Hilbre Island

Hillbre from Caldy Golf Course.

 

 

On friday I visited Hilbre Island with a birdwatching group that I have signed up for. Hilbre is a tidal island in the Dee Esturay off the top of the Wirral penisular. By coincidence I had played golf at the nearby Caldy Golf Club the previous weekend and hence the photo at the top.

 

 

 



Hilbre can be reached by foot at low tide from West Kirby and so on a cold morning we gathered at the slipway and set off to walk to the island. There are actually 3 island the tiny Little Eye, Little Hilbre and Hilbre Island itself.

We set off heading for Little Eye as this is the recommended route and after about three quarters of a mile we reached the first of the islands.

 

Little Eye is a very small island with no building and and we had  short rest here, while we waited for some latecomers to catch us up and while waiting we spotted a group of around 40 grey seals resting on a sandbar further out in the estuary.

 

 

Once the group had reformed we left little Eye to walk to Little Hilbre again and island with no buildings but with some interesting rock formations. The island are mostly sandstone and are eroded by the sea and winds, Little Hilbre had the best examples of these erosions.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally we continued on to reach Hilbre Island itself. Hilbre does have a few buildings both intact and ruined.

 

There are no permenant residents but there are a couple of privately owned houses, as well as buildings used by the group that monitor the islands. We crossed to the northern tip where there is a ruined lifeboat station and this proved a good place to observe the birds we had come to see. Amonst the species we saw here were Oystercatcher, Knot, Brent Geese, Turnstone and a lone Purple Sandpiper. The last 3 were all new birds to me.

 

 

 

 

 

We spent about a hour here and then, as one of the guys would checks on the birdlife of the island with us, we headed towards their observatory to eat our lunches. On the way we checked on one of the places where they trap birds so they can ring them and found a Chaffinch wihch was duely taken, ringed and then released.

 

We then had a little tour of other places on the island, there is quite a bit of history to be seen, including  the telegraph stationwhich was built in the mid 1800s by Mersey docks and is still standing.

 

 

 

We were also told how during WW2 Hilbre was the base for a string of decoy lights down the Dee estuary, which were supposed to confuse German bombers into thinking it was Liverpool Docks.

 

After a 4 hour visit to the islands we set off on the 2 mile walk back to West Kirby. It was a very enjoyable and interesting day and it might be nice to return on a nice summer day and stay on the island while the tide comes in and goes back out again.

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railways and a stone henge

Today we headed down to Derbyshire to was a couple of trails on old railway lines. We started off a Parsley Hay cycle centre, this was originally Parsley Hay station on the Cromford and High Peak railway. The bed of the railway is now part of the High Peak Trail. The place was very busy and we set of southward toward a junction wshere the Tissington trail commences. We continued on the  narrower High Peak trail, which lead through a cutting full of trees and bushes alive with birds, pretty certain  I spotted a whitthroat and a chiff chaff here. The trail continued through a small tunne lunder the A515 main road. We passed through more cuttings and between farm land on a glorous September mornimh, the only downside being us having to move over to let cyclists past.

After a couple of miles we reached a brick factory at Friden Grange and shortly afterward left the trail to walk up a monor road and then cross the A515 again. A short distace from here we past the Newhaven House Hotel, now unused but originally built in about 1800 as a coaching inn which at its heyday had stabling for 100 horses. We now turned up the farm track leading to Stanedge Grange and we crossed the farm yard andwalked through a field where a view opened up of over Hartington and the hills in the distance over Manifold Dale.

After taking a break in a field to eat our lunch, we dropped down through fields to reach the Tissington Trail and headed north. This trail is somewhat wider than the High peak trail, I can only assume it was a double track railway as opposed to a single track we had been on before. Before long we reached Ruby Wood, which was palnted in 1991 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Peak District National Park and contains a good variety of native British trees.

We continued along and soon reach Hartington Signal Box this has been restored and still has the signal levers in situ, it is also a poular stop for cyclists and walkers so unusally on our walks we were able to buy ice creams. This railway line was originally part of the Manchester to London line.After the break we continued walking above farmland I spotted a groug of baby swallows perched o nthe top of a barn door waiting for their parents to return with food for them We also had good views down  through Hand Dale, where the road to Hartington runs. We then passed through the deep cutting though limestone, before reaching the junction again and finished the walkback at Parsley Hay.

Now, the prehistoric site of Arbor Low is only a mile away from Parsley Hay, so we jumped in the car and drove around to Upper Oldhams Farm on whose land Arbor Low stands, and after parking took the short walk up through the farm fields to Arbor low.

Arbor Low is a Noelithic Henge and consists of a band enclosing a ditch and then a raised area where 40 or so large  limestone  blocks are arranged in a circle, although unlike its more famous cousin in Wiltshire none of the blocks are now standing. It is suggested that it was constructed sometime before 2000BC and a barrow was added in the Bronze Age. A short distance away there is also the Barrow of Gib Hill, this was originally contrcted prior to Arbor Low but a second barrow was added in the Bronze age. After visting Gib Hill we returned to the car for the journey home.

Todays walk was around 8 miles in total but was for the most part pretty flat, but enjoyable neverthe less.

Shutlingsloe

There is a hill that you can see arouind the Cat and Fidle area that lookd like a child's drawing of a hill, the is Shutlingsloe.
With my walking friend still on holiday due to working in a school, we decided to do a walk which included Shutlingsloe. We drove to the Macclesfield Forest to start this walk and parked in the carkpark in the forest. The start of the walk led uphill through the forest mostly conifers and I hoped to spot some birds like Goldcrest that are usually seen in coniferous woods, sadly I didn't see anything, but it would have been a bonus the point was to walk.
After a steep climb up through the forest we took the path heading towards the hill and down and now started walking through moorland. There were quite a few other people about and it was fortunate that a path of stone slabs had been laid, as the surrounding moorland was quite boggy.
After and easy walk, we soon reached the foot of the hill and started the final climb. This part is very steep and quite rocky but after a bit of a scramble we reached the top. The view from the top is quite somthing looking acorss the Cheshire plain as far as the Mersey Estuary and the North Wales hills in the far distance. The  Jodrell Back telescope is also in view.
After spending some time on the top we continued the walk by descending on the far side of the hill down sa slope as steep as the one we had climbed but without as good a path, We descended onto a farck track and followed this down towards Wildboarclough.
We walked along the road for a short while but noticed a wooden bridge across a busy stream which ran alongside the road, so took time out to take some photos.

We returned to the road and soon left it again to take a path around the bottom of Pleasant Meadow where the path took us through gorse bushes, before walking through fields which climbed to reach a path on the edge of the moorland. This led down towards Oakenclough and here we left the track ti walk up the side of the stream flowing through the clough, before a short steep climb took us on the the edge of High Moor. We crossed the corner of the moor before descending again down a very wet pat to emerge on a road at Hanging Gate Inn.
We now followed this road back towards the forest and detoured a little to walk through the woods before returning to the Carpark.
It was a lovely walk with some steep climbs which happily didn't task me as much as they did my friend, the 6 and a half miles took us 4 and a half hours but we did stop quite a lot.

In search of waterfalls part deux

Back in May we went to find a "hidden waterfall" Our quest ended in glorious failure as due to a dry spell all we found were dry rocks. Today we decided to have another go, so much rain that we were sure we would see the waterfall this time.
We set off from the same spot and climbed up along the line of Cote Ghyll, the weather was dry but dark clouds were threatening. The way was quick boggy when we reahed the top of the climb but we were encouraged by the sound of the beck bubbling in the valley below.
We went through a gate on the path onto the High Cote Moor and looking in thew distance we could see the line of the stream that we knew from the last visit was the stream that ran down to the waterfall, we walked along the path and then branched off towards the top of the Ghyll where we were rewarded by this.

 

 

We sat on the top of the ghyll and had a snack and then I scrambled down to the beck to get some more photos

 

 

 

The rain was threatening now and so we headed back to the car, unfortunately the rain came so by the time the time we got back we were absolutely soaked but it was well worth getting wet!

 

It is called a hidden waterfall and it is easy to see why, as we were approaching where we had to leave the path, we saw a group of walkers coming the other way  but did they detour to look, no they didn't and saw missed a hidden gem. We did bump into a chap walking up in the rain as we were descend the hill and asked where he was heading, he said just looking for a hidden waterfall, so we pointed out the way to him.

 

Widdop and Gorple

For various reasons it has been quite a while since we went walking, but we finally got the boots back on and I suggested we head to Widdop and the moors between Burnley and Hebden Bridge, an area I used to visit at lot when younger.

We started at the dam wall of Widdop Reservoir and having crossed the dam, we followed the track along the water past many rocks that are popular with climbers and then started to climb the hill that led onto the moorland. My friend was getting out of breathe as we climbed the hill but again the benefit of playing a lot of golf showed as I didnt have such problems. We were forunate with the weather an it was very pleasnt although quite windy on the top. We walked over the moor and soon we could soon see over towards  Lancashireon the far  side and the Upper Gorple reservoir came into view as well.
We now left the main path to head downhill on a narrow muddy path past a couple of rocky outcrops and we soon reached the service road to the reservoir.

I was hoping to see some birdlife but so far I had seen nothing, but we followed the road towards the Lower Reservoir and passed a small wood where finally I could hear birds I spent a little time watching and listening and was rewarded by seen several as yet unidentifed birds including 3 chicks sitting in a line and branch while the parents flew backwards and forwards bringing them food. I got some nice photos and will hopefully indentify them.

We started to look for somewhere to take a break and a snack and ecided to leave the road and scrambled down a back and over a stream. While we were sat, I finally spotted a red grouse followed by a couple of others, I was pleased they were the first I have seen this year, sadly they vanished before I could get a photo.

The route we were following, would have had us follow the service road back to the main road, but as we didnt fancy walking the last 3/4 of a mile on tarmac, we decided to follow a footbath me had seen on the map that lead back to the rocks about Widdop reservoir, so as we walked along the side of Lower Gorple reservoir, we branched off the route along this path. It was obvious that the path was little walked as the grasses came up to out waists in places. It led through a wood that had been affected by a fire in the past, we could see a lot of burnt tree trunks. We continued to walk this path back across the the moor, fortunately there were posts to indicate the route of the path as it couldnt be seen very well.

Eventually the path emerged at the top of the hill above Widdop Reservoir and we followed the path down the face of the hill until we reached the path around the reservoir which led back to the car.

Stanton Moor 04/06/12

Stanton Moor is in the South Peaks and in an area of limestome stands out as a small island if gritstone.

We started this walk in the tiny market town of Winster, most noteable for a 17th Century Market Hall. The route took us out of the village and down into a valley and then we climbed through a small wood to reach farmland near Birchover. We walked past a busy campsite and then further upward to reach a small road. We wallked up the road for a 100 yds and then followed a path that lead up to Stanton moor. as moors go it is quite small and crossed with many paths. There are a lot of large rocks on the moor and many large Rhodedendrum bushes, also many tumuli, prehistoric burial chambers although they are cover ingrass and just appear as a small hump in the ground. At least 70 have been identified. We followed the path which skirted the moor and we soon had great views into the Derwent Valley and Darley Dale. There is a restored steam railway than runs through Darley Dale and we saw a  train in a station below us.
As the path turned around the eastern side of the Moor, we could see Earl Grey Tower which stands on the edge of the moor. This was built to commemorate the 1830 Reform act. We now moved away from the perimeter and soon arrived at the Nine Ladies a bronze age stone circle, the stones are all quite small and I had difficulty taking a photo that didn't show someone using one of the stones as a seat, this is a popular spot.

Our route now took us across the moor, and whilst stopping for a break we could clwarly hear a Cuckoo calling in a stand of trees behind us, sadly I was not able to catch a glimpse of the bird. I think it was the first time I have even heard a cuckoo. As I said, the moor is quite small and we soon reached the western edge, by a disused quary, one of many around the edges of the moor, another large rock known as the Cork Stone stands here.
We now followed the road towards the village of Birchover, before branching out onto a steep path which led down behind the village itself and emerged on another road opposite the Druid Inn.
Unusually for us, we decided to stop at the inn for a little refreshment. After a short break we continued down a track under Rowtor Rocks, an interestin group of rocks which we decided not to look at more closely, a shame really as they seem to have an interesting history.
We then followed the path which went around a farm and then down hill to eventually reach a road, which we decided to follow back to Winster.

Magpie Mine 27/05/12

We drove down to the pretty village on Ashford on the Water, on the river Wye. Once we found a parking space, we set off through to village crossing the river over the old bridge and crossed the busy A6.. After following the footpath a little way we branched off onto a minor road and soon cane to a path that led to the river.

We followed the river upstream heading towards an old derelict bobbin mill, as usual I kept my eyes open for birds but apart from a coule of Mallards did not recognise anything else. Although derelict the bobbin mill was quite interesting, only small but with two waterwheels. A little futher up the river was the weir presumeably built to divert water for the mill, the river above the weir is broad and still. A little further upstream and we came to a small lake, mallard and tufted duck on here plus a family of Coot, including several chicks.

We now left the river and began to climb up through a wood, lots of birdsong but nothing spotted, The path reached almost the top of the wood and then descended to reach the mouth of Deep Dale. We started to walk up the dale. As dales go it isn’t the most picturesque, a small stream meanders through it and there were lots of cowslips on the sides. Eventually we left the dale and climbed up the steepish side to reach farmland. We could now see Magpie mine across the fields and we headed towards the village of Sheldon, which was original home to the miners.

We followed a path from the village and after a short while we reached the mine. Magpie Mine is one of many lead mines in the area but is one of the few ,possible the only one, where a lot of the buildings and structures are still standing. It is surrounded by spoil heaps which have now been covered with grass and lead tolerant flowers such as leadwort.

Interestingly further investigation following the walk shows that the mine was in operation on and off right up tho the early 1950, so its not surprising that a lot of it remains.

On leaving the mine we set off to walk back to Sheldon and from there took paths that lead down past flower filled meadows to the River Wye and so back to Ashford.

It was a pleasant enough walk with a couple of quite strenuous but short climbs. The river Wye was lovely and the mine was interesting but we have certainly been on a lot nicer walks.