Thursday Walk 7 Oct: Moscar and Derwent Edge

After the previous week’s failure to achieve a quorum, nine of us turned up at the Cutthroat Bridge layby, in dry if not blue-sky conditions, and (after doing the up-and-down to the bridge itself) set off on the track towards Jarvis Clough. We then followed the (unmarked) track servicing the unusual sunken (but well-maintained) grouse butts towards Stanage End. We kept to a left-hand variant above the butts, which was dryer underfoot than the right-hand one and successfully reached the Edge. It was a little bit early for coffee, and quite breezy, so we agreed to continue down the track to cross the A57 and had our break in the shelter of trees and a wall beside Moscar Lodge (this is a public right of way, though not well signposted from the road). From here we passed the 18th century Moscar Cross, with its contrasting spellings of Bradfield and Sheffeild. Apparently it was once painted white, and features as Whitcross in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre – it is where Jane is dropped by the coach when she runs away from Mr Rochester, and she then walks across the heather-covered moors to Hathersage (called Morton in the book, a name lent by the landlord of the George Hotel when Bronte stayed there).
The descent of Moscar Cross Road was mercifully free of mudness – being part of an unrestricted byway it is popular with four-wheel-drivers who regularly churn it up to the irritation of the local farmer, who frequently needs to restore it – and dropped down through Moscar House Farm before beginning the ascent toward Derwent Edge – an excellent area for bird life.
Time was marching on and there were mutinous mumblings from the back of the party about the late lunch stop, but all agreed that the grouse butt where we joined the path along the top of the Edge provided excellent views of the Derwent valley, and across to Edale, Kinder and Bleaklow. With refilled stomachs we headed south along the Edge, enjoying magnificent views, and dropped down to Whinstone Lee.
Two members decided to take the direct path back to Cutthroat Bridge, while the rest of us continued down the steep descent above Ladybower Reservoir (here churned up by mountain bikers, though there are several variants to the path) and round the back of the Ladybower Inn. Then it was back up through the nature reserve of Ladybower Wood (complete with interpretation signs identifying varieties of tree) and a return to our starting point. 7.9 miles according to Andy. Many thanks to all who came.
JB