Howden Moors and Barrow Stones

Barrow Stones

This was a day walk back in mid July after an overnight in the camper van. I arrived early to park at one of the free car parks south of the main pay & display at Fairholmes at the far end of Ladybower Reservoir.  I crossed in front of the Upper Derwent Dam to reach the east side of the Reservoir.

Upper Derwent dam

A long but pleasant enough walk along side the Upper Derwent and Howden Reservoirs followed, before reaching the ford near to Slippery Stones.

Howden reservoir

Leaving the reservoir area to follow the River Derwent upstream I was alone for a large part of the rest of the route.

The sun was pretty strong and it was sweaty climb along tracks that by the looks of it had seen very little traffic, pushing through chest high bracken for part of the way. I back tracked a couple of times as the bracken had completely disguised the path I was trying to follow. Eventually I climbed up onto Featherbed Moss with extensive views to the North but spoilt by wind turbines, their ugly presence having no place near to a National Park.

A good view spoilt

Lunch followed, taken on a rocky outcrop on route to Bleaklow Stones.

Lunch stop

At the point where the path turns sharply south, I cut across the moors to Barrow Stones. Finding along the way a small spring, the water being crystal clear and was so unusual compared to the tea coloured peaty water that one normally has to take, I made a note of the grid reference for future walks in the area.

Barrow Stones

Clambering around the strange shapes of the Barrow Stones I took a path heading roughly  south-east towards Round Hill and then near to the Shooting cabins. I eventually picked up a track through a steeply sided valley and down through a lovely wooded area reaching the road close to the bottom of Howden Reservoir. Walking on the opposite side to my outward journey I arrived back at the camper van in the late afternoon. 

Stats for the day