After all that blue sky, sunshine and snow in the Alps, we had a burst of winter in the UK. Not what I had in mind though. I was up in Yorkshire for a van service and we’d decided to stay over for the weekend in the Peak District. While waiting for the Service it started snowing quite heavily. It didn’t look too bad so I set off for the drive from Barnsley to Castleton. A distance of 27 miles that should have taken less than an hour took me over 3 hours and many more miles trying to avoid the highest roads and some awful traffic. We really don’t cope with snow in the UK at all!
I had a calm down evening in the van and a day working in the van. TBF joined me and we had a nice meal out in one of Castleton’s many fine pubs. We’d arranged to meet some friends for a walk on the Saturday. Everything was plastered white on Thursday into Friday but by the time we set off for a walk it had pretty much all melted.
We had a walk planned along the Pennine Way, up to Jacobs Ladder and back along the southern edges of Kinder.
The forecast was for it to brighten a little as the day went on and there were signs of promise on an albeit grey and damp day.
When you’re meeting friends you don’t see all that often, the weather doesn’t matter so much. Its great just to walk and have a natter.
On the path from Upper Booth.
Approaching Jacobs Ladder.
The small bridge at the bottom of Jacobs Ladder is a lovely spot even on a grey winters day.
Top place for a lunch stop.
TBF and J wanted to take a lower level route back so me, EWO and TYG carried on up to the plateau. Here approaching Edale Rocks.
The earlier promise of better weather was ill-forecasted and we spent most of the rest of the day in the cloud with regular showers of cold rain.
The many boulders and rocky outcrops maintained the interest though.
The look quite atmospheric in the swirling clouds.
And we did have a few fleeting views of the Edale valley below.
I’d forgotten just how much rock there is up here and how impressive they are.
Its been over 20 years since I’ve walked up here so I was a little disappointed the weather wasn’t better.
Grindsbrook Clough is always impressive though.
We had thought of pushing on round to Ringing Roger but another bout of rain and a pressing engagement with the curry house in Hathersage forced our hand.
We descended Golden Clough. If you are thinking of using this as a quick and easy route down to Edale village then my advice is – don’t. Its steep, muddy, overgrown and the path on the map barely exists.
Still a great day out, nice to meet up with friends and finsihed off in style with a superb curry.
surfnslide 
I quite like moorlands in the mist and in atmospheric weather – they have a real atmosphere to me!
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They look quite primeval in the mists. A grey day but in the context of the wet winter not too bad a day
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When I saw your route I was wondering how you would have survived being sucked down into the bog. Kinder in winter after all that rain we’ve had. Brave, hardy souls 😂
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The edges aren’t too bad – they were just a bit muddy. It used to be the middle of the plateau that was a peat-b0g-fest! They’ve made a remarkable change over the past years though with all the work they’ve done. Its largely an expanse of grass now cut with streams
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Always baffles me how people seem to lose all their brains when snow is in the air. A fab walk though and I really need to get to the Peak District at some point, to many good outcrops and edges not to head over that way
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It took me well over an hour to attempt to drive through Chesterfield, give up, and end up back where I started!
You definitely need to walk the Peak. An area of contrasts with the green pastoral limestone of the White Peak and the brooding gritstone edges and moors of the Dark Peak. I’ve enjoyed a few visits of late to rekindle my love of the area (I used to live near Derby) so I used to know it pretty well.
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Sitting here in the warmth of my home this walk beckons me to join you. Damp and miserable there is an exhileration to the effort and its reward. I have few experiences of such weather, but this post does remind me of day 2 of my Ten Peaks walk in the Snowy Mountains.
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It’s been grey wet and dreary in the UK for what seems like several months. Just the odd short period of sunshine here and there with hardly any extended nice spells of weather since May/June last year
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Oh, dear!
Frank is just watching the Stockport v Donnes [?] football game. He called me, to show how hard the rain was falling. It would be called off here. I sure hope the sunny days arrive soon.
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Sunny warm weather can’t come soon enough but no sign of it yet with Easter weekend on the horizon
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Love the edges on Kinder. Your first photo with the bridge in it is extremely atmospheric. No curry photos?
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Been so long since I’ve been up there, shame it was a bit gloomy up top but sitting by the bridge for lunch was rather fine – if a bit cold. I’ll make sure I dod a food photo next time!
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