STANAGE EDGE STONES

The Stanage Edge fine grit stone escarpment which lies to the north of the village of Hathersage in the

 Dark Peak region of the national park. It is an area very popular with climbers ,the climbing routes have varying degrees of challenges.you will also see hang-gliders battling the elements as they soar high on the thermals above Stanage edge looking down at the walkers and climbers.

See how to purchase the above Image here; Stanage Edge Stones

 Stanage edge stretches for 6 km and great views across the Derwent and Hope valleys can be observed. The highest point on the edge is known has the high Neb which on its trig point measures 458meters.

 
See how to purchase the above Image here; Stanage Edge

Looking north is Crows Chin and to the west is the Derwent valley with views of Win Hill and Lose Hill. The Black and White Image of Stanage Edge shows relics of the areas industrial past, below the escarpment lies abandoned Millstones or Pulp stones, as they where some times called.The image I took was at days end just has the Sun, began to sink below the Edge. Another popular feature of interest in the area not far away in the upper Derwent valley is the Derwent and Howden dams with the castle like twin towers which was a major construction project carried out over 100 years ago.

 

  See how to purchase the above Image here; Howden Contrails

The dams where made famous by the 617 squadron has they practised low flying along the dams for operation Chastise which involved a lot of skill and accuracy to bomb dams along the Ruhr valley in  Germany in 1943 a dangerous and daring mission.

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STANAGE EDGE AMPHITHEATRE

Stanage Edge, runs ribbon like, four Miles long, from the Cowper Stone to Stanage End.

I had planned to find the CROW CHIN rock, to shoot an image, but time and a

pulled hamstring made the trek shorter. 

Kato (my Brother) wanted me to get an image for his blog, a marsh or water scene.

We were fortunate to find such an image, on the track to the Redmires Reservoirs, a marshy pool

matched his request. See his WILL-O-THE-WISP search HERE.

With that image in the can, we set off back to the Edge, I had earlier caught sight of a scene 

through two gritstone upright boulders, that framed a view upon  the "Stanage plantation"

the sound emanating from the woods below, gave me a possible posh

 image title" STANAGE EDGE AMPHITHEATRE".

With the tree's in the centre forming a curtain for the spring evening show, a good mix of

changeable cloud, it all made for a fine image.

The gritstone in this part of the DARK PEAK has a multi sparkled quality, not unlike

a Star field on a moonless night, it may sound a poetic description, but on a Sunny Day, the gritstone

takes on the appearance of a Starry night sky. You will not see this in any on line photo, the resolution

is (deliberately) too low, remind me to shoot a macro shot.

Here are a few images from last Year's visit;

The image on the Left was a reject, Unpublished  test shot. unlike the image on the Right

which can be bought here; amethystlandphoto

Although I had intended to walk to HIGH NEB and the CROW CHIN rock, I chose to return

another day, but the " STANAGE EDGE AMPHITHEATER"  image was reward enough. 

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STANAGE EDGE-FOLLOW THE LIGHT

Stanage Edge ancient, Gritstone escarpment within the Peak district national park.

 

 THE DARK HIGH PEAK

 The gritstone of this area was once used in the making of Mill grindstones

and if you walk the Edge you will see grindstones abandoned

and never put into service, they make a nice foreground

in many a fine photo image.

Another gritstone use was the water feeders, used for the grouse

in this image I used the feeder and water as a reflective surface, to 

fill the foreground with highlight.

 If you pop along here, there is a nice image of the above on BLUE;http://www.amethystlandphoto.com

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OWLET & KATO ∞

  The journey back from Stanage Edge, was eventful. Passing though the Chatsworth 
House area, the Road speed is 50mph, but chatting with 
Kato ∞ my driver and assistant we both thought this was a stupid 
speed, after dark and on a twisty Road so Kato ∞ dropped the speed 
down to under 40mph.
A wise move!?, a Tawny owlet, flew out across our path, clipping him down
 the side of the car, the owlet dropped down stunned, onto the
 center of the Road. We had already stopped as the owlet, fell from
 his flight, Kato ∞ gathered up a rather dazed owl, he bought it 
back into the car, handing it over to me, i perched
him on a blanket, but he was recovering fast, the owl just wanted to fly, 
and flapped onto the dashboard, so he was recovered 
enough to be set free.
Kato ∞ carried the owlet to the fence where he/she, originally flew out, the 
owlet flapped and glided (wings fully spread) down the valley and 
across the River Derwent, landing  in a tree. Did I get a photo
 of the owlet, no, it was all too dramatic, plus my compact camera was
 packed away?. The morel of the story is always be prepared, camera ready.
As for the owlet, hope alls well with him/her, and here is a picture of 
three Tawny owlets, just about to fledge, by photographer; Artur Mikołajewski.

 

From Wiki photo by;
Artur Mikołajewski

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WILD GARLIC & SNAILS

Locations for Wild Garlic, in a fine looking wood are a rare combination, so
 some research was required. Google Images was full of Images
 but, most were vague and not many locations were
 mentioned, on the click through.
But one stood out, and it's location was revealed as Millington wood.
An ancient wood containing mainly Ash and Beech, with some conifers
which are being felled in favour of the chalk loving Ash.
The open wood encourages the chalk plants to flourish, but at the end
of Millington wood, Wild Garlic grow in abundance, in fact the term "carpet"
describes it's appearance perfectly.

Click HERE for the full wide view.
Millington Wood is located in the East riding of the Yorkshire
Wolds, and is designated an SSSI, A site of special
scientific Interest. As you enter the wood, you will be stopped in
 your tracks, by the sound of Bird Song, that will fill your head,
and as you walk up the Wood, the Onion/Garlic smell, hits you, I'm
already thinking about my sandwich's. 
But I'm not here for lunch, my mission is an Image of the
Wild Garlic, so higher up the Wood I slowly walk, taking in the
many Ash trees that were planted, to re-establish the what
would have been here, hundreds of years ago.

When you get to the far end, a steep climb is in order,
this is where most of the Ramsons grow. I had left my 50mm
lens on the Camera, so had to switch to a wider 20 mm lens,
in order to get more scene in the frame, there is no easy
way to step back here, and you feel like a trespasser
if you step onto the wild Garlic, so most photos are taken
from the Wood path or fence.

To view the full image click HERE
A view point on the path , gives a fall-away view you can see the
route you ascended from here. I turned this Image into
 a Monochrome, I always shoot in RAW format, in order to
convert to Black & White. I bought a Walking
Magazine"Country Walking" the other day (Country Walking),
 it was celebrating it's 25th Birthday, and inside was a walk
in the Peak district national park, they titled it
"The White to Dark way",I thought it was a great
Title for a Black & White photo, but no doubt it was used before
 many moons ago, I think my next location
 may be the White or Dark peak.