Distance: 8.5 miles?Time: 3 hours
The question mark on the distance is because the GPS lost the signal a few times and it showed just over 8 miles at the end, but when connected the computer it said 8.9 miles, so just took the difference.
This is a walk I have been going to do for a long time but just never got around to it. The reason why its been planned for so long is because it passes by Peak Field where my mother grew up and I played so many times over the years until my gran died in 1994. I still went shooting for about a year after up there but most of the family don't get on with my uncle that lives there now.
So it was a walk with meaning for me, maybe the right time to do it as well.
(Above) Peak Field where my mother grew up and I spent years playing.
(Above) Peak Field againAfter walking past Peak Field where fences have been added because the land is being rented out to another farmer to use for sheep I made my way up past the quarry. I can remember me and a mate chasing deer through the quarry before being stopped by another farmer (Peart) thinking we were trying to shoot them. I think I was about 12 at the time, if I had a gun I might of tried to shoot them, lol.
(Above) Parson Byers QuarryAfter the quarry it was on up to Ridding House which the last time I was up there maybe 15 years ago it was a completely derelict and never thought anything would be done to it. Now it is someone house and looks good, never took any photos close up though. I used to think Ridding House was miles form Peak Field but it isn't very far at all, just seams it when you are a kid.
(Above) Ridding house is distance above quarryI then headed up towards Thimbleby Hill including several de-tours on the way. I never printed off the map and only plotted my GPS route very rough. Certainly wont go without a map again as the paths in places where vague or none existant. When I got to Thimbeleby Hill there was a woman outside and she thought I was coming to see her or something and asked if she could help. I just asked if I was on the footpath and she said yes and pointed me in the right direction. Thanked her and carried on, I knew I was on the path but thought I better make some conversation and be polite as people can often be funny about paths. Just as well she hadn't seen me hopping fences earlier ;-)
Then I headed down to Newlandside Quarry and I lost the path, the GPS was telling me the correct way to go but I couldn't see any path. Think I had walked past it. In the end I decided to follow a track which I knew would take me to the main road. I ended up walking through a farm and I noticed a dog the other side of the gate. I was a little wary, I opened the gate and it must of been a bit deaf because it lifted its head and was looking around but couldn't tell where the noise was from. It was only 6 feet from me, it suddenly jumped up when I was 2 feet from it and started barking but was on a chain. Then from somewhere another dog appeared and started running after me, it ran up next to me. I was wondering if it was going to try and bite me and was thinking about the best thing to do if it did when I heard the farmer shout of the dog and it disappeared.
After that I followed the track to the road and on into Stanhope, where I stoppped to eat one of my sandwiches. After that I was intending to just follow the back road down to Frosterley but I decided to walk along the railway line but decided that I better get off it before someone complains when I got to Frosterley (no trains running at the moment). I came off the railway line and walked down the river where my gran used to have the fishing rights and I used to fish.
(Above) Where I used to fish over 10 years agoI then scrambled back up the bank to the road and walked back into Frosterley.
It was a nice walk, although very hot again. Don't know where this Thunder is the weather forecast keeps mentioning??
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