Sunday Walk 1st November-Report

The car park at Redmires was virtually full at 9.am,but 4 of the 6 members who attended managed to get in with the remaining 2 parking nearby.
So all present & parked,we set of in windy ,but dry conditions.We descended the moorland path past the turn off for the Headstone continuing to the valley floor and onward to the A57.An ascent to Crawshaw Lodge followed with a seriously boggy section in the middle ( must have merited full marks on Martin’s mudness scale!).
After Crawshore we continued over the ridge above and then descended past Crawshaw Farm to Royd’s Clough.Sadly the main part of the wood in the Clough has recently been felled without any attempt to clear the area by the path,so it is now not quite the gem it once was. Perhaps I should persuade my co Friends of the Porter Valley to take on a bit more of a challenge up here!
Safely through the Clough we descended through fields to Corker Lane, stopping to admire the drop below the bridge in the lane with cascading water rushing into an impressive gauge.Shortly afterwards we stopped on 3 conveniently place benches enabling us to sit socially distanced ,2 on each bench ,while savoring the view of Damflask reservoir over coffee.
After coffee we continued onwards and eventually upwards with views behind to High Bradfield & Agden Rocher.Climbing through Hall Bank wood and over the fields beyond we reached the collection of houses beyond Cow Gap.
After a rather wet and boggy track below Bent’s Farm we descended Brookside Bank to cross an unusual bridge formed by a single slab of rock.Over the bridge and through the woods on the opposite bank we stopped for lunch below a wall next to the rather dilapidated Hill Farm-getting what shelter we could from the strong gusty wind.Whilst sat there we were treated to a rainbow the other side of the valley forming a perfect arc with each end fading into and out of view with changing colours.
Lunch over we continued up to the main ridge leading west from Stannington.Then passing Moorcroft we headed through the fields to Townfield Head Farm and its collection of chickens-one seen heading off at speed over the sky-line!Another area of “mudness” had to be crossed before we reached the Moorwood Farmyard.
After Moorwood we were soon across the field and onto Moorwood Lane and then down Onskley Lane,where we passed 2 life size Zombies sat by the roadside with other Halloween paraphernalia.
A short stint along the side of the A57 (on a footpath) then led to Wyming Brook Drive,Reddicar Clough and the return to Redmires.
Despite our efforts to beat it,the forecasted rain caught us with half an hour to go before the end!.
Not enough, though, to spoil a great day’s walking in an area beyond the club’s usual stomping ground.Thanks to those who came and for your company-but commiserations to the President who was forced to cancel in order to attend a meeting arranged by his employer to discuss the latest Covid restrictions.
Mike D