HRP ... and beyond: Edale 2020, Day 2

Monday 14 September 2020

7.6 miles, 15,232 steps

Up fairly early the next morning and set off for Edale, arriving around 9.30am. I was booked in to the Ollerbrook Barn B&B, and they had very kindly found a room for Wayne as well. Theresa was there to welcome us, cheerful as always. Ollerbrook barn is a traditional Peak district farmhouse, not unduly chic perhaps but comfortable and welcoming. Warmly recommended.

It was still early so we left the stuff in the car and set off, straight up the hill towards the Kinder plateau. Wayne has spent much more time in the area than I have, living so close as he does, but mostly on the other side of the Edale valley, around Mam Tor and over to Castleton, so he was keen to explore the Plateau area more.

We walked up the footpath that goes up from Ollerbrook to Ringing Roger, a limestone outcrop and a bit of a local landmark.

This is the view that greets you, as you get near to Edale. The little round lump on the front of the plateau, half left of centre, is Ringing Roger.

It is quite a stiff climb up to Ringing Roger, and then a bit of easy scramble to get to the top. The views however are fine. Once we had had a look and a rest, we had a gentle walk around the plateau to a few of the local landmarks... I will let the photos below tell the story. it was a lovely day, with beautiful warm, sunny weather; and the Kinder plateau is always a special place, full of interest. It is not huge, roughly a square perhaps four miles on a side, but in the middle it is quite wild. I don't quite know how to describe it, you have to go there. So many rush past it on the Pennine Way without really noticing it, but it is a proper haven of calm, peace and remote tranquillity. You can easily get quite lost there, so make sure your navigational skills, or at least your GPS, are well tuned. Not many ever get to see Kinder Summit..

On the way back, the plan was to go to the top of Grindsbrook Clough and then follow the old, original Pennine Way back down the Clough to Edale and the Nag's Head. In the event, once we got close to the Clough it seemed easier to head straight down the hillside to it, and so we did. On the way we disturbed a barn owl, sitting in the only tree around there, and then found a small spring with lovely cool water that we used to fill our bottles. Then on to the Nag's Head, and back to Ollerbrook.

Wayne, on the footpath up towards Ringing Roger..

Wayne is scrambling up to the top of Ringing Roger ..

Grindsbrook, seen from ringing Roger. On the way back we found our way below the rock outcrop on the right, down into the valley. No footpaths, just lots of heather and bracken!

First stop, the trig point on the plateau above the Oller Brook...

Next stop, the remains of a Halifax bomber that crashed on the plateau in 1943, one of more than a dozen aircraft crash sites in the area

.. then on to the Druid's Stone. Win Hill and the Hope Valley, in the background

Then, on to the Madwoman's stones. I sadly failed to photograph the stones themselves, but this is a line of sheep viewed whilst actually sitting on them. Behind is the Derwent Valley, with Ladybower reservoir and the Snake Pass. Fun fact: The Snake Pass is unusual in being named after the Snake Inn which is on it, rather than vice versa

A stock photograph of the Madwoman's Stones. Why they are so named, nobody knows..

This red grouse refused to fly off when we walked past, but instead stood her ground and shouted rude things at us. I think she must have been protecting her nest