Wednesday April 1st

Brown Knoll, Kinder South Edge and Mam Tor from Rushup

David on his own on April Fool's Day; I had planned to walk from Edale up to Hollins Cross and  then to Mam Tor, Brown Knoll and the south edge of Kinder. However, I stopped at the layby at the south west end of Rushup Edge and started my walk from there. Just the same walk, but with a little extra to start and finish!

Brown Knoll was the first significant top. It was showing signs of the recent weather and the surroundings of the trig point gave an idea of how it was before the paving slabs had been laid (we'd been there many years ago before the path had been slabbed as well).

Brown Knoll trig point wallowing in its glorious past

There was a brass miniature on the top of the trig:

Miniature on top of the trig point

The bottom of the brass had initials "WS" and an indication of the year:

The base of the brass

Although very much a foreign object, it didn't seem to be out of place in this location and I was happy to leave it there (sadly, it was no longer there next time we passed on 21st April).

As I was writing this blog, I thought that I'd ask Google Gemini if they knew what it was. This was the response:

This is a miniature Tibetan Buddhist Stupa, also known as a Chorten in Tibetan.

It is a sacred architectural form that represents the enlightened mind of the Buddha and serves as a symbolic map of the path to enlightenment. While large versions are found across the Himalayas, small brass versions like this one are commonly used as votive offerings or placed on personal altars to hold relics, prayers, or "tsatsas" (small clay images).

Key Architectural Symbolism

In Tibetan Buddhism, the five parts of the stupa traditionally represent the five purified elements:

  • The Square Base (Earth): The multi-tiered foundation represents the solid ground of the physical world and the "Ten Virtuous Actions."

  • The Dome/Vase (Water): The bulbous middle section (called the bumpa) represents the element of water and the "Seven Limbs of Enlightenment."

  • The Spire (Fire): The tapered, ribbed section (often with 13 rings) represents the element of fire and the 13 stages of the Bodhisattva path.

  • The Crescent Moon (Air): Near the very top, the crescent represents the element of air and the clearing of all obscurations.

  • The Sun/Jewel (Wisdom/Space): The small circular tip represents wisdom, space, and the ultimate state of Buddhahood.

Style & Usage

This specific design, with its relatively simple, bell-shaped dome and tiered base, is often referred to as a Kadampa Stupa (or Enlightenment Stupa). This style became popular in Tibet around the 11th century.

Because of the small hole or opening often found at the bottom of these brass statues, they are frequently used as reliquaries—small scrolls of mantras or grains are placed inside and sealed to "consecrate" the object, making it a living presence of the Buddha's teachings in a home.

I think that my impression that it wasn't out of place was quite correct.

On the way down to the Edale Cross - Jacob's Ladder path, a murder of crows was enjoying the wind currents and I was reminded of Carlos Castaneda's book "The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge". Having said that, my memory is that Castaneda said that flying as a crow wasn't effortless, but these crows certainly made it look that way.

The Pennine Way fingerpost at the path junction was adorned with The Key to the Highway.

The Key to the Highway

From the Pennine Way path junction, it was up to the south edge of Kinder and Noe Stool.

Noe Stool with South Head in the distance

And the landscape to come: Pym Chair and The Woolpacks.

Pym Chair and The Woolpacks

Kinder is decorated with many, many rock sculptures. One day, I really will do a circuit and take pictures of most of them. In the meantime, here's one opposite Crowden Towers:

One of many Kinder rock sculptures

The path after the very muddy section through the Woolpacks is good and skirts around the heads of Crowden, Grindsbrook and Golden Cloughs. Today, I descended Ringing Roger avoiding the most scrambly bits on the way down to Edale. Rather than passing The Penny Pot and accessing The Great Ridge via the road past Hardenclough Farm, I took the path opposite the church, heading directly towards Hollins Cross. After crossing the road, the path was really not to be recommended. Sections were muddy and liberally spread with cow manure...

After reaching Hollins Cross, it was just a matter of following the path up to Mam Tor and up to Lord's Seat and Rushup Edge before retracing my steps down the byway to the car.

As I only started the GPS as I neared Brown Knoll, I can only estimate the distance as c. 11 miles with 680m ascent.



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