On Carl Wark looking towards Higger Tor
Another bright winter's day before different weather arrives - wet and warmer. With Clint I headed out to the top of The Burbage Valley ready for an almost three hour walk. Many of the paths were treacherous - coated with ice. One careless step and you can be down. It's easy to break ribs or a hip.
The rocky southern edge of Higger Tor
I was down in the bottom of the valley by Burbage Brook and then I schlepped through a pine plantation before making my way up the valley side, heading for the rocky plateau that is Higger Tor - a name as familiar to me as a friend's name.
Frozen puddles on Higger Tor looking like a monster's eyes
From Higger Tor I walked south to Carl Wark which was once turned into a hill fort - perhaps older than defences built in connection with the Roman invasion of Britain between 43 & 47AD. At the western end of the one acre plateau, our forebears built a wall to deter attack.
Ancient boundary wall on Carl Wark - once a hill fort
At the eastern end of the plateau I eased down the precipitous edge, making sure than I did not fall. No need to rush. Just make every bootstep secure. Lowering my body down between the stones. Then over Burbage Brook via a little packhorse bridge.
Frozen puddle in Burbage Valley
Freezing temperatures can work artistic wonders upon water, including random puddles. See above.
Clint on the far right - parked near Upper Burbage Bridge
Here I am cheating the picture sequence in this blogpost because I took the photo of Clint near the moorland bridge soon after setting off. By 3.45pm - when the walk was over - the light was much gloomier than that as another long December night was already elbowing the day away.
Upper Burbage Bridge is a ten minute drive from our house.
Wow! What a walk!
ReplyDeleteA little colder than Lloyd methinks!
DeleteGood for getting out at this time of year when it would be easy to stay home.
ReplyDeleteGloves were a great invention and so were thermal hats.
DeleteI can feel the cold radiating from the scenes. The frozen puddle is magical.
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty can be just below our feet if we just bother to look down.
DeleteA ten minute drive from your house, lucky man. Lovely photos and a clear, sunny day. We had a gray day but it wasn't too cold. It's supposed to snow tonight, or rain, should make the drive to work in the morning fun.
ReplyDeleteDriving in snow is lots of fun - sliding about and skidding. Mind you if you smash into a parked car you may lose some points.
DeleteI am sure this walk was very good for you, Neil. Crisp clear air, sunshine and exertion to climb up and down Higger Tor - the best kind of walk on a day like that.
ReplyDeleteThe icy puddles really are works of art.
I couldn't just ignore a crisp sunshiny day because the immediate forecast is for greyness and wetness.
DeleteSame here! It was a beautiful sunny day today but I was (and still am) stuck at my desk until after sunset.
DeletePretty good for just 10 minutes away.
ReplyDeleteBeing so close to The Peak District National Park is one of Sheffield's top secrets.
DeleteAnother enjoyable walk (for us too) and if that icy puddle didn't melt it, would be good enough to hang on the wall! A fine piece of modern art.
ReplyDeleteEnlarged, I could see that working... "Oh yes Hermione, I purchased it from The Pudding Gallery in Yorkshire. A snip at two thousand guineas."
DeleteHigger Tor Man looks like Boris Johnson on the television today.
ReplyDeleteFrightened! If I had had a piece of chalk on me, I could have drawn his tiny mouth - like a slit in a pie... I said SLIT!
DeleteLooks like a challenging walk, always be careful. We mid-century moderns are hard to repair.
ReplyDeleteOut there I would have been hard to find too!
DeleteWhat a great walk and great names for places.
ReplyDeleteI read this:
"From Higger Tor I walked south to Carl Wark"
... and thought, 'Are those real names?'
Lastly, the frozen puddle looks gorgeous in your photo.
They are indeed real names - just west of here close to Stanage Edge, beyond Ringinglow.
DeleteIt looks a cold walk and rather desolate. I find the rocks in this district strangely shaped I suppose it is glacial, mostly in a horizontal folding manner. It does look dangerous for ankles though, I would take a stick.
ReplyDeleteThe rock is millstone grit . In pre-human times it was laid down as sandstone strata in ancient seas.
DeleteI'm too fearful to walk when it is icy out. I'm so afraid of falling. Glad you enjoyed your hike, Neil.
ReplyDeleteYou are wise Ellen because as people grow older, one accidental fall could be life-changing.
DeleteHey, you said "schlepped"! Very American of you! (Via Yiddish, of course.)
ReplyDeleteI love the patterns in that puddle. Today was dreary down here and yes, when I looked outside at 3:45, it was basically dark.
You are directly to blame for me using that word for the very first time!
DeleteA tricky walk but a beautiful area, love the frozen puddles.
ReplyDelete