{"id":2743,"date":"2023-08-19T01:31:38","date_gmt":"2023-08-19T00:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2743"},"modified":"2023-08-14T09:47:31","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T08:47:31","slug":"millers-dale-high-dale-derbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2743","title":{"rendered":"Millers Dale &#038; High Dale, Derbs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=740,width=1220,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/> First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('MillersDale.jpg');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831931_21b0b60ecf_z.jpg\" title= \"looking down from Priestcliffe Lees towards Millers Dale 1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831931_21b0b60ecf_s.jpg\" alt=\"looking down from Priestcliffe Lees towards Millers Dale 1\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057309908_f8135503fb_z.jpg\" title= \"Upland fields between Millers Dale and High Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057309908_f8135503fb_s.jpg\" alt=\"Upland fields between Millers Dale and High Dale\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211260_d56e2bcdc1_z.jpg\" title= \"looking from Priestcliffe Lees towards Millers Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211260_d56e2bcdc1_s.jpg\" alt=\"looking from Priestcliffe Lees towards Millers Dale\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211225_5c35d47a05_z.jpg\" title= \"lead mining cleft at Priestcliffe Lees\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211225_5c35d47a05_s.jpg\" alt=\"lead mining cleft at Priestcliffe Lees\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831841_98e9d48c8a_z.jpg\" title= \"lead mining hollow at Priestcliffe Lees\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831841_98e9d48c8a_s.jpg\" alt=\"lead mining hollow at Priestcliffe Lees\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211475_bf38d2802d_z.jpg\" title= \"Approaching High Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211475_bf38d2802d_s.jpg\" alt=\"Approaching High Dale\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057310188_451e96aa86_z.jpg\" title= \"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 3\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057310188_451e96aa86_s.jpg\" alt=\"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 3\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211460_4b23995d0d_z.jpg\" title= \"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057211460_4b23995d0d_s.jpg\" alt=\"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 2\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056832081_7e6a092a71_z.jpg\" title= \"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056832081_7e6a092a71_s.jpg\" alt=\"in the hayfields approaching High Dale 1\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831886_d548c1fdca_z.jpg\" title= \"fragrant orchid at Priestclife Lees\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53056831886_d548c1fdca_s.jpg\" alt=\"fragrant orchid at Priestclife Lees\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057013399_41b9e081fa_z.jpg\" title= \"dark green fritillary on scabious\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057013399_41b9e081fa_s.jpg\" alt=\"dark green fritillary on scabious\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057310183_b41dfb9cbe_z.jpg\" title= \"productive and coral fossils in a limestone field wall in High Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057310183_b41dfb9cbe_s.jpg\" alt=\"productive and coral fossils in a limestone field wall in High Dale\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057521803_f10a730391_z.jpg\" title= \"sunny uplands near Lydgate Farm\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057521803_f10a730391_s.jpg\" alt=\"sunny uplands near Lydgate Farm\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057424270_4c9d8a2cbf_z.jpg\" title= \"upland fields near Lydgate Farm\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057424270_4c9d8a2cbf_s.jpg\" alt=\"upland fields near Lydgate Farm\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057045821_a1728e2b37_z.jpg\" title= \"field path and stone wall near High Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057045821_a1728e2b37_s.jpg\" alt=\"field path and stone wall near High Dale\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057424290_f5c2767c75_z.jpg\" title= \"looking back across High Dale\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53057424290_f5c2767c75_s.jpg\" alt=\"looking back across High Dale\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=2743','pwin','height=700,width=1200,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nI don\u2019t walk with my geologist godson Andy Harrison as often as I\u2019d like, but when I do it\u2019s like opening a window onto a hidden but wonderful world. On this hot summer\u2019s day in the White Peak it was all about limestone, that pale rock that accrued infinitely slowly as sediment in the warm tropical sea that covered this region some 350 million years ago. <\/p>\n<p>A lung-busting flight of steps lifted us through the trees and out of Millers Dale into an upland of cattle grazing and stone walls. \u2018Look at that,\u2019 Andy said, pointing to the wall of Lydgate farmhouse. The edges of fossil shells stood slightly proud of the stone like dark straggles of string. \u2018That\u2019s a productid, a creature with a hinged shell that lived buried in the seabed mud and let its feeding tendrils trail out to grab any food that passed.\u2019 I ran my fingers across the shell and tried to imagine the immensities of time and circumstance between that form of life and my own.<\/p>\n<p>We crossed the walled fields to walk between the grassy jaws of High Dale, a little narrow valley between high folds of ground. Hawkbit, lady\u2019s bedstraw and kidney vetch grew in profusion, and a butterfly hatch of small blues made the most of the sunny afternoon. What formed this deep cleft, Andy? \u2018A stream underground excavated a cave in the porous limestone, digging away till the roof collapsed into the bottom.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>There were fan-shaped corals and masses of curved productid shells in the field walls of High Dale. Up beyond among the old lead mine workings of Priestcliffe Lees we found a songthrush searching for snails in a rock garden of fragrant orchids exuding scents of pepper and cloves.<\/p>\n<p>A steep path led down to the old railway path in the shadows of Millers Dale. On a cutting wall I put my hand on an enormous dark stain splashing the red and white limestone. Andy traced its outline. \u2018That\u2019s what happens when giant land masses collide and the seabed gets ripped apart. Superheated magma came gushing out into the cold water and cooled instantly into this tongue of volcanic rock. It happened maybe 350 million years ago, and it\u2019s still here.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>What a remarkable thought to carry away from this really magical walk.<\/p>\n<p>How hard is it? 5 miles; moderate, with one steep climb on steps; field paths, old railway path<\/p>\n<p>Start: Millers Dale car park, Wormhill, Buxton SK17 8SN (OS ref SK 138732)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Bus 65 from Tideswell<br \/>\nRoad: Millers Dale car park is on B6049, signed from A6 (Buxton-Taddington). NB At weekends, get there early \u2013 very popular!<\/p>\n<p>Walk (OS Explorer 149): From car park entrance, right under railway bridge. Right on B6049; in 50m, left up path (137731, fingerpost); in 100m, right up steep steps to gate at top (138728). Across fields; walled lane (139726) to Lydgate Farm (140721). Left (\u2018Brushfield); in 40m, fork right by cottage (gate). At T-junction left (142721); in 100m, right (wall stile, yellow arrow\/YA) across fields and through High Dale. In 1 mile at southeast end of dale, through gate (156715); fork left uphill on road. At Brushfield follow \u2018Priestcliffe\u2019 and \u2018Millers Dale\u2019. Follow stony lane for \u00be mile to T-junction (152724); right (\u2018Priestcliffe Lees Nature Reserve\u2019, YA). Across field; bear left down steep path into Millers Dale. Left along Monsal Trail (158729). In 1 mile, just before viaduct, fingerpost (142732, \u2018Lime kilns\u2019) points to lime kilns. Return to Monsal Trail; left across viaduct to car park.<\/p>\n<p>Lunch\/Accommodation: Anglers Rest, Millers Dale SK17 8SN (01298-871323, <a href=\"http:\/\/anglersrestmillersdale.co.uk\">anglersrestmillersdale.co.uk<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Info: <a href=\"http:\/\/visitpeakdistrict.com\">visitpeakdistrict.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Walking the Bones of Britain\u00a0\u2013 A 3 Billion Year Journey from Outer Hebrides to Thames Estuary by Christopher Somerville (\u00a325, Doubleday) is out on 24 August<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I don\u2019t walk with my geologist godson Andy Harrison as often as I\u2019d like, but when I do it\u2019s like opening a window onto a hidden but wonderful world. On this hot summer\u2019s day in the White Peak it was all about limestone, that pale rock that accrued infinitely slowly as sediment in the warm tropical sea that covered this region some 350 million years ago. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2743"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2743\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}