Stanton Moor, Derbyshire

There is no blue sky this morning…It is Sunday, the rain is heavy (very heavy) and the wind is howling through the trees and rooftops….I am glad I am indoors.

A far cry from yesterday which was most definitely the calm before the storm.

The sun was like a magnet and drew us outside. Stanton Moor is nor far from us and whilst not the largest of Derbyshire moors it does pack a great deal into a smaller space. It gives you the real feel of being above the surrounds and that special feel of peace.

The walk up to the moor is through first Beech trees then an old Oak woodland of bent and twist trees.

Once out onto the moor proper the beauty of Stanton comes into its own.  It is a mix of open bracken and heather clad moorland dotted with Silver Birch…some individual trees other huddled together in small coppices.

No matter which route you take at some point you will reach one or more of the locations of special interest…. the most important being the Nine Ladies Stone Circle.  It may be not as big as Stone Henge but equally as revered by many….

There is also the Cork Stone, an erratic from the ice age and then you have the symbolic Earl Grey Tower built in 1832.

A very different day to today.  The Storm named Ciara and its followers will be with us into Monday, maybe longer.  Which all goes to make yesterday a big bonus day.

9th February

(C) David Oakes 2020