West of Sheffield, lush farming land and quaint stone-built settlements give way to bleak moorland. Up there, there are no trees, just coarse grasses, heather and upland bogs. Hardy sheep graze amongst windswept hillocks and occasional ramblers with rucksacks and compasses follow ancient tracks as grey clouds scud ever eastwards. It is wild country and it effectively separates Yorkshire from the mysterious "other side".
But carry on travelling westwards, beyond the wild hills and you find the moors giving way to lush farming land and quaint stone-built settlements. It's like a mirror image of our side of the Pennines.
Yesterday I mounted my trusty steed, Clint - the sleek silver Hyundai - and drove over The Snake Pass to the "other side". To be more specific I went to Glossop and then turned left, heading south towards Little Hayfield but at the hamlet of Brookhouses Clint came to rest in a lay-by next to a dangerous bend on the A624.
With boots on, I set off on a four hour ramble that took in Rowarth, Pistol Farm, Near Slack Farm, Cown Edge, Coombes Edge, Stich, Monk's Road and Matley Moor. It was a glorious day for walking and it was delightful to be doing so in virgin territory. Naturally, I snapped quite a few photographs - in addition to the one at the top of this post and I have chosen four more to share with you.
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| Monk's Road |
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| Charolais cow and calf by Gun Road |
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| Cottage in Rowarth |
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| Sheep above Far Slack Farm with Manchester in the distance |
Clint?
ReplyDeleteAs in dinner ladies ?
" have you seen my clint? "
No you young whippersnapper! Clint - as in the chocolate rabbit Clint in Lee's fridge. ("Kitchen Connection" blog).
DeleteLovely photos, as usual. And I love that cottage! I wish there were houses like that for sale here.
ReplyDeleteIt is in the middle of a row of little cottages in Rowarth - a hamlet which is home to no more than fifty people.
DeleteThat cottage in Rowarth looks very appealing.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly has a sweet appearance. That's why I removed my lens cap.
DeleteIt appears it was a beautiful day for your walk...and I'm sure Clint enjoyed being taken out to amble along in the clear country air, too.
ReplyDeletePretty countryside and I love the look of the cottage.
Clint enjoys being free - not incarcerated like some other Clints I could mention!
DeleteMy Clint...Clint the First, by the way... instructed me to tell you he is very happy, completely content where he is!
DeletePrisoners will often say such things to avoid the wrath of prison wardens.
DeleteHe always has a smile on his face...perhaps he's the Smiling Assassin!
DeleteThat first photo is a winner YP - a symbol of England in a nutshell.
ReplyDeleteSee how the heather is blooming purple on the hillside Helen.
DeleteHeather in bloom is one of the things I haven't managed to see yet YP. Pity it happens in the summer when the crowds are at their worst and which we avoid. Does it still bloom in September-October ? Perhaps we can aim for then when we next win Lotto ?
DeleteOn the Peak District hills, the heather may bloom at any time between mid-August and mid-September. It varies from year to year.
DeleteYou had a good ramble today. It's a very beautiful area.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the word "ramble" odd Red? We can ramble with our feet or ramble with words.
DeleteI'm afraid I couldn't get past the picture of you mounting Clint.
ReplyDeleteDirty beast! (You not Clint)
DeleteHaahahahahaha, Graham!
DeleteThe first and the last picture of this lot are the ones I find most fascinating. The heather-clad moorland and then the sheep with the big city in the background - great!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you can now go on such 4-hour-hikes/walks again without health trouble.
As it happens my left knee is hurting now but on that walk I never felt a thing.
DeleteEvery part of our country has its beauties doesn't it, YP?
ReplyDeleteYes. We are blessed but some people rarely look.
DeleteYes, Weaver, from top to bottom you have a very beautiful country.
DeleteYou almost made it to our neck of the woods, although I see that you didn't stray out of Derbyshire.
ReplyDeleteActually that Charolais cow and calf are in Cheshire - to the west side of Gun Road which marks the boundary between Cheshire and Derbyshire - near the hamlet of Rowarth.
DeleteYou post some great pictures and stories. Thank you for sharing these. You'd make a great tour guide! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know how to make a guy feel good Chris!
DeleteI love the view of Manchester with the sheep in the foreground. I've never been to Manchester, as I've probably said here before. Gotta get up that way one of these days.
ReplyDeleteThat cow looks potentially hostile!
I certainly wouldn't have wanted to join her calf at the udder! She would probably have hoofed me away. By the way, Manchester isn't the nicest place in The North - not by a long way.
DeleteAnything done in virgin territory is always delightful, but you should keep your lens cap at the ready.
ReplyDeleteYour comment is ridden with sinful innuendo and there was me thinking that you were a god-fearing citizen!
DeleteSummer has been busy and I've just checked in to see this beautiful posting! I couldn't quit looking at that first picture - just stunning and so thought provoking. I'm sorry I missed 'Panda'. I've a bear who looks nearly as limp who's been around all my life as well. I sometimes think it feels so wrong that people we love are gone and yet simple 'things' continue on.
ReplyDeletep.s. You DO drive on the wrong side of the road, by the way ;-)
Naughty Hilly! We drive on the right side of the road...err, I mean the left side of course! I wonder what your old bear is called? Floppy?
DeleteObviously if we drive on the right side of the road, you simply must drive on the wrong side! My bear is Brownie. I hope I've aged better than he has....
ReplyDeleteI hope you are not moth-eaten with bits of fur falling off and a glass eye dangling on a thread.
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