordron Edge for about 900m and turn SW to cross the stream in Jarvis Clough at ~SK.214:865, continue ~W for ~500m then turn Southward 'vaguely passing' Pillars / crossing a stream / Hut Circle / field system then along Bamford Edge up to Great Tor SK.207:849, ~SE along top of Bamford Edge, then ~S down to New Road at SK.214:840, rather (than taking knee and hip 'cracking' steep Leeside Road), we followed New Road ~NW down (after checking bus times on phone) to Ashopton Road / A6013 to catch the 257 bus (via Fairholmes) then on the A57 back to Sheffield. Leader Richard Bennett - 2 in party.

1 leaving Sheffield - Sheffield University taken from bus

3 bus has turned just past Ashopton Viaduct onto road to Fairholmes. North arm of Ladybower Reservoir seen here - note the low water level

4 Northern arm of Ladybower reservoir from bus. Low water has uncovered the remains of Derwent Village

5 Water conduits running from Derwent dam across the top of the 'northern arm' of Ladybower Resevoir usually have water around the supporting piers

7 some water flow below Derwent Dam. All reservoirs apparently have to release a daily minimum quantity of water to preserve the envroment and farms below

8 as above

12 passing the Masonry wall of Derwent Dam, some water below but no water has passed over the spillway since?

15 upstream of the Derwent dam wall - on far side after many months os being dry - water is entering from the canal system starting from the River Ashop side possibly from the small feeder Dam near Ashop bridge?

21 another view of the above

25 some farmland near Gores Farm - note the low reservoir level

31 looking back at Derwent Dam (actually called upper Derwent Reservoir)

35 One tower of the Howden Reservoir the other not possible to see before we turned off up Abbey brook

36 Upper Derwent reservoir again - plenty of teasels along its eastern edge

37 notice about path closures which did not affect our walk

41 the turn off toward Abbey Brook

42 fungi

45 fungi

46 fungi

47 Abbey brook is unseen below in the 'cleft'

49 the path ahead?

51 the path behind?

54 the far side of Abbey brook

55 looking back to Derwent Dam - a tiny glimpse of water just visible

57 sheep with long un-cropped tails - are they 'wild' or owned

58 some welcome recent rain but hardly sufficient to top up the water stored in peat moors and slowly relleased

61 tree planted in protective plastic tubes on the banks of Abbey Brook - what success rate?

62 three further sheep - two heads hidden in the long grass

63 looking across Abbey Brook at 'feeding' gully

67 small tree ahead

73 path turns ahead to Sheepfold Clough

77 party on far side of Abbey Brook - not sure if they are looking for a route across The brook?

78 some walkers taking a break in Sheepfold Clough

81 now heading toward 'Lost Lad' - looking back here at Abbey Brook

83 looking at part of Kinder Edge - Fairbrook to far left with Fairbrook Naze 1/3 in from left edge

86 party ahead atop 'Lost Lad'

87 Ring pointing out directions to various points

87a 'in memory of W.H. Baxby 1901 -1977 of Sheffield Clarion Ramblers

88 seen from Lost Lad

89 looking back at 'Lost Lad'

91 nearing Back Tor with it's trig beacon

93 passing below back Tor

95 the path paved with limestone flags apparently recovered from Old Mills stretches ahead of us to the rock massif Wheel Stones in the far distance

96 a view looking back at Kinder North Face - with Jaggers Clough to left / Blackden Clough / Fairbrook / Fairbrook Naze

98 Mam Tor to left with Brown Knoll high point behind at top and part of The Vale of Edale below

99 cakes of bread

100 Salt Cellar in middle with Winhill Pike at top

101up close to salt cellar. northern arm of Ladybower Reservoir 'dried out partly' below. Lose Hill, Mam Tor and The Vale of Edale behind with Kinder and Jaggers Clough to right. Northern arm of ladybower reservoir below

103 close up to Salt Cellar

105 as 101 but without The Salt Cellar

106 Kinder norther Rdge again

111 Wheel Stones

112 close up of part of Wheel Stones

116 looking from Whinstone Lee up northern arm of Ladybower Reservoir. Conduit from Upper Derwent Reservoir (Derwent Dam) is visible but not the dam itself.

117 Crookhill Farm with Crook Hill behind and further behind Mam Tor and Lose Hill with Brown Knoll even further behind

118 closer up to Crookhill Farm

119 close up of only part of Ashopton viaduct showing support piers uncovered by water

120 crossed the A57 Road at Cutthroat Bridge and are walking up to cross Jarvis Clough, but first catch a glimpse of Ladybower Reservoir with Winhill Pike behind

122 Puffballs?

123 a glimpse of the A57 road below us - we crossed Cutthroat bridge higher up beyond bend

125 looking at Ladybower Reservoir's Western Arm, Ashopton Viaduct crosses it's Northern Arm. Road to Fairhomes turns off to right after viaduct

126 an early glimpse of part only of Ladybower Reservoir's Embankment with one of two circular 'bellmouth' Spillways showing how low the water level has fallen