homepage - Daywalks Index 2020 - contact me at Rev4

2020.07.17**a 'social distancing walk' with 2 persons, Parking at Birchen CLough on A57 at SK109914, Cross A57 & follow river N.ward in Lady Clough (path difficult - un-cleared trees etc - diversions), climb onto A57 Rd at ~SK100929 & follow ~400m ~W then cross over into Doctor's Gate Clough, continue ~WNW to Old Woman SK090933, turn NE onto Pennine Way winding North. At SK097948 turn off P.Way & cross & follow Hern Clough ~E to Grains in the Water, we followed narrow path along above River Alport to SK114941, turned ~E thru moorland out of clough then SE to Trig Beacon at ~SK128932, continue SSE to then along Alport Castles, at ~SK145913 turn down ~S for ~300m then down ~W to cross FB over River Alport at SK13910.---Then abortive route aiming for Oyster Clough Shooting Cabin  - follow River Alport ~N just past Alport Farms, then ~W (just to north of Swint Clough) up to Alport Valley Plantations aiming to cross ~W thru Plantation at ~SK132913? (path not marked on map or fully on ground), but we did not find crossing (may have missed it detouring past fallen tree debris?) We then followed woods further but found no other accesses thru fence / plantation. At river level we  followed river back to farms. Return Route  - follow access track from Aport Farms ~S then SW just before Hayridge Farm, follow FP ~W (above Blackden View Farm) turning gradually N to cross Oyster Clough at SK119905, follow FP ~W to edge of woods then NW & N (not dropping down too soon to the A57 ) on marked path back to Birchen Clough.

1 paths along stream are shown on maps as being 'permissive' paths rather than Footpaths
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4 fallen trees and debris obstructed some 'paths' and we re-routed across the river and found further had going through the debris of felled trees and newly planted trees
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6 an unmarked on maps footpath fortunately brought us back to the East side of the river (close to the A57 road)
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9 National Trusts - Lady Clough sign. The A57 road is ahead of us to our right
10 water courses to cross
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12 climbed up to the edge of the A57 road onto sidewalk at this portion of road
13 crossed A57 road & joined Doctor's Gate footpath
14 looking back at start of Doctor's Gate on A57 road
15 We turned off Doctors Gate northward onto the Pennine Way. This photo zooms back to the Pennine Way crossing of the A57. Kinder in background
16 a view ahead from the Pennine Way
17 stream in Hern Clough
18 following narrow path above Hern Clough Eastward to Grains in the Water
19 entry gate into Grains in the Water
20 implication is that some walkers stray off the larger Pennine Way path
21 now on path running above the Alport River
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23 no ownership tags on this young lamb
24 we went up to bulge ahead protruding into Alport gorge and then cut through moorland to a Trig Point (as noted in route description)
25 a glance down into the River Alport 'canyon'
25 the 'canyon' again
26 a series of eroded 'dongas' cut into peat were crossed on the way to the Trig Point
27 the Trig Point - a useful landmark even if no longer used for surveying purposes
28 a glimpse down into the River Alport alley, Alport Castle Farms are just visible to the right with Alport Valley Plantations behind them
29 a 'firebreak' through the Alport Valley Plantation which could have been a direct route back over moor land to our start point in Birchen Clough?  
30 meanders in the River Alport lead toward Alport Castles Rarms
31 as above  - note Swint Clough running West past the Farms below the plantations - our aborted route followed about 40m away from Swint Clough and then the lower edge of the plantation
32 looking across the Howden / derwent Valley
33 looking across above the unseen Derwent Reservoir at back Tor about top centre and Lost Lad - the cone (further down to the west)
34 closer view of Alport Castles Farms
35 Alport Castles seen as we approach them from the Trig Point side
36 looking ~SW from The Castles down at The Tower - The Castle Farms are further away in front of The Plantations
37 a view looking back at The Castles
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39 another view of the Castle Farms
40 The footbridge across The Alport River

Photos following - taken during abortive walk up to & back from Plantation (after route through plantation not found)

41 The River Alport some distance upstream of the Footbridge
42 After climbed up from the Farms towards the Plantations  a view downwards
43 a view down Alport Valley catching Winhill Pike in distance?
44 looking across at The Castles
45 as above but with The Tower in front of the Castles

End of photo taking onj aborted part of Walk

 

Restart of walk via Alport Castles Farms / Hayridge Farm back to Birchen Clough

46 the track from the Alport Castle Farms toward Heyridge Farm
47 passing above Blackden Clough Farm and the A57 Road and looking up Blackden Clough
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50 National Trust sign on Cowms Moor
51 a glance across at Fair Brook
52 Oyster Clough ahead of us
53 Fair Brook again
54 zoomed back at sheep pens near Oyster Clough

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