Monsal Head

 There was only a dusting of snow in the distance as we made our way out of Baslow and headed toward Curbar and Frogatt Edge














But the higher we got the more snow there was

 I'd been up this way before and for once was able to share something I knew with our group.  Eagle Rock, men climb it to prove they are fit to marry.

 I hadn't been down this path before though and was confused when we turned onto it and wish I had voiced that a bit louder, sure enough someway down it we all turned around and headed back to go past Eagle Rock

 The navigation for the morning was a bit hit and miss and we mostly missed the intended route and ended up on a convoluted loop back and did not walk the edge at all.  A bit disappointing in such lovely weather but the decision was taken based on the slippy paths and the best for the group as a whole, especially as we'd already had one fall resulting in broken glasses and a bloody nose. Being a group leader is not a job I would relish. 

 But it took us to Curbar which had a lovely well

 Icy water millstones

 And onto Calver

 Past Vietnamese pigs, a first for me.

 And back out into the hills

 We followed a bridleway up to Black Harry Gate

 Where the snow really lay thick

 even on the roads still

 Across Longstone Moor

Little Longstone has stocks still (In the 15th Century the law required every village to have a set of stocks, and they were used up until 1837)

 It also has a lovely small church and a pinfold.

 Residents?!

 And our final stop Monsal Head
















It was an interesting day and not the route I had signed up for but a lovely 12 miles all the same and with very good company I was glad to be out and about.