Wednesday 14 September 2011

Cat and Fiddle inn to Shutlingsloe

This walk was done on 13 September 2011
Distance: 7.7 Miles
Time 3.01 hours
Weather: Sunny but very windy on top


View Cat and Fiddle inn to Shutlingsloe in a larger map As you can see It lost a small part of the track.

It was good to get out again after another long break.
The Walk started from the Cat & Fiddle Inn  This is becoming a regular location (I wonder why?)
The route was started by a 300metre walk along the path to the head of the Scuars clough, it was very very windy on the top of the moor so I decided to cut that bit off and head straight for the side of the Scuars. This little clough got steep very quickly, if I had been on Skis it would be a Black run.
I stumbled and slipped down the edge until I got to the bottom. This was a surprise because it is only a few hundred metres from the main road and it was a beautiful little quite spot.



Once out of the wind I removed my coat and spent the rest of the day in my base layer.
I should really name this walk the Waterfalls because I kept coming across them, as I carried on following the stream down I came to the first of many.






This water feature was only a yard wide or so and could be easily  missed except for the fact the over all drop was about 4 metres into some very tranquil pools.

I carried on passing this rock out crop which just shows it is never far below the surface



The clough opened out and I followed the stream meandering down until it met up with Clough brook (great name) which took me past broughplace.
I wondered as I walked through their very nice yard that when they brought this idle and tranquil out of the way spot did they realise that a public footpath ran a few metres from the house?
I proceeded down there very long drive until I Joined the Local metal road.
I decided to walk up to the moors again via Dingers hollow, with a name like that it just had to be taken. As I was making my way along the road I came across a field of Horses one of which made me do a double take, I carried on walking a few yards then decided that it deserved a picture.
Now I'm not a horsey person but is this normal?


It's either very cleaver and taking some of the weight off it's feet or..... I don't want to think about it.

I got to the bottom of Dingers and realise it was not on a public footpath, so a quick jump over the wall and a scoot into the woods before I'm seen by some wild shotgun toting farmer. It was tough walk up but worth it.

Back onto the moor tops this time Buxtors Hill and then across to Shutlingsloe.
The views were very very good today.

possibly my favourite photo of the summer.







  Crag Hall was looking particularly grand. I made my way down and across Wildboreclough past Clough house and then up following the cumberland stream up to the track junction which joins the 3 shires head path. Here I came across another wet site with an impressive drop.




I carried on up towards the Cat & Fiddle when I found another.




The colours here were just perfect the greens of grass and moss,the peat water brown and the heather bloom added up to to a glorious few minutes. 
Once on top again it was a short walk along the path back to the Inn



The Final photo I took is possible one of the grandest views the moors.



Due to my calender been filled over the next few month with lots of good stuff this is more than likely my last walk this year. If it is it's an excellent one to finish on and I'm happy with that. I would recommend it to anyone, the tricky bit is at the start but worth it and once your past it it is a very enjoyable walk.

I would like to thank everyone who said they enjoyed my summer rambling and are looking forward to my winter season raving. It's due to start on December the 5th.