MY WALKING WORLD  David Preston

2012 Walk Summary
 
 

 

 92 miles this Year
 

07/01/12 - Croker Hill from Oakagrove
  Walk Croker Hill from Oakagrove Start from

Oakgrove, roadside parking near the Fools Nook Inn
  Distance 6 miles Weather Cold wind, overcast Walking time 3 hours Maps

 

 

 

I parked at the roadside near the Fools Nook Inn at Oakgrove on the A 523 and took the lane east and then followed the track up through the woods onto Gawsworth Common. The track led past several disused quarries and I then set of up the field path and onto the summit of Croker Hill (402 metres). I ate my lunch in the shelter of a drystone wall by the Radio Tower and then set off down the hillside and rejoined the track which I followed back to the main road. I then crossed over and followed the lane to the Canal and then turned north and walked along the towpath back to the car. A cold and windy day's walk to start the New Year.
 

Looking south west to Bosley Cloud and Mow Cop from Croker Hill

 

 

 

 

The Quarry road with the the Radio Tower in the distance

The Radio Tower on Croker Hill
 

08/01/12 - Youlgreave and Lathkill Dale
Walk Youlgreave and Lathkill Dale Start from

Youlgreave
Distance 7 miles Weather Sunny periods Walking time 3½ hours Maps

OL24

 

 

Seven of us set off from Youlgreave on a nice sunny morning and followed the lane to Middleton, then it was down the track to the River Bradford which we followed all the way to Alport. We then crossed the road and followed the River Lathkill past Conksbury Bridge and stopped for lunch on the river bank in the sunshine. Afterwards we carried on along the river as far as Lathkill Lodge and then over the river and up through the woods onto the fields by Meadow Place Grange Farm which is a beautiful listed 18th century building. Then it was on across the fields and down the lane back to the car. Refreshments were taken at the enjoyable "Farmhouse Inn" in Youlgreave. Thanks to Pat,Bernie, Sue D, Andrew, Dawson and Sue for joining me on this walk
 

Lunch stop on the banks of the River Lathkill

 

 

 

 

The view from Conksbury Bridge

Looking up the river towards Lathkill Falls
 

12/01/12 - Circuit of Tatton Park in Cheshire
Walk Circuit of Tatton Park near Knutsford Start from

Knutsford
Distance 6 miles Weather Sunny Walking time 3 hours Maps

Explorer 268
I parked in Knutsford and followed the path from the Town Centre to Dogs Wood and then followed the path through the wood and along the edge of Tatton Mere and up to the Old Hall. The track led North East and I then walked north west across the vast deer park to the Memorial Stone which was erected to commemorate all the training done in the park by the allied forces in the 2nd World War. There was a big herd of deer grazing nearby. I then walked across to the Main Hall where I stopped for lunch watching the buzzards circling in the sky above. After a quick look at the Temple I followed the track alongside the Mere and back to Knutsford
 

Looking back at the Hall

 
 
Tatton Park

 

 

 
Tatton Mere from Dogs Wood

Deer crossing my path and they were quite big
 
 

15/01/12 Gragareth and Great Coum in the Yorkshire Dales
 Walk Gragareth and Great Coum in the Yorkshire Dales  with 40sWalkersNorth Start from

Yordas Caves on B6259
Distance 12 miles Weather Sunny, hard frost and cold wind Walking time 5 hours Maps

OS  98

 

Nineteen of us from the 40sWalkersNorth set off from the Yordas Caves near Ingleton and climbed up the hillside onto the ridge and then headed south to reach the summit of Gragareth, we the turned north and walked along the ridge crossing over Green Hill and then stopped for lunch in the shelter of a wall. We then followed the ridge onward to the summit of Crag Hill with great viwes of the surrounding hills. We then returned along the ridge to the summit of Great Coum and then walked down the hillside    to a track which we followed down to the road. It was the a 2½ miles walk along the lane back to the cars. A really great walk with good company
 

On the summit of Gragareth

Heading down from Great Coum
 
 
 
 
 

Link to the route of my walk

 

 

 

Heading up onto the ridge with Gragareth on the left

Looking across from Crag Hill with the Howgills on the right of the Trig Point

Nearly back at the cars after a good days walking
 

16/01/12 - High Seat and Hugh Seat near Kirkby Stephen
    Walk  High Seat and Hugh Seat near Kirkby Stephen Start from

Outhgill on B6259 near Kirkby Stephen
   Distance 12 miles Weather Sunny, hard frost and cold wind Walking time 5 hours Maps

OS 91 & 98
Parked at Outhgill on the B6259 and set off up the hillside to reach the Mallerstang Edge. The ground was frozen hard which was made progress a lot easier as the whole area would have been very boggy if not frozen. I reached the summit of High Seat and then turned south and walked along the ridge over Archy Styrigg and then Hugh Seat and up onto Little Fell. Four Nuttalls in a row in wonderful clear and sunny weather. I carried on to the summit of Sails which was a further ½ mile and then walked down the hillside through very rough and trackless moorland. I eventually reached Lady Annes Way and turned north and followed this past Hell Gill Bridge and along the Way and back to Outhgill. A great walk in good weather with wonderful views
 

Looking down on Outhgill

Looking east towards Little Sled Dale
 
Mallerstang Valley, Cumbria
Lady Anne's Way in Cumbria
The Sculpture - Water Cut by Mary Bourne
 

Link to the route of my walk

 

 

 

Mallerstang Edge from near Outhgill

Mallerstang Edge

‘The sculpture "Water Cut"  by Mary Bourne on the Lady Anne's Way
 

22/01/12 Tatton Park near Knutsford
   Walk Circuit of Tatton Park near Knutsford with Broken Cross Walkers Start from

Knutsford
   Distance 6 miles Weather Overcast and windy Walking time 3 hours Maps

Explorer 268

Fifteen of us set off from Knutsford Town Centre and walked across the Common and through woodland to Dogs Wood, we then followed the track through the wood and along the shore of Tatton Mere and up past the Old Hall. We crossed the deer park to the Memorial stone which was erected to commemorate the training of thousands of Paratroops during the 2nd World War. The Park was used as a drop zone for the soldiers based at nearby Ringway.

 We stopped for lunch in the Courtyard of the Hall and then  followed the track back along the lake shore and back into Knutsford.

Thank to Chris, Dave C, Sue D, Pat, Bernie, Cheri, Tom, Carol, Dawson, Sue, Alec, Christine, Bob and Val for joining me on this walk

 

Some interesting birds on the Mere

 

Tatton Park

 

 

 

Tatton Mere on our left

Fallow Deer grazing in the park
 

26/01/12 - Three Shires Head from the Cat and Fiddle
Walk Three Shires Head from the Cat and Fiddle Start from

Cat and Fiddle on the A537
Distance 6 miles Weather Cold and windy with hail showers Walking time 3 hours Maps

 

 

 

Tom and I parked at the Cat and Fiddle on the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton road and walked across the moor through Danebower Hollow and crossed over the A54 and followed the stream to the Three Shires Heads which as the name implies is the boundary fior Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. After we had lunch we followed the track past Blackclough to Reeve Edge and Dane Bower Quarries and then back across the moor to the Cat and Fiddle
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Shires Head
 

29/01/12 - The Middlewood Way and Macclesfield Canal from High Lane
   Walk  Middlewood Way and Macclesfield Canal from High Lane Start from

High Lane
   Distance 5 miles Weather Overcast Walking time 3 hours Maps

Expl;orer 268

 

 

Chris and I parked at High Lane and walked up the Middlewood Way to the outskirts of Marple and then across the Golf Course to the Macclesfield Canal and the back down the towpath to High Lane
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Lake District - 03/02/12 Ullscarf and Low Saddle from Watendlath
    Walk Ullscarf and Low Saddle from Watendlath Start from

Watendlath
   Distance 7 miles Weather Sunny periods Walking time 4 hours Maps

 

Four of us set off from Watendlath and followed the path past Standing Crag up onto the summit of Ullscarf, we then followed the path sometimes hidden in the snow to Low Saddle and then back down the hillside past Dock Tarn and back to Watendalth.

A great walk with good visibility in icy conditions

Heading for Low Saddle

Watendlath Tarn in the afternoon sunlight

 

Watendlath Tarn as we set off

Admiring the view from Low Saddle
 

Lake District - 04/02/12 -40sWalkersNorth Weekend in Borrowdale -  Ascent of Glaramara from Seatoller
   Walk  Ascent of Glaramara from Seatoller Start from

Seatoller
   Distance 7 miles Weather Icy with deep snow on the summits Walking time 5 hours Maps

 

This weekend was organised by the 40sWalkersNorth and held at the Glaramara Centre in Seatoller in Borrowdale.

Fourteen of us set of from the Centre and climbed past Thornthwaite Fell and Raven Crag to reach the summit of Glaramara (783 metres) It was very windy and icy with deep snow on the summit, spindrift hampered visibility and after a quick stop for lunch we retraced our steps back down the mountainside to the slightly calmer valley. we detoured round the hillside to the Langstraff Hotel for a well earned drink by the roaring fire and then it was back to the Centre for a hot shower and a good evening meal. I used my Kahtoola Microspikes for the first time today and found them to be a great addition to my walking equipment. They are light, robust and easy to fit and provided excellent grip on the icy surfaces. They will stay in my rucksac until the winter is over
 

Looking up at where we are heading

Myself at the summit

 

Getting ready to leave the Glaramara Centre at Seatoller for our walk

On the summit of Glaramara in near blizzard conditions

Heading down from the summit
 

Outdoor Activities in the Lake District - The Glaramara Centre

Link to the website of 40sWalkersNorth

                            The Langstraff Inn in Borrowdale

Lake District - 05/02/12 - Watendlath, Lodore Falls and Grange from Seatoller
   Walk Watendlath, Lodore Falls and Grange from Seatoller Start from

Seatoller
   Distance 10 miles Weather Sunny periods Walking time 5 hours Maps

 
 

Another walk organised by the 40sWalkersNorth

Eighteen of us set off from Seatoller and walked to Rosthwaite and then up the fellside to Watendlath and then along to the Lodore Falls, the path then led down to the village of Grange and the back along the Riverside path back to Seatoller

A great walk in good weather with excellent company
 

Watendlath Beck

 
 

 

 

 

Watendlath

Pause for a break on the way back alongside the River Derwent
 
 

11/02/12 - Dane Bridge and the Roaches
   Area Peak District    
   Walk Dane Bridge to the Roaches and Doxey Pool Start from

Dane Bridge
   Distance 8 miles Weather Sunny periods, very icy paths Walking time 4 hours Maps

OL 24
I parked at Dane Bridge and walked up through the woods to the Hanging Stone on the Swythamley Estate and then along the track past the Bear Stone and along to the Doxey Pool, the paths were very icy and I was please \I was able to use my Microspikes to prevent me from slipping. I had lunch by the pool and then returned the same way back to the car
 

The Roaches in the distance

Doxey Pool on the Roaches
 

The Roaches Peak District Website.
 
 

 

The Hanging Stone on Back Forest Ridge

There is and inscription on the Rock as follows

LT COL HENRY COURTNEY BROCKLEHURST 10TH ROYAL HUSSARS
AND PILOT IN THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS 1916-1918
GAME WARDEN OF THE SUDAN
BORN AT SWYTHAMLEY MAY 27TH 1888
KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE IN BURMA
ON COMMANDO JUNE 1942

He had an Adventurous life

The rocks covered in ice alongside the track
 

 
   Walk   Start from

 
   Distance   Weather   Walking time   Maps

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright David Preston 2003 to 2012