A couple of weeks ago, Desmodegsy & I set off from Heatherdene Car Park on a beautifully sunny and frosty morning. It was one of those mornings when your nose hurts as you breathe in the crisp chilly air.....but those are the sort of mornings that I love!
From the car park, we walked along part of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way, before crossing the road near the Ladybower Dam and heading to Yorkshire Bridge and the bottom of Parkin Clough.
Parkin Clough is probably the best of the various ways to begin the ascent of Win Hill, especially if you don't mind steep rocky climbs.
The clough can get very muddy and slippery after heavy rain - but the hard frosty ground made the climbing so much easier!
Anyway, on with the photos....
This 'frosty' carved owl sits on a lovely wooden seat in the Heatherdene Car Park....
A fluffed up Robin on the D.V.H.Way, waits patiently for some food.....
The River Derwent from Yorkshire Bridge...
The new footpath sign at the bottom of Parkin Clough.....
The path ahead goes up.......
..and up.....
..and up.....
....and up....
....and up....
..until you finally reach Win Hill Plantation. Even here though, the climbing continues through the trees....
Once out of the trees, the ascent of Win Hill itself begins - but it's nothing compared to what's gone before!....
The view from part way up.....
And another, with Wiseman Hey Clough Plantation in the foreground and Derwent Edge in the far distance....
The trig point on Win Hill, looking very tiny from this angle.....
No comment.....
The view from Win Hill, looking towards Lose Hill and the Great Ridge....
The boggy puddles were now thick ice on the path ahead....
The track along Thornhill Brink and Hope Brink.....
...which eventually leads to the course of an old Roman Road. The Eastern flanks of Kinder Scout are to the left of the photo....
This was the shock I mentioned in the thread title: Hope Cross, a symbol to many walkers over the years, without it's Cap stone! Something tells me we'll never find out who stole it....
http://www.derbyshireheritage.co.uk/Menu/Ancient/crosses/Hope-cross.php After a rest and some lunch at Hope Cross, we headed into the woods....
...passing this cute stone chair along the way....
...and the remains of some old buildings, now covered in moss....
At the bottom of the woods, we joined the track that runs alongside of the Ladybower Reservoir, which was still partly frozen at it's narrowest end........
Reflections, with Crook Hill in the distance....
After walking along the low level track for a while, I decided another climb was needed! This steep track leads into Wiseman Hey Clough Plantation.....
There's a great view of Crook Hill from the top......
There are a few little streams in the plantation, where the water makes it's way down the hillside and into the reservior....
And finally, the Ladybower Reservoir and it's 'plug hole' near the dam wall.
After walking along the Ladybower Dam, we retraced our steps along the D.V.H.Way and back to the car park.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for looking
Tracey
