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| Grouse shooters' cabin in Sugden Clough |
On the day of the mountain hares, I was up in an area of moorland which was once used for training tank regiments. That was in World War II but even today evidence of those times remains. Somewhere there's even a rusty old tank still stuck in a bog but I didn't see it.
I made my way past the grouse shooters' cabin in Sugden Clough and then up to the summit of Pike Lowe. Its impressive cairn sits atop a Bronze Age burial site. By now, there were no paths - just open moorland with tussocky grasses, heather, rivulets and spongy bogs. Fortunately I had brought a compass to guide me across the area as I sought to capture more squares for the geograph project.
At one point, my right leg sank into a hidden bowl of peaty porridge - right up to the knee but bravely I struggled on, passing long broken walls that were probably targeted by passing tanks seventy years ago. I saw the remains an odd, fairly modern structure by Ewden Height and went over to investigate. Later I discovered it had once been a specially constructed target facility.
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| Remains of the tank target facility |
On this walk I saw no other people but, in addition to the two mountain hares, I did see a lizard and several grouse. When disturbed, the cackling birds suddenly rise up out of the heather and give you quite a shock. Little do they know that their days are numbered before tweedy men with rifles blast them to smithereens before returning to the shooters' cabin for glasses of fine whisky and boastful banter. "I say Archibald, how many did you bag today?"
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| Approaching the cairn on Pike Lowe |
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| Pike Lowe cairn - the very top stone is mine |
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| Evidence of former sheep farming |
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| Sometimes featureless - the moors have a subtle beauty |
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| End of the walk at Upper Midhope |
You'd better take care of that hip of yours, Yorkie...sinking knee deep into porridge isn't going to do it any good!
ReplyDeleteInteresting countryside, though. :)
Thanks for your concern Nurse Lee. Any chance of a bed bath?
DeleteNope!!!
DeleteBeautiful! What sort of camera do you use? I love the shots of the moor. The colors are amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt's a Sony bridge camera with a useful 50x zoom.
DeleteIs it ever dangerous to walk around such boggy country? Could you sink in up to your neck or over your head? Totally serious question.
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of the Kinder Plateau after a period of very wet weather I am sure that that would be possible Steve but around Pike Lowe I had no fear of such an occurrence. Why do you ask? Are you looking for a place to dispose of the bodies of pupils who have not returned overdue library books?
DeleteA cairn? I call that a bloody big pile of rubble Heathcliff.
ReplyDeleteJust cos you live in Cairns doesn't make you and expert on cairns Cathy!
DeleteI can't decide which name I like best for a rock band, Spongy Bogs, Peaty Porridge, or Cackling Birds. We still have an opening for a xylophone player if you're interested (and talented enough). If you can also play the oboe the job is yours.
ReplyDeleteI could be the lead singer for The Rhyming Plagues - a weird, psychedelic band.
DeleteGoodness, I didn't know cairns got so high. You do have nice walks.
ReplyDeleteThat cairn is very old Donna. Most of the rocks belonged to the Bronze Age burial site beneath.
DeleteMore lovely photos - thank you YP. I really must get some new boots if I'm to continue to accompany you on your walkabouts !
ReplyDeleteForget the boots CG, it's sausage rolls and wedges of pork pie we need.
DeleteFantastic pictures of an almost surreal landscape. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Ambassador.
DeleteSinking up to your knee in muck would certainly catch your attention. I'm sure the tanks churned things up pretty well. I've found the same thing here.
ReplyDeleteTanks training at Red Deer? Is that just in case those pesky Yanks try to invade Canada?
DeleteYou really should have built something out of the stones at your cairn, rather than just add a rock to the top. Perhaps a stone igloo or small tower....maybe a lovely bridge or even a simple sheepfold. Tsk. Tsk. You've got to use your imagination and build up those biceps in the process!
ReplyDeleteAs I am not a boastful fellow, I decided not to show you what I did build Hilly. It is a scaled down model of The Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt. Oh and by the way if my biceps were any bigger I would never be able to find any shirts or jackets to fit me.
DeleteOh, good for you YP. I will, of course, expect to see a picture of it (no doubt it's in your backyard?) in your next post.
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