Alport Castles from Fairholmes Visitor Center: Morning start from Visitor Center parking lot (5GBP parking, but the toilets were open and the shop was selling take away food). Crossed to the west side of the road and ascending to Lockerbrook Farm/Outdoor Center, then south to the multiple trail heads above Hagg Farm, turning northwest onto Rowlee Pasture for 3 km to Alport Castles and Alport Tower. Continued northwest to the Triangulation Point at SK 12846/93251 (on the trail to Bleaklow). Returned back to Alport Castles and descended to Alport Castles Farm, crossing the River Alport on the foot bridge and turning south to Snake Road, crossing the road and the foot bridge over the River Ashop and turning southeast and ascending Blakely Hey, crossing the ford at Blakely Clough, to the trail head cross roads just short of Hope Cross. Turning northeast and descending to Hagglee Bridge to re-cross the River Ashop, and re-ascend to the area of Lockerbrook, then descending back down to Ladybower and the Fairholme Visitor Center.
Total Journey: 6 hours 8 minutes; Total Distance: 22.78 km/14.15 miles; Total Ascent: 940.6m
Journey Planning included weather assessment, reviewing forecasts from Met Office Weather reports for Alport "Youlgrieve Youth Hostel" (Derbyshire) and MWIS for the Peak District. Weather overall called for mostly sunny with temps between 3C and 7 C, mostly dry, with Very Good Visibility. Actually, the temperatures were accurate, but the cloud cover remained heavy all day, and at the start I was in cloud as I ascended to ~400m. Visibility became 'good' after 11:00AM. Winds were gentle breezes away from edges, and only moderate on the edges.
Route planning was conducted with OS OL 1 1:25:000 map, but primarily the OS Maps App on my computer. Printed map sections of the route at higher resolution and thumbed these A4 pages through out the walk, rather than the full sized OS Explorer map.
Risk assessment was low for weather, and the edges, though steep, were secure under foot. The only issues were on the top of the moorland between Alport Castle Tower and the Trig Point was very wet and muddy, with mostly standing water in the trails, and mud off the trail, with hidden rocks and moor grass clumps. A bit of a slog, but low risk.
Area :Dark Peak
Is situated between Sheffield and Manchester. The underlying rock is Millstone grit which is often exposed at the edge of the higher peat bogs for which the area is famous.
Alport Castles from Fairholmes Visitor Center: Morning start from Visitor Center parking lot (5GBP parking, but the toilets were open and the shop was selling take away food). Crossed to the west side of the road and ascending to Lockerbrook Farm/Outdoor Center, then south to the multiple trail heads above Hagg Farm, turning northwest onto Rowlee Pasture for 3 km to Alport Castles and Alport Tower. Continued northwest to the Triangulation Point at SK 12846/93251 (on the trail to Bleaklow). Returned back to Alport Castles and descended to Alport Castles Farm, crossing the River Alport on the foot bridge and turning south to Snake Road, crossing the road and the foot bridge over the River Ashop and turning southeast and ascending Blakely Hey, crossing the ford at Blakely Clough, to the trail head cross roads just short of Hope Cross. Turning northeast and descending to Hagglee Bridge to re-cross the River Ashop, and re-ascend to the area of Lockerbrook, then descending back down to Ladybower and the Fairholme Visitor Center.
