David and Jacinta's Walks- 2025

The Circuit of Kinder- David Solo It had been over a year since I'd done the circuit of the Kinder plateau and today seemed as good a day as any to do it. Rather than go up Ringing Roger (our usual way up from Edale), I went up Golden Clough to ensure that I did a complete circuit. Views were great, with many familiar landmarks (including Win Hill, the twin humps of Crook Hill and The Wheel Stones on the far horizon) to the east. Eastern views I stopped at Crookstone Knoll for a break and took in the view of Fairbrook Naze in the distance- a couple of hours away. Fairbrook Naze in and out of the sun At around Blackden Brook, Jacinta (who was in London) asked if I'd managed to get out to Edale, so I sent a pic of points north- lots of heather and Back Tor just about visible. View from above Blackden Brook The Kinder Plateau has lots of gritstone formations; I keep telling myself that I'll do a circuit and take pictures of most of them. In the interim, here's one. One gri...

 The Helicopter Walk- David Solo It had been quite a while since I'd done the Helicopter Walk and today seemed to be a great day to do it- lots of daylight hours and no chance of rain. I parked up at the Birchen Clough layby just off the Snake Pass. It was a relief to get through the devastation of the plantation that had been felled- I understand that this was because of diseased larch trees. A little compensation was that I could see Fairbrook Naze a little earlier- my eventual descent from the Kinder plateau. Fairbrook Naze above the devastated plantation I made the detour to the bothy in Oyster Clough (of course!), which was nice and tidy although there was a couple of bags of rubbish in one corner- I must take a rubble sack next time, so I can take any rubbish away. Nearing the Oyster Clough bothy As I had plenty of time, I kept high on the next section on the other side of the clough, hoping to find a better way down than I had back in 2022 . The path, faint in parts, weaves ...

 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...