Two trips to Big Moor

The main walk on Saturday Apr 14th was 9.5 miles, starting by Ramsley Moor at the Shillito Wood car park on Fox Lane.  I crossed the access land on Leash Fen - just in time as the land is rapidly getting wetter after the many April showers this year.  Crossing the main road, I followed the lane for a short distance before taking a path that heads to a lengthy journey north along White Edge, cutting across to the B 6054 and then using the track across Big Moor past the drained reservoir and down the Bar Brook valley and back across Ramsley Moor to the car park.  It was most enjoyable, with a sense of wide open spaces, peace and quiet.  The walking was very fast and easy, making it little more than a half day walk.

On Wednesday Apr 18th I had the car and it was a wet day, and I decided to go back to the moorland again. It was not a real walk but developed into a couple of excursions out on to the moor.  The area was wonderfully atmospheric, and at long last there was sufficient rain to look as though it was making an impact on the unusually dry ground through the winter and much of the last couple of years.  One conclusion from the day, was, as I suspected, some little used but quite expensive traditional waterproofs were much less effective (especially the jacket which really has been very poor) than another set of cheaper ones I have have been using.  My camera gave up after a while, which tends to happen when rain really sets in.  Perhaps I'll have to look into waterproof options for this sort of day.

Saturday photos.

On Leash Fen

Lichen on rock, Leash Fen

Leash Fen was worth tackling while the ground was still reasonably dry, it must often be a nightmare underfoot.  Even so the tussocky grass and mossy areas meant that picking a way was slow and required care.  It may seem desolate and unappealing, but I was glad to have ventured across.  I have decided that I really am intrigued by lichens, but that they are extremely difficult to identify and understand.  I am feeling the same way about fungi, but at least there are some which can be identified by the beginner.

Leaving the lane west of the A621, I had an encounter with Highland cattle.  They were either side of the path and seemed surprised that I used the path right through the middle of the group.  As I approached one actually fell to the ground and scrambled to its feet with a startled look.  This really aroused the interest or concern of the others, and they were quite noisy and followed me for some distance to make sure I was not a threat.  Thankfully none of them made any really threatening approach, although they looked and sounded on the verge of being quite cross at the disturbance.

Highland cattle, keeping watch after my intrusion

Looking back to the A621 and corner of Leash Fen (upper left)

The path climbed gently to the line of White Edge, which is just above the surrounding plateau and moorland.  The edge is only significant because of the general gentleness of the plateau - in most hill country it would hardly register as a feature.  However it does provide particularly grand walking, and there were a few people enjoying the area even though there are much more popular walks nearby.

White Edge trig point and Big Moor

White Edge, looking south

Below White Edge - Stoke Flat

Walkers on White Edge, looking south

The above four pictures are between the Curbar gap lane and the westernmost point which the walkers were rounding.  The path changes direction from NNW to NNE, but continues to follow the line of the edge, with views towards Longshaw and Win Hill beyond.  Even in the dull weather the views looked good, even if not ideal for colourful photography.  Hopefully some of the atmosphere of the day is conveyed.

View from White Edge

Big Moor

Little stream exiting Big Moor

Northern section of White Edge, looking south

A couple of slightly larger rock formations can be seen right at the north end before the edge merges into the moorland at White Edge Moor.  By now the clouds were gathering and as I cut across to the B6054 a sleety shower set in, moderately heavy for about 20 minutes.  A couple ahead of me had to hang around waiting for their dog to return from some private extra exploration of the area - later they were seen behind, reunited.  The next objective was the crossing of Big Moor passing the old reservoir on Bar Brook.  It all looked quite wild and remote, even though never really very far from a main road.

From White Edge Moor towards the B6054

Big Moor, sleet

Breached Barbrook Reservoir

Beyond, a very good track leads down the side of the deepening Bar Brook valley in a series of wide curves.  It is much quicker and easier to keep to the track rather than attempt short cuts.  The shower eased and the walk was very enjoyable, passing a small reservoir with the valley beyond quite steep sided, hidden away as a fold in the moor.  Finally the track curves to meet the A621 and cross Ramsley Moor to the other former reservoir.

Bar Brook valley

Small reservoir, Bar Brook

Bar Brook draining Big Moor

View from Ramsley Moor to main road and lanes

Tuesday pictures

There are just a handful of shots before the camera gave up.  Early on I heard a cuckoo call for the first time this year, just  near the trees in the first picture.  I found some fungi that I have managed to identify!  (The fact that is was growing on birch, which I can at least recognise, was certainly a help).  I crossed Ramsley Moor and went up the Bar Brook valley to the small reservoir and explored some of the open moorland, just experiencing the place and the conditions.  Moorland like this really ought to be enjoyed on days like this as well as on sunny August days when the heather is out, or in crisp winter weather with frost and a sprinkling of snow.  Or maybe I really am weird.  A full cry of a curlew filled the air as I exited the moor, all the more evocative being the only one heard on the day.

Trees, Ramsley Moor - here I heard the cuckoo

Fungi ID - birch polypore, Piptoporus betulinus

Former Ramsley reservoir

Part of a stone circle above Bar Brook

Bar Brook valley track

Canada Goose at the small reservoir

April afternoon - spring showers

If I cannot get further afield, on most days I try to get out for fresh air and usually the walk includes the lakes at Carr Vale reserve, just 15 minute's stroll away from the front door.  Yesterday was great for weather watching, which is something I particularly enjoy.  So here are some shots to share how the afternoon developed.

The oil-seed rape seems to be coming into flower early this year.  Just a few weeks ago the snow was on the ground, and otherwise the plants don't seem to have been especially thriving because of the dry weather. However, the usually bright mass of flowers is well on the way now, and they made a good foreground against the sky.  For a long time it was unclear whether or not the clouds really "meant business".  The clouds were very slow moving so it was interesting to see how they were developing and reshaping.  Eventually it did become darker and closer.

Even so, it still looked quite localised, and I wandered the short distance down to the "Meadow Flash" - one of the lakes in the Carr Vale reserve.  This southern lake is in an open setting, hence "meadow", and it is one of a series of lakes caused by industrial activity, hence "flash".  A little curtain of rain developed, but seemed quite insignificant.

However, very quickly, everything intensified.  By the time I had reached the other of the larger lakes there was quite a downpour on the go.  It did not last for long, but was quite impressive.  The next shots give a bit of an impression.

The intensity soon eased, but a gentler rain continued for about 20 minutes.  This period brought the general grey and damp look to the fore on the path by the woods in the adjoining Peter Fidler reserve.  The birch trees are just coming into leaf.

The Peter Fidler reserve has a couple of smaller lakes and pools.  I got a nice shot of birch twigs after the rain, with out of focus reeds in the background.  There was also an attractive insect sheltering on a post which obligingly stayed put for a photo session.

Insect on a post, since identified as alderfly

I also took shots of a hawthorn branch with the lake beyond and a couple of dandelions which brightened up the scene.  Also, one of my favourite  subjects - ripples and patterns on water - this time after a duck had swum across.

By now, things were drying up quite nicely, although the sky was in quite a state of cloudy chaos.  Nothing developed further in the way of showers and the sky gradually calmed.  However there were some great scenes of clouds and blue sky with the sun going in and out.  It was just great to be out and about and I returned home almost dry, thanks to the waterproofs.  The camera had stood up quite well to the rain, so that was another bonus.  Later on, after a very slow build up over the Pennines, seen from home, a larger shower system finally came through after 6.30 pm, but it was decaying a bit and the rain was not as heavy or prolonged as it must have been over the hills.  I hope seeing the selection of pictures captures something of an afternoon of April showers.