Report on Thursday 18th May walk

Nine of us gathered at Peak Forest for a repeat of a walk done in January 2022, but today we had warm Spring weather and lush vegetation, as we headed south via Loose Hill and a tarmacked section of the Pennine Bridleway, before descending to Dale Head, and then along a track with beautiful moss-covered stone walls before the obligatory coffee stop. Duly fortified we continued via the [correct this time] path skirting Hargatewall to the road down to the junction of Peter and Monk’s Dale, with a second meeting of the blind cyclist and his support cyclist, which aroused our curiosity. Lunch was enjoyed on a grassy bank, with numerous early flowering orchids, and then we headed north following Peter, Hay and Dam Dale, with cowslips, more orchids and even more dandelions. As promised/warned about, the stiles were sometimes challenging, varied and numerous [a total of 29, so not beating the earlier record of ? 37 on a Thursday walk] so most/all of us returned to our cars feeling well exercised after this approx 7 mile walk. Thank you all for your excellent company and the support from those helping with stile spotting and map reading.
Vanda Boyd