Started the day by cutting the lawns & followed this up with coffee & something a little stronger with one of our neighbours! Les did, anyway.... I was driving!
Had thought about tackling The Roaches which had been our aim last week (Walk 4) when we ended up at Tittesworth Reservoir; then we were thwarted by the impending storm, today the views from Axe Edge Moor were lost in the heat-haze of a lovely afternoon so we settled upon a visit to Britain's highest village & the challenge of its neighbouring valleys!
Started out from 'The Traveller's Rest' at Flash Bar, Staffordshire's highest pub.... if not the Peak District's!
Now, this might look like a case of mistaken identity.... as if I can't read the pub sign, which clearly says 'The Knight's Table'. The pub, however, really is 'The Traveller's Rest'; the additional name a nod to the owners' taste in décor (inside & out) & also to Sir Gawain who was well known in these parts - more on this when I finally walk over The Roaches!
If that isn't enough of an identity crisis, the pub should have been the 'Brown Cow' but there was some kind of mix-up when the original signs were painted....!
Now, this might look like a case of mistaken identity.... as if I can't read the pub sign, which clearly says 'The Knight's Table'. The pub, however, really is 'The Traveller's Rest'; the additional name a nod to the owners' taste in décor (inside & out) & also to Sir Gawain who was well known in these parts - more on this when I finally walk over The Roaches!
If that isn't enough of an identity crisis, the pub should have been the 'Brown Cow' but there was some kind of mix-up when the original signs were painted....!
Beer of the Day : 'Deception' from Sheffield's Abbeydale Brewery: the city's 2011 Champion Beer
Pale with a strong citrus flavour, I'd have to admit to not being overkeen - settled for cider at the end of the walk
Heading down into the Dane Valley with Cut-thorn Hill beyond
Axe Edge
Both the Dove & the Manifold rise up there, eventually joining forces near Thorpe
The Manifold Valley Walk begins at 'The Traveller's Rest' & wends its way to Waterhouses, next village to Ipstones on the Ashbourne Road, so I guess I'll be here again!
Evidence that one knee, at least, is working adequately!
Pondering upon which county to leap into at Three Shire Heads.... & there's a story behind that - read on!
River Dane below Three Shire Heads
I'd be hard-pressed to find a better picnic spot.... if you don't mind a stroll to get there
Three Shire Heads.... or Three Shire's Head.... or Three Shires Head - I get the impression that none of them is wrong!
I was standing in Staffordshire to take this photo, the far bank is Cheshire whilst beyond the bridge is Derbyshire
The site was once renowned as a venue for cock-fighting & illegal prize-fighting: in the days when police were not allowed to cross county boundaries combatants simply stepped over the bridge to avoid apprehension!
Also quite handy for Flash Company.... read on!
A stile too far!
Evidence that the other knee is not being quite so co-operative & sometimes needs carrying!
In fairness to the newer bits of my body the climb back to Flash is appreciatively steeper than the gentle descent to Three Shire Heads.... but correspondingly shorter!
Passed a large field of alpacas who were nosy enough to watch our every move but shy enough to observe us from a photographically safe distance
Well-dressing of the Day : in Flash village, opposite 'The New Inn' - a pub that's never, ever been open when I've visited!
Popped into St Paul's Church where their impressive local flower festival coincides with the dressing & an annual 'Teapot Parade' which commemorates the Flash Loyal Union Society, a Benefit Club formed in 1846 to help villagers in need
Song of the Day : 'Flash Company' by June Tabor or, more recently 'Yellow Handkerchief' by Bella Hardy which makes reference to the same historical story
Flash was once home to a notorious gang of counterfeiters who made use of the same legal loophole as prize-fighters to avoid capture
The area was also known as the refuge of 'badgers' or hawkers who squatted on the open moorland and travelled from fair to fair selling their wares
Hence the origin of the term, 'flash', used to refer to something or someone showing off & trying to appear better than they really are....!
Just been catching up with your latest posts- love the photos, especially Three Shires Head.
ReplyDeleteI've always been fascinated by well dressing since a girl from Derbyshire gave a talk about them when I was in the QAs in the dark ages of long ago!
Diane