ruskus

I don’t know why, but Coldrum was a site that to me always looked a little...well, somehow dull and uninviting, from previous pictures. Visiting on a lovely cold and bright February morning, helped win me over though.
I slipped along the frost and mud path, watching white-rumped Bullfinches zip overhead, catching flocks of Fieldfares & Redwings chattering in the trees. Even the tree with the bright ribbons and trinkets was pleasing to the eye in this glorious sunshine.
What a brilliant site this is. Peaceful, and set among open countryside. It reminded me of a ‘fatter’ Wayland’s Smithy. I hadn’t expected so many of those big stones to still be there, and the barrow was more defined that I thought.
A chunky, solid place.

Although the summer heather was thick, it very clearly helped define the raised bank. My accompanying photo shows a darker ring of heather, which immediately stood out as I wandered en route to the Nine Ladies. Good sized circle this.

I took the direct route across from the cairn near Barbrook I, passing right through the many cairns scattered on the hillside, and soon found the very visible Barbrook II sitting there solidly, and majestically.

Ok, I agree, it is ‘neat’, but who cares. This contrasts with the other Barbrooks nearby, but actually gives them more context – helping to show that these sites were important – this landscape was important.

Could’ve stayed here for hours.

Another Peak District area I’ve long waited to see. I wondered if I was faced with a big old hike across the Big Moor, but as an old couple and their misbehaving dog meandered past with a smile, I realised how accessible Barbrook I is.

Fantastic views from just above the circle, as you head up towards the nearby cairn, and turn to look back.

Summer grasses tried to block the circle but it’s too well-trodden an area. Not as ‘showy’ as the soon-to-be-next Barbrook II but feeling more atmospheric.

I always thought this was well off the beaten track, but heading up from Beeley towards Beeley moor in the car, I pulled up in the lay-by/parking area, to find about 15 cars and an Ice Cream Van!

Luckily most folks were heading off elsewhere for walks, as I trundled along the track towards the circle. Dark clouds were rushing in overhead and it started to rain as I came up to where I thought the circle should be, which was behind a few young trees, but instead it was further along, near some scrub. I found no obvious track (however small), but just spotted a stone poking up over the long summer grasses, so stumbled over the uneven tufts towards it. Quite hard to make out much at this time of year, until you walk around a bit and remember where the hidden stones sit.

Had really wanted to get to this site for a long time – and although it’s not the most stunning circle, it’ll do for me, for today, in the rain.

After not quite having time to get here in the past, I knew I would have ample time on this visit to soak the Nine Ladies in properly.

On arrival to the clearing in the woods, I could see there was plenty of life around (as I had expected there to be) – a couple of tents, and plenty of walkers passing through after brief stops to look at the stones.

It undoubtedly has an atmosphere here, but it also feels somewhat ‘unloved’, in a way. Even though it was a beautiful sunlit clearing, it felt a bit lifeless. No birds or butterflies – more like a vibe of a public play area – like a swing set or see-saw should have sat there. Again, I guess that may be due to the campers playing nearby – I’m sure another day it would feel very different.

That said, it’s a great little circle itself – clinging on to it’s surroundings – making the best of what it can offer us.

I’ve never ‘properly’ visited this site before – there’s always an obstacle of some sort – killer cows, bits of machinery, other humans (!). I wondered what would interfere this time....

Nothing!

I could not believe it. After looking at recent pics on TMA I expected the farmer’s trailer to be bang in the middle, but it was nowhere to be seen. The cows were miles away in other fields. And apart from a few yells from Robin Hood’s Stride, people were absent. I was free to stroll up and just take my time.

Up close like this, I was surprised at the size of the stones, and of the space they covered (they always look so huddled together in most photos). Such a lovely spot, with the tree seemingly sheltering these four stones from obvious view, but equally kind of framing them perfectly. Every view, as I wandered around, and through, is magnificent.

Due to this trip being a flying visit to the area, I had about an hour in which to decide between two sites I had wanted to see for a while – Nine Ladies or Doll Tor (I couldn’t do justice to both).
As I was about to trek over to Stanton Moor, I heard a few walkers mentioning heading off downhill through the field of cows sharing their field with the Andle Stone. The guy seemed confident where he was heading, so I thought they could only be going to one place – Doll Tor.
So, I left a reasonable, un-stalker-ish gap, and then followed down through the gates, to that second copse of trees. I probably ruined their short trip there when I arrived minutes later to disturb their moment (sorry – I couldn’t wait).
I had always loved how this little circle looked in other pictures, and it didn’t disappoint. Such a great spot looking out over the valley, just hidden away enough to protect it, but reachable. Neat, and kept, but still feeling as natural as it can be this far into modern times.
Although sad at missing the Nine Ladies (this time), I was happy with my choice, and spent a good while soaking in the circle, before heading off back up to the road, as the cows closed in on me...

Stumbled across the Hoar Stone more easily than I’d planned after leaving the Rollrights, not that I was expecting too much difficulty.
On a dull day like today the stones struggled to make their presence felt from their wooded enclosure. Which was strange because it’s a hefty old set of stones which have a solid physical presence. Stuck behind their protecting wall I couldn’t visualize the context of their surroundings very clearly. I don’t know if it was due to the close proximity to the road, and the fact that I didn’t need to walk through the trees to find them, which might have given me some sense of great reveal about their discovery. My problem, really. On a different day I’d probably be enchanted. Next time; ‘must try harder’….