A springtime walk from Cutthroat Bridge
TO celebrate the arrival of spring, a party of 14 East Cheshire Ramblers ventured slightly further afield than in recent months with a 12-mile walk starting at Cutthroat Bridge near Bamford in north east Derbyshire.
From the bridge, the party ascended Derwent Edge in light rain, but this soon gave way to bright sunshine, providing splendid views over Ladybower Reservoir and the hills beyond which retained a sprinkling of snow.
Derwent Edge has dramatic stone structures which have been given names inspired by their shapes and these include ‘Wheelstones’ (which provided shelter from the wind for the morning coffee break); ‘Salt Cellar’ and ‘Cakes of Bread’.
The route descended across Foulstone Moor to arrive at Strines Reservoir for the lunch stop after which the party began a partial circuit of Dale Dike Reservoir. Here we learned of the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 when the dam burst, sending millions of gallons of water cascading down the valley, resulting in some 240 lives lost, as well as widespread destruction. The party continued around the reservoir on some very muddy paths, eventually climbing to Boot’s Folly, a viewing tower constructed in 1927 by Charles Boot, a civil engineer and former resident of nearby Sugworth Hall to provide work for local men during the Depression.
The route continued on a footpath through the grounds of Sugworth Hall, which had a profusion of snowdrops, before traversing moorland paths back to the start point.
For details of East Cheshire Ramblers’ programme of weekend and midweek walks ranging from four to 15 miles, go to ramblers eastcheshire.org.uk.