Report on Thursday 12th September walk

A most enjoyable and entertaining walk today for the 10 of us who had gathered in Monyash. Some had visited the nearby cafe beforehand [perhaps with a premonition of the later missed coffee stop] and then there was a slightly delayed start to allow the person who’d parked in the wrong carpark to find and join us. The meet leader set off perhaps too confidently, heading southeast from the churchyard on these new, and as usual, un-recced footpaths, and probably due to too much talking, missed the planned footpath going directly to Cales Dale and farm. But with support and help from others [thank you!] checking our actual whereabouts on their phone or paper maps, we safely navigated our way past the unwanted turnoff to Lathkill Dale, through One Ash Grange Farm and gently uphill to re-join the planned route and up to the minor road which we followed towards Parsley Hay, with a surprising number of large lorries using what should have been a quiet country road. We stopped at Parsley Hay for the forgotten-about coffee stop [lost brownie points] which seamlessly merged into the lunch stop, but there were low walls and benches to sit on, and a cafe selling treats and a replacement lunch, for the one left behind on someone’s table at home this morning [brownie points regained?]
Then we followed the Pennine Bridleway, past the Istrian kazun or stone shelter [a gift from Croatia to the UK when it joined the EU in 2013, in celebration and recognition of a shared heritage and tradition of vernacular dry stone buildings across Europe] heading towards Sparklow with great views to the west. Then across the main A515 to an easy walk down the Hutsmoor Butts track, Cross Lane and now familiar paths and numerous stone stiles back to our cars, just as thunder was heard and spots of rain started from the huge black cloud hovering above Monyash [perfect timing! -more brownie points?] Some of us then decided to have tea and cakes in the nearby cafe before heading home.
Thank you everyone as ever, for your great company, lively conversation and gentle banter.
Vanda Boyd