Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

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edilskrad
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Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by edilskrad » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:44 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hello,

Grateful for guidance from anyone with local knowledge of the Peak District please.

Interests: micro & macro landscape; industrial archeology; geological form; nature in abstract.

Planning a short 4-day break early April, before Easter; will be based near Castleton (Hope Valley area). I have transport, am a seasoned all-weather hiker and well-equipped for 'off-piste' travel.

Thanks.

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IanG
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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by IanG » Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:43 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

There is (or was) an excellent inexpensive OS publication on the Peak district which ties up with the two yellow coloured maps (2.5" to mile metric equivalent) that cover the Peak District. mine are back in the UK or I could give exact details.

Essentially look for the Monsal Trail & the High Peak trail old railway lines, and places like Lathkill Dale, Monsal Head, Stanton Moor, the area's packed full of all your looking for.

There's some excellent pubs virtually all serving good food. Helps keep you on the Piste :D

Ian

edilskrad
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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by edilskrad » Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:55 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Ian,

Thanks for your input, very helpful pointers. I have hard-copy OS Explorer (OL1) for the Peak district, and also UK OS Landranger series on disk.

Located:
  • Stanton Moor NE of Matlock (9 Ladies Stone Circle, Cork Stone, and Andel Stone)
    High Peak Trail and
    Monsal Trail
Rgs, Colin

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IanG
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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by IanG » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:51 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

There's so many places to visit/photograph it's near impossible.

I've been walking and shooting on & off in the Peak District for well over 25 years, but I've never tried to put together a coherent set of images, I've too many other projects on the go and can't commit myself to another geographic area. So I keep the Peak District for fun :D

Ian

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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by dave_whatever » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:25 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

In addition to the above suggestions, for landscape work within striking distance of Castleton you can't go wrong with any of the eastern grit edges - derwent, stanage, bamford, burbage valley, higgar, millstone, froggatt, curbar, baslow etc etc. Also closer to castleton you've got mamtor, hollins cross, rushup edge, winnats pass, cavedale, and also not forgetting Kinder. If you don't mind an uphill stroll then I would strongly recommend a walk up to the Woolpacks on Kinder.

Further afield the Roaches is pretty spectacular. Also almost any of the many limestone dales, like dovedale, water-cum-jolly dale, cheedale etc.

Basically its all good.

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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by Steven » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:17 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I think the main sites have already been suggested, but there are a few alternatives if the light isn't great.

Padley Gorge near the Longshaw Estate and Grindleford has some opportunities for photography in a wood with an attractive stream and waterfalls, which might be worth a visit if it's cloudy. You can park on the road or in the Longshaw Estate car park and it's a short and easy walk.

Further afield, there's Black Clough Falls, quite a hard walk from the Woodhead Pass towards Bleaklow, again suitable for the middle of the day or a cloudy day, but not suitable if it's been raining heavily. My balance isn't great and I wouldn't want to do this walk without a pole for support if I've got heavy gear on my back.

Finally, there's Three Shires Head, where the light doesn't get into the valley before about 10.30 am, so it's a good location for later on in the day.

Steven

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Re: Peak District - Early April - Locale Request

Post by Tony B » Fri Mar 25, 2011 6:07 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

If I may suggest a truly magical location: Lumsdale, just a couple of miles from Matlock. It has a cascade of large and small waterfalls which served as the motive power for a range of industries over the last 300 years. Much of the original industrial archeology is there as haunting remains and mill races; even a chimney stack fed via an undergound conduit. The waterfalls offer good photography, but the industrial remains are a challenge, at least to me. As usual, the trick is to find a view that is not a cliche, or boringly obvious.

Another good location would be the Magpie Mine, near Sheldon (try Googling it).

If these sound of interest, I would happily join you for a day if the diary permits. Both are easily accessible.

Tony

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