Mike's Natural Musings: A Wonderful Week in Derbyshire.

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

A Wonderful Week in Derbyshire.

Last week we had arranged to take our caravan over to Bamford to meet up with my brother and his wife. They have a permanent pitch at Swallowholme and excellent site in the Hope Valley and we were looking forward to catching up for a few days. Also planning to be there were long time mutual friends Pete and Anne, both runners and Pete is also a talented landscape photographer. Plenty of walking, running photography and chilling were planned. We had a good journey over on Tuesday 13th and were soon settled in and enjoying a BBQ. The next day I was keen to visit Millers Dale Quarries to see if there were any dark green fritillary butterflies on the wing. I was up early for a run with my brother, Peter, after which it was time for a lazy breakfast in the sun. It turned into a lovely warm day with plenty of sunny intervals although it clouded over in the afternoon. We enjoyed an excellent day in the quarries. There were plenty of butterflies on the wing, especially peacock and large white but sadly no fritillaries. We also found meadow brown, gatekeeper, small white, common blue and green veined white. There was plenty of marjoram in flower as well as St John's Wort. Peter came across some green woodpecker feathers on an anthill and we could only surmise that a sparrowhawk had taken it while it was anting. We had good sightings of a barn owl, spotted flycatchers and a peregrine.

Green Veined White

Peacock

The next day again dawned sunny and hot. The plan for the day was to visit Hopton Quarry Derbyshire Trust Reserve to see if we could find some broad leaved helleborines in flower. The journey took us down past Matlock where I noticed that there was an exhibition of the images from the British Wildlife Photography Awards; a target for a wet day. We soon arrived at the quarries and were delighted to find a beautiful comma butterfly as we entered the reserve. A good start. Peter very soon found a helleborine and eventually we discovered about ten altogether. Difficult to photograph, however, as the light levels were very low. As well as the plants we had found the previous day we also found fragrant and frog orchids, although they were well past their best. As well as the comma, the same butterfly species were on the wing as yesterday. Heather's find of the day was a couple of female southern hawker dragonflies busy ovipositing on the edge of a small muddy pool thick with bulrushes. House martins and swallows were gathering in numbers; they will soon be leaving our shores and winter visitors will be arriving. We had excellent views of a pair of ravens which looked as though they were rearing young on the quarry walls. They kept taking to the air to very noisily see off a pair of peregrines which we think had also bred in the quarry. They were also joined by a solitary buzzard. The final bird highlight of the day was a super male redstart.

Hopton Quarry

Comma

Broad Leaved Helliborine

Female Southern Hawker.

Pete and Anne had arrived at their caravan when we returned and Pete and myself decided on an early morning's landscape photography. We were up and out the next morning at 6.00 am, despite to poor weather which soon turned to rain. Instead of early light on Mam Tor we opted for Bole Hill Quarry near surprise view for some close up landscapes of the silver birches which grow there. Despite the rain we enjoyed wandering among and photographing these lovely trees. Eventually we returned wet, bedraggled but satisfied with our efforts for breakfast. As the day went on the weather improved and all six of us enjoyed a very pleasant walk from Higgar Tor across the moor to Over Owler Tor and back. The heather is now in its prime and the moor glows purple and looks wonderful set against bright green bracken and vibrant blue skies. We returned to the site in time to watch Mo Farrah win the World Championship 5K and then brother Peter and myself drove up to Hordron Stone Circle on Moscar Moor between Ladybower and Stanage Edge. Despite only being a small circle of nine stones, it still has a magical atmosphere and will repay a return visit when there is a dramatic sky. After taking some photographs we declared it beer o'clock and set off back for another BBQ.

Silver Birches, Bole Hill Quarry.

Looking over Carl Walk from Higger Tor

Over Owler Tor

Higger Tor from Over Owler Tor

Higger Tor

Hardron Stone Circle.

Hardron Stone Circle, complete with Moon.

Saturday began with another early morning landscape session, this time on Mam Tor. Unable to persuade brother Peter, Pete H and myself set off again at 6.00 and by 6.30 had the mountain and The Great Ridge to ourselves. We wandered along the ridge to Back Tor enjoying the changing light as we went. After breakfast, as the weather forecast gave rain, we decided on a trip back to Matlock for the BWPA exhibition which was excellent.

Looking along the ridge towards Back Tor and Lose Hill.

Mam Tor from Back Tor.

Mam Tor in early morning light.

Grindslow Knoll from Back Tor.

Sunday began with an early morning run with brother Peter and Anne up to Ladybower dam and back and then we enjoyed a chilling out morning. Our son Thomas had arrived as well as his cousin Michael and these two went out on their bikes for a long ride. When they returned they were entertained with Tour de France images taken by Peter and Linda and Pete, Anne, Heather and myself went for a local walk up to the ridge on the other side of the valley. The evening meal was an excellent Tartiflette cooked by Peter.

Hope Valley Cement Works with Mam Tor beyond.

Looking over Ladybower to Derwent Edge.

Rowan Tree.

Rowan detail.

Rowan detail

Campsite sunset.

Although, sadly, our next day was to be our last it again dawned fine and sunny. Another early morning photoshoot was the order of the day, this time up to Millstone Edge and Over Owler Tor. Again Pete and I were up and out at 6.00 a,m. and quickly up on Millstone Edge. The early morning light was wonderful but as the sun rose it quickly turned harsh and contrasty. All too soon it was time to return to the caravan for breakfast and packing to return home.
A brilliant week.