Peter Dale RFM Blue Line Walking with Peter

 Peter Dale 

RFM Blue Line 

Walking with Peter

05/04/25

We met on a chilly April morning at Town Head in Tideswell. There was a little delay to our getting together due to a phone malfunction affecting my sat nav so it was a little after 8 when we set off. Peter in his winter gear was surprised at my shorts and light coat. I had decided in Scarborough earlier this week that the sun was hot enough to discard the winter gear.

Leaving Town Head we quickly climbed the hill overlooking Tideswell. The streets were pretty much full of cars but we were early enough to find parking spaces.

Wheston Bank Lane was breezy and very chilly. I was regretting my discarding of the winter gear but luckily I had my raincoat on which provided some defence against the cold. We speculated on the origin of the lane which looked like it could have been roman but to be honest I think it was just a lane.

We topped the brow of the hill and started down the next valley towards Wheston Hall. The clouds were starting to dissipate so maybe it would warm up quickly.

Looking down towards what looked like a very large farm we followed the traffic free lane.

It turned out that Wheston Hall looked interesting but unoccupied. What a shame.

Peter and I reminisced regarding the common sight of milk churns outside farms when we were young. Looked cool.

This is just such beautiful working countryside, long views, stone walls and interesting horizons. How it feeds the soul.

The guys on the cliff top as we dropped down to Dale Head were confident in their superior strategic position. They were brave as the drop was fearsome.

Dropping down the gorge like valley we came to Dale Head.

Turning left off the road the flat verdant entrance to the wonderful Peter Dale lay in front of us.

We were on our own wandering down this wonderful dale with its cliff like sides and cacophony of bird song. This really was good. I think Peter was proud to have a name associated with this place indeed I was proud for him. We discussed our great good fortune to share these moments.

The dale constricted and the path became rockier.

Peter in Peter Dale.

We stopped at the start of Monk's Dale and found a small outcrop to perch on to enjoy a cup of coffee. Not a bad place for a break.

I wandered if the monk in Monk's Dale was called Peter, who knows. The dale promised to be more of the same but we were wrong.

The foresters had been down the dale and left a tangle of cut down trees and branches. The way was passable but a lot of the time to avoid falling we were watching our feet and not the scenery. The luxuriant moss covered branches were reminiscent of Kerry and hinted at a micro - climate.

As we climbed up the steep wooded slope out of the dale we heard an unusual bird call on the hillside opposite. I opened the Merlin app on my phone and it identified the call as a Blackcap but we were unable to find the bird amongst the bare branches. At this point we started encountering fellow walkers some with dogs some on their own and some with groups. We had expected to see many in this area and we were right. At least we had the route from Tideswell and Peter Dale to ourselves.

The path clung to the hillside above the dale for a few hundred metres but descended again into the valley bottom.

The stream followed a line of cliffs around a bend towards a bridge.

Tranquil and beauty, whats not to like.

We crossed the bridge and rapidly climbed the steep valley side on a diagonal path towards the top of the valley. As we approached the road at Glebe Farm we came across a group of people breakfasting next to a paddock's stone wall. We had a chat, what a surprise, we talk to everyone whether they like it or not.

The friendly horse turned its attention away from the group as it examined us but we did not stay.

Glebe farm on the corner of the road down to the viaducts and the Monsal trail. 

There was a definite change as we entered the more popular and vehicle accessible area. People lots of people. 

There is a story behind the amount of industrial structure here. 2 viaducts the newest being inaccessible. The quarries behind the old railways. Trouble is I can't remember the details. Oh well, carry on.

We were only on the  Monsal Trail for a short distance but there were many runners going up and down. A race steward kindly explained to us that it was a half marathon 61/2 miles along the trail and back again. Peter is checking the map not his socials. Future walks will also include short distances on the Monsal Trail as it links a series of walks together.

Leaving the trail we followed a steep path down to the river Wye and crossed via wooden bridge sat on ancient stone piers.

We have looked for Dippers in the wilds of North Yorkshire the tumbling streams of Northumberland and many many times we have identified streams where they could be. We have even been given tips where we could see them. Imagine my joy when we saw 2 Dippers just a hundred metres downstream from the bridge. We stood and watched them for 10 minutes. Fantastic. Typically they were in a river surrounded by noise, people, roads etc.

The view of the little chapel at Millers Dale was enhanced by the bank of April daffodils.

Passing the chapel I mentioned to Peter that there were few hills left for the route today. However we immediately had to climb a very steep vertiginous road to the top of Miller's Dale. He took gentle pleasure in pointing out my inaccuracy.

We entered a world of stone walls and long views reminiscent of the Yorkshire Dales. Our coffee and snack stop next to the very quiet road had a great view. 

We followed Meadow Lane in the ever warming sunshine, raincoats being long consigned to our packs. Peter had even taken off his winter over-trousers. We passed a row of derelict houses but then realised that the end one could be occupied. We speculated as to what was going on there.

As we passed the extensive buildings of Meadow Farm  with its hard to fathom farm and non farm equipment visible from the road we were passed by a tractor and trailer full of round bails.We saw it in the distance and took evasive action in a field to let it pass. It filled the lane so we were right to wait.

Lots of stone walls and long thin fields all indicators of historical farming systems fossilised in the landscape.

A field full of rooks foraging for who knows what. We speculated worms but without any real evidence.

Walking though the narrow streets of Tideswell we passed a few chapels and a cross we were quite impressed by the history of the place.

I confess to doubting that this Elizabethan looking building is anything other than a Victorian copy.

The so called Cathedral of the Peaks  St John the Baptiste church, was open so we went in and had a look around. It was actually quite impressive as you can see by this small collection of images.

This was a walk of 7.6 miles with an ascent of 750 foot and about 19000 steps reflecting the rough ground in Monk's Dale. All our walks are an adventure but this one was a cut above. Well done Peter Dale.