This 10 mile walk, the first of two during this year's Peak District Weekend, started on the gritstone of Birchover ...
... before climbing up over Stanton Moor ...
... through the heather ...
... to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, a Bronze Age circle of rocks said to be nine women turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath.
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| Nine Ladies (plus one) Stone Circle |
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| Druids wild camping in the bushes on Stanton Moor |
The route came off the gritstone across Bradford Dale and round the disused but still impressive Shiningbank (limestone) Quarry ...
...before dropping down to Alport and lunch near Bradford Village.
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| River Bradford |
Then it was up to the top of the dale ...
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| Fish ponds in Bradford Dale |
... before climbing back onto the gritstone ...
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| Gritstone water troughs |
... to eventually reach Robin Hood's Stride. Legend has it that Robin strode between the tower-like stones at either
end of the tor, but this is unlikely because they are 15 metres apart.
A diversion took us (not without some difficulty) to Cratcliffe Tor and a rock shelter known as the Hermit's Cave ...
... inside which is a carved crucifixion on the wall probably dating back to the 14th century.
And so back to Birchover for a drink.
... where we had lunch.
