Wednesday March 18th

 Lots of Stones: Barrow, Grinah and Bleaklow

Another day out for David. This time, the Ladybower/Derwent/Howden flight of reservoirs called and I parked up at King's Tree. I walked south along the access road to reach the path up through the Nether Wood Plantation and up onto Ridge Nether Moor. The track from there follows a boggy groove more or less along the ridge, crossing the tracks leading north east to Lower Small Clough and south west down to the Fagney Plantation. Just short of the ascent to Round Hill, there's a view of the Grinah and Bleaklow Stones.

Bleaklow Stones (Skyline left) and Grinah Stones

The top of Round Hill, with its shelter, is always a good place to stop for a snack and a drink.

Round Hill Shelter

From the top of Round Hill, its a brief climb to the Barrow Stones.

Barrow Stones main outcrop

From the Barrow Stones, it's a straightforward traverse to the Bleaklow Stones with another short climb to the outcrops themselves. The weather was much brighter (and warmer!) than it had been the week before.

Bleaklow Stones (alternative outcrop to The Anvil)
Lunch spot perched below left-hand boulder

I sat in my usual spot for lunch: my watch showed that it was much warmer than last time I was here:

Last time it was 7⁰ C!

Per the last time I did this walk, the idea was to walk along the "ridge" of Bleaklow directly to the Barrow Stones. This is much easier said than done because of all the grikes along the way. However, one advantage of this was that I got very close to a mountain hare, startling both of us. He galloped away far faster than I could get my phone out to take a picture of him, sadly.

On arriving back at the Barrow Stones I found the stile quickly having been there before, and headed down more directly to the River Derwent, only swerving left towards the end of the descent rather than taking the right-hand way down to the river. Next time, I plan to get it all right!

More Barrow Stones outcrops

A walk of 12.4 miles with 480m ascent.



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