Trespassing

In 1932, hundreds of walkers committed a 'mass trespass' as an act of civil disobedience, by trekking across this high plateau called Kinder Scout. They were protesting the lack of access for people to walk over areas of open land. The mass trepass eventually lead to the establishment of National Parks and the legalisation for legal rights of way which now allow people to wander on pathways that cross private land all over England. We have done quite a lot of that sort of wandering here.

We did a 16 km day walk along the eastern edge of Kinder Scout that began with a steep climb up a heather-clad hillside.

 The first of many weird rock formations...

 And great views...

Morning tea time.

Peat - black spongey stuff that lies beneath the heather and other low vegetation. It is plant material on its way to becoming coal, and can be dried and burnt in fire places. It is revealed in numerous eroded sections along the track, often a couple of metres in depth. It is also known for being potentially deadly when rain soaked, as it becomes a bog that can suck people down into it, never to be seen again.

Looking back down to Edale in the valley.

Looking across the plateau.

One of the streams that tumble over the edge of Kinder Scout and down into the valley.

Rabbits?

Giant snails?

Whale or rabbit's head?

The Woolpacks. That is what they are called. They look like a huge Henry Moore sculpture park.

Noe's Stool.

On the way down, quite steep grassy hill sides.

Lovely stream and stone bridge.

Around the corner, we were rewarded by a farm selling icecreams, before the final approximately 2 kms of walking through fields, back to our start point of Edale train station. A fantastic day!