Stanton Moor

As promised we took up the Rowsley walk almost where we left off.

By way of a change we thought that we would start with refreshments at Darley Station.

1. Mistake 1 - The SATNav had this idea to take us into the station by the back route. However, the route was marked 'No Through Road'. There were posts across it.
2. Mistake 2 - Darley Station were no longer serving refreshments and a train was not due for 30 minutes.

And so on ward to Rowsley Station. The steam engine to Darley and then Matlock was just filling up. It was the identical engine and carriages that I photographed and subsequently painted a picture of.

After the train left the station went quiet and we had our refreshment and comfort stop.

Perhaps we wouldn't have dined here had we noticed the sign above us.

My cake had a chick on it.

And so it was on and up to Stanton Moor, this time by car. We started in the wrong place and we possibly did the walk back to front. There were information signs (There is a proper term for signs which tell you about the place.) all over the place with a map. It would have helped if the signs has 'You are here' markers. But, Derbyshire is for real men who do orienteering through peat bogs in the moonlight.

We did get to the 'Nine Ladies' stone circle. Following the path though a field with a sign saying 'This way' did it. The stones are quite small, but evidence of prehistory in the area.

We walked on across the moor getting confused at one point, thinking that we were going to see the 'Cork Stone'. We found a different rock looking over the valley to have our lunch.

Going on we eventually came across what we thought was the 'Cork Stone' It had the 'easily recognisable ... footholds and hand grips'. But I am uneasy about the identification when I compare it to the photo in the guide.

Cork Stone - as guide

Cork Stone - my photo

We were very sure that we had found Earl Grey's Tower.

And so back to the 'Nine Ladies' then along the panoramic edge,

back though the dandelion covered field to the car (at the edge of the picture). And so to home.

We really will have to return if only to satisfy ourselves as to which is the true 'Cork Stone'.