Wearing a range of clothing from mid winter gear initially, to water proofs and optimistic summer clothing, eight of us set off from Litton.
In the excitement of Geraldine arriving to assist with wild flower identification, the leader inadvertently left her own ruck sack on the green, only realising this half way down Cressbrookdale, from Mires Lane. Fortunately a galant Steve L. heroically returned at speed to collect it from where it was being kept safely at Litton shop… no doubt worried his wife might expect to share his lunch with him if he did not!
Wardlow Mires to Stanley House involved deciding which of the many gambling lambs some members of the group might want to adopt.
A variety of stiles across busy lambing fields to Brosterfield and then Housley where we met up with Steve L ( with rucksack, still containing lunch).
Martin agreed to a late coffee stop with fabulous views over the patchwork fields and drystone walls looking north as we crossed more fields of cows and sheep to have lunch at exactly 1pm on very comfy tuffets on Longstone Moor.
A gentle drop down to Wardlow then along Ravensdale to the edge of Cressbrookdale where wild flowers took over in abundance from cattle.
Tansley Dale lead us back in warm sunshine to tea on Litton green.
As well as golden buttercups and many early purple orchids, we saw pale yellow Violas, Carpet Bugle, Meadow Saxifrage, Stitchwort, Common Milkwort, Spring Sandwort, Cuckoo flower, Mouse-ear Chickweed, Lesser hop Trefoil, Green Alkanet, Rib Plantain and others I’ve forgotten!
Thank you for good company… and as promised sunshine on a lovely May day.