Lose Hill, Mam Tor & Cave Dale

This walk was done on 26 May 2011
Distance: 10.8 miles
Time 3.54
Weather: Typical May weather, wet.


View 26-05-2011 Mam Tor in a larger map
If you click on the link you can see more details. I walked it in a Anti-clockwise direction.

This walk started from Castleton, After paying the standard £3, it was the first pay and display machine where I had to put part of  my car reg into it, Heaven forbid anyone trying to give tickets away when they still had time on them.

From the Carpark I headed North along Hollowford road turning off next to the training confrence centre and headed across the fields  making my way to wards Lose Hill. I could see the final stretch was steep and once I got onto it I found out how steep, Down to tshirt got to the top of the hill, Had a breather and took a couple of photo's looking across to Mam Tor.

  As you can see the top ridge line is pathed. I set off along it and within minutes the weather came in again and it was mid layer on and with in minutes of that coat on. It did start to get very wet. 

Now I'm not one for a rant but I did get overly annoyed along the next stretch, I forgot to take pictures of said annoyance, Cains. The piles of rocks which use to be used to be used as way markers back in the good old days across moor tops where it was easy to get lost.
There were three of them within 150metres along this ridge line.

Why? It's a ridge line  you know where you are. If you suddenly drop down you have left the path.
It's a stone marked path you dont need to be member of the SAS to figure where to go.
The Farmer/Peak park/Whoever who owned the wall the stones have been taken from must be so happy for it to happen.

Why do I not like them? They mostly look ugly, as (dare I say it) Punter walkers have heard you are suppose to add to them they are ending up taking over the surrounding are which leads me to Damaging the natural environment. Walking (particually in popular spots) does a lot but lets not add to it by creating the great pyramids of geeza(diamond). Thank god it's just not me Damage to ancient landscapes caused by walkers building cairns

Rant over (for now)

Moving along the path from Holling cross to the top of Mam tor I saw a group of kids making there way up looking like the retreat from Mons, spread all up the path. The rain had got heavier and the wind had picked up so when I got to the top, after passing a few struggler's it was getting interesting.
I'm all for letting the kids experience  the great out doors and this was special moment for them as they huggled together for the group photo at the top with the wind blowing the rain through thier trackie bottoms and fashion mud soaked trainers.
They did have a couple of (I took to be) guides and two teachers with them.I heard one of them say was "Get together for a photo, you made the effort to get up here and the photo will be a reminder of your day" I thought the raking cough of Pneumonia would be enough of a reminder.
The weather put hold on enjoying the views and having a better look around. Mam Tor Has a lot of history and I would have liked a bit of a look around the but what with the weather and the kids( bless them) I moved off before I was helping to carry them off the hill.

I carried along the ridge line until it dropped into the col which took you to edale, I turned south and headed across the fields wanting to look at something that caught my eye on the Map.
Slitherstone Mine (disused)  Knowing how the area is riddled with mine working I thought I would take a gander, I was expecting a filled in dip in the ground. I was wrong. As I walked to the spot I notice some large concrete sleepers in the field. I headed for them and yes it was the mine. It was a hole in the ground about 3 meters across covered with the sleepers. There is spaces between them and I piered down and down and down and down. My god it was a deep hole, I could not see the bottom the miners must have been winched down and up along with everything else comming out of the mine.
This working would have taken a lot of effort. The though did occur to me as why here? It's on a bleak exposed moor top I good walk for anyone to get there to work down the hole. There must have been a reason it was there. My picture did not come out as the flash was not strong enough to penetrate the depth and I was not will to take any more if  I dropped anything down there It was gone for good. On the route map the location is marked.

As I walked back to the path to join the Limestone way I passed a dry stone waller, said the pleasantry's and got chatting. I looked along the wall he had completed, a good job done then looked along the mile or two he still had to go and said "you got plenty to go at here"
His reply was "yep it will see me out"
People can talk about a career path and future job prospects but here was a man who could physically see his working life stretching out infront of him.
I'm envious of the man who knows where he will be in 5 years time- about 2 miles down the track.

Next I followed the Limestone way a short way to the top of Cave Dale just before I dropped down the steep I noticed Peveril Castle sitting on it's ledge (which I had seen above Castleton and wanted a look at) so I walked across the tops to have a look at the back side of it. I was met by barbed and concertina wire. It was only as I moved to pass this and make for the gate in the castle wall that I noticed why it was there. My photos don't do the suddenness of the drop justice.

So I made my way back along to enter Cavedale which is a stunning steep drop and at the time very wet gorge. The views of the castle from below make you wonder how it was built around 1066. I wonder if they did a  health and safety risk assessment and had 5 years of planning permission hassle. I think not.

Note the Rain

Leaving cavedale is very suddern and you are suprise to be in the middle of Castleton. I did want up to the front of the castle and enquired as to how much to enter?
£4.30
Ok thanks, but no thanks.
A quick walk back to the car and that's another ticked off.
I did enjoy the latter half of the walk but I did find Castleton and the first half just to commercial but that's the nature of the area what with all the mines dotted around.