Heather in full bloom for ramble on Burbage Moor
HAPPINESS is breathing in the honey sweet aroma of heather in full bloom, and being in a nectar filled swoon for a 4.5 hour walk on the moors above Hathersage.
Our competent walk leader Graham Bothwell lead E C Ramblers from the car park at Upper Burbage, the place where the road resembles an elbow, (thus often called Fiddler’s Elbow), onto the Stanage Edge path.
In such glorious weather we bounced along enjoying clear panoramic views all around, swinging right towards the Stanedge Pole which has marked the boundary between Derbyshire and South Yorkshire since 1550.
Since then, each time the pole has to be renewed, the initials of the builders have been carved into the stones there.
As recently as 2016 the Peak District National Park and Mountaineering Council along with others erected a new pole from a felled larch tree with the base cast stamped in Sheffield.
It is here we rested for a short coffee break in the peace and warmth of the sun, looking down over Stanedge Lodge and over the deep purple-rich Hallam Moors.
We resumed walking in the north easterly direction down the Long Causeway with Fulwood on our left, following this medieval packhorse route and the line of a Roman road to the Redmires Reservoir, a group of three reservoirs fed from steams in the Hallam Moors above.
The reservoirs were constructed following a cholera epidemic in Sheffield around 1832, now with a permissive path for walkers. We continued on up a short climb to be rewarded with absorbing views over Sheffield and here we paused for our lunch stop.
Refuelled, we continued passing Knoll Top Farm on our left and Rud Hill on our right before walking via Brown Edge Farm we quickly arrived at Ringinglow Road.
Crossing this road onto Burbage Moor the group continued to the boundary with Houndkirk Moor. Picking our way over the stony path on the Burbage Rocks we returned satisfied, and renewed by the perfect day’s walking.
For more details of East Cheshire Ramblers’ programme of weekend and midweek walks ranging from 4 to 15 miles in length, go to ramblerseastcheshire.org. uk.