crowthersheffield
Jan 9, 2014
… dawned clear, unlike the preceding night. 6 of us arrived at the Ronseal factory for the start of the Thursday walk (Hugh gallantly getting there after a night shift) and we set of for a micro-tour of the Chapeltown housing estate to gain our main route. I was glad that I’d spent half an hour on Google streetview to identify the roads and footpaths, so we only made one navigational error in the first kilometre…
Arriving at the older housing estate we found one of the post-WW1 steel-and-concrete houses with a section stripped on the outside to expose the construction materials – interesting.
On passing the football pitches we found a work gang drilling and pumping – not sure if they were after oil or just trying to drain the waterlogged pitches. Onwards took us past a reservoir then grass-covered heaps – the whole area was very industrialised with iron smelting then coal mining, but nature has done pretty well since.
Another minor map-reading error added a k onto the route, but the team didn’t seem to notice, even when walking up the A61 for a hundred yards…
A lunch stop in Tankersley churchyard was suggested, but we pushed on under the M1 to the ruin of Tankersley Old Hall, which featured in the film Kes. A sunny bench provided a nice seat, even if the traffic noise was noticeable. Photos of the assembled Castle wrecks in front of the Hall ruins were taken then it was back under the M1 (after a slight detour into someone’s yard) to the golf course. We avoided flying balls, but also the correct route, as we found out when Tankersley church appeared in front of us for the second time – another k was added, but it was a nice day…
Over the A616 again and along the Trans Pennine Trail I thought we couldn’t go wrong – and didn’t until the final half-k when a footpath suddenly descended at a very steep angle. We also misplaced a Churchill tank, but Hugh was last seen disappearing back into the woods to find it. The rest of us headed home just before the rains came.
Thanks to all who came, and apologies for the navigational errors. A nice social walk on a sunny day. Should anyone else want to do the walk it is described at
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/peakdistrict08.htm
Cheers,
Dave
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