Sophie Turban (Member no: 768)
Hope Valley walk
The train from Manchester is packed with keen hikers heading to Kinder Scout or Mam Tor, but for today’s solo hike I decided to visit some other great landmarks up on the hills - the Ringing Roger rock formation, The Druid’s Stone and Hope Cross
The village of Edale is mostly known for being the start of the Pennine Way, a rocky spine that stretches from the Peak District, through the Yorkshire Dales and up to Northumberland, however there are so many other great trails across Hope Valley worth venturing away from the main tracks. As per usual, the train from Manchester is packed with keen hikers heading to Kinder Scout or Mam Tor, but for today’s solo hike I decided to visit some other great landmarks up on the hills - the Ringing Roger rock formation, The Druid’s Stone and Hope Cross. The weather is a bit cloudy in this first week of May, hopefully it will clear up along the way.
The route starts with a steep walk up Grindsbrook Clough and through The Nab, halfway to the top a brief pit-stop is needed - the edge of the cliff is also a great viewing platform of Hope Valley in its full length, with the Great Ridge opposite and in the distance a few paragliders can be seen dancing in the sky, just above Mam Tor. I resume climbing to reach the Ringing Roger, a collection of gritstones overlooking the valley. I don’t know much about these but they are very impressive, with large circular holes carved in places, most likely caused by rain and wind erosion over time. Then I press on through Rowland Cote moor to reach the Druid’s Stone. This solitary boulder has a relatively flat top surface with a few holes here and there - local folklore say that Druids used it as an altar to make sacrifices and the holes were to place offerings for the Gods! A few yards away a handful of light grey stones stand out from the heather worth a short detour for. The Madwoman’s Stones are only a bit further up, but I will save that for another time. I continue my way across Nether Moor and gradually start the descent towards Hope Cross, a tall mediaeval stone sculpture that stands on the old roman road between Glossop and Hope. On the way down the Ladybower reservoir can be seen briefly and in the distance I can hear fast cars on Snake road, a gentle reminder that civilisation isn’t too far away.
Hope Cross is quite a popular spot for walkers to rest and enjoy great views so I continue my way through fields of grazing sheep and eventually decide to extend the route to Win Hill. A long and steady hillclimb brings me to the top where the views are breathtaking, over the Ladybower Reservoir, Mam Tor and the East of Edale Moor which I’ve just walked through. Northwards, on the other side of the reservoir, the Coach and Horses rock formation and Salt Cellar Derwent Edge appear in the distance - both going on the list of places to go on the next hike.
Once the legs have rested and I have scrutinised every hilltop point on the horizon, it’s time to head downhill back to catch the 18:29 train from Hope station, via the near pub to reward myself with a good pint of local ale - the Travellers Rest just hit the spot.
