Sunday 21st July 2013
Shining Tor from Pym Chair, returning via Lamaload Reservoir
Distance: 9.5km; Ascent: 330m, Cool and breezy; Solo
See tracked route in new window
I had a rare opportunity to head out for a walk this evening so I jumped at the chance to head up onto Shining Tor and the surrounding moorland. It was warm and dry when I left home in Stockport, but by the time I reached Pym Chair it was noticeably colder and quite windy with occasional spots of drizzle - quite a change from the weather of the last few weeks! Therefore before setting off walking at 7:30pm, I changed out of my shorts and donned a fleece!
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| Heading towards Cats Tor |
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| Spear Thistle |
It was good to be out walking again and there were reasonable views south along the ridge towards Shining Tor, although the cloud kept intermittently covering the very highest bits of the hill. Since my last hill walks back in
May, summer had well and truly arrived in the hills which meant that there were plenty of wild flowers to brighten up the moorland with little splashes of colour :-) There was also loads of bog cotton, even though most of boggy ground seemed to be pretty dry after the warm weather.
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| Slabbed path past bog cotton |
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| Lots of bog cotton! |
Soon I reached the windy summit of
Shining Tor (Marilyn, Dewey), where I spotted for a quick break in the lee of the trigpoint.
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| The summit area of Shining Tor |
My original plan had been to return to Pym Chair by way of the ruins of Errwood Hall, but instead I decided I fancied heading northwest over the moorland to reach Lamaload Reservoir, which would take me over new ground for me.
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| Heading NW from Shining Tor |
After passing through some moorland pasture that was clearly popular with some cows, I crossed a small hill to be rewarded with a good view down to the reservoir. The sky looked to be clearing and for a few minutes it seemed I was going to be rewarded with a glorious sunset; alas however the cloud returned too soon this time!
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| Lamaload Reservoir |
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| Foxgloves |
I took a good path down past lots of foxgloves to reach the road at Lamaload Reservoir as dusk approached. I now had a 2.5km road walk to return to my car at Pym Chair. This passed uneventfully and I reached the car just after 10pm after a most pleasant and enjoyable evening hillwalk :-)
....and a good cold beer to seal a great evenings hike". I love those walks Alistair. When I was staying with my Uncle & Aunt in Crowborough, back in '93, we often went for walks such as this. I remember them so well.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Barry.
Thanks. I think I had a wee dram that night instead as I got home quite late! I do enjoy evening walks and hope to be back in the western hills of the Peak District one evening later this week :-)
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