David and Jacinta's Walks- 2025

 Dovestones- David and Steve A day out for David with long-standing friend Steve. We met at the Dovestones car park and walked up the flight of reservoirs, which were all very low. Yeoman Hey Reservoir We took the usual route beside Greenfield Brook and then up Birchen Clough before climbing up to the edge above the reservoirs. Stream just about running down Birchen Clough The ascent feels relatively easy nowadays (compared with the first few times that Jacinta and I did it) but the views are really great, with Greenfield Brook and Birchen Clough seeming a very long way down. View down to the stream and clough below with Black Hill in the distance We stopped for a quick picture above The Trinicle before continuing round to the Chew Reservoir and returning to the Dovestones car park. Above The Trinicle with Greenfield Reservoir in the background A walk of 9.2 miles with 390m ascent.

 The Helicopter Walk- David Solo A beautiful day was in the offing, and I quite fancied a longer walk. Going through the Snake Pass the last few times, we'd seen that the path from Birchen Clough was open again (it had probably closed on the day that I walked it last year,  Tuesday April 16th ) although the hillside still looked pretty desolate from the clearing of diseased larches. The path had been restored to some extent but it was still a relief to get above the treeline and to have a view of Fairbrook Naze. Fairbrook Naze- a descent to come! I felt that I might as well go the whole hog, so I took the detour up to the bothy at the end of Oyster Clough. It was lovely to see that it was in really good condition- clean, with a couple of new benches. The inside of the Oyster Clough bothy The bothy in its isolated splendour As could be imagined, the views were great- on the way up to Crookstone Knoll, back to Win Hill and over to The Great Ridge. Win Hill The Great Ridge The Lo...