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juamei’s TMA Blog

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Peeking at the Peaks

[19/5/3] Pre-empting a possible move up North later in the year, I cut my way through the Peak district on my way from Manchester to London. The main goal was Arbor Low, but I had a map, Dyer's Prehistoric England, a car and a definate will.

First stop was Five Wells for a cracking start to the afternoon (despite the rain coming in as I left) and then onto Arbor Low which was certainly electrifying. Next up I considered my options east & south and settled on Bee Low, a short drive away. Unfortunately after the cow incident at Arbor Low, I didn't fancy crossing a field of staring cows, so I'll have to come back to this one. My final site in this drive past was Nine Stones Close, a worthy finishing site and a definate tempter for more!

So my first Peaks wander was thoroughly enjoyable and showed me what a vast array of sites there is to visit, maybe living half an hour away from this won't be so bad. :-)

Five Wells — Fieldnotes

21.05.03ce

[visited 19/5/3] - What a lovely site. Ignoring the rape of the landscape from the mines, the views are tremendous & the ambiance just right. I parked at the start of the Five Wells farm track & walked the 10 minutes across the fields, setting myself up nicely for the landscape to open up in front of me as I reached the summit. When you are at the site, stand on the mound and rotate 360 degrees, warmed the cockles of my heart that sight!

Arbor Low — Fieldnotes

21.05.03ce

[visited 19/5/3] - Following an abortive first visit at night earlier this year (I was considering whether to tresspass when a dog licked my hand & I was so freaked I gave up :), I arrived here with the rain just starting. Luckily it was only a twenty minute shower and gave me a chance to eat some lunch.

So the skies temporarily cleared and I quickfooted it to the henge. In one word, wow. I loved the visual effects the makers had created, not being able to see the stones from outside the henge & aiming straight at the meeting of the two hills in the distance. I was lucky enough to have the sight to myself and if I hadn't been on a fairly strict timer I'd have stayed much longer. As it was more rain & more sites to see drove me back to the car.

And so onto the incident which prompted the unwritten actual fieldnotes to start 'Still shaking & ouch'. Whilst at the henge the kindly farmer had put cows, sheep & lambs in the field between the henge & the farm. I'm not sure but I think cows like to protect lambs in the same field & I am definately sure that a cow trotting into me is gonna hurt more than the electric fence I gripped two handed after leaping over the nearby stone wall. Watch the cows, keep watching the COWS!!!

Nine Stones Close — Fieldnotes

21.05.03ce

[visited 19/5/3] - This is another delightful sight with what I've just found to be Robin Hood's Stride very close by (ooh thats a very interesting rock outcrop). The stones definately look like the sorry remains of a circle & reminded me quite strongly of Bathampton Down. Very easy to reach from the road & lots in the area, well worth a visit as you'll probably get this to yourself like me!