Better late than never, I suppose.
The time was early May, 2022. BoJo was still in power but the writing was on the wall, or signposts.
Today’s Ethel Bagging expedition would take place around Lyme Park in glorious Cheshire. National Trust members can park here for free, HOWEVER, the charity brought in a pretty unpopular rule last year…
When I drove up to the gate, I was amused when the guy who took my £8 asked if there was anyone else in my empty car. I later learned that the National Trust have started charging PER PERSON for you to park your car at Lyme Park and other sites. So if you aren’t a member, you have to pay £8 to arrive by car, even if you’re a passenger and the driver is a National Trust member with an NT sticker on the windscreen. And this is just to park your car! If you arrive on foot, you can walk the grounds for free, but if five adults visit by car, it could cost them £40.
Dear, National Trust. I really like you, but
SORT. IT. OUT.
You are pushing people away. The new rules have absolutely destroyed any wish for me to visit a National Trust venue any time in the near future. You’re doing it to encourage people to sign up as a member, but I wanted to join because I cared about conserving national heritage and now I’m not joining cos I feel like you’re forcing my hand. Nobody likes that.
SO it is my duty as a travel blogger to say that if anyone would like to visit Lyme Park, then Disley train station is just a short walk way. Indeed, if you purchase any train ticket, you can park at the station too. So get yourself a cheap single ticket and leave your car in the village.
Right, where was I? Oh yeah, Ethel Bagging. Today there were two Ethels on the menu for Brendan and I to check off. We were joined by this handsome devil.
Here’s our route starting at Lyme Park, heading out to Sponds Hill, coming back and heading around to Black Hill on Whaley Moor before skirting the reservoirs back to Lyme.
At 11:10 we left the car park and headed into the woods, Brendan leading the way.
Sponds Hill – Height: 413m.
This path is part of the Gritstone Trail, a Peak District trail starting at Disley railways station and ending in Kidsgrove near Stoke-on-Trent. For some, a 35-mile long walk to Stoke isn’t too enticing, but maybe one day I’ll give it a go…
The path to Sponds Hill is simple. Once you’re up onto the ridge, the walk to the peak is very gentle.
As it was early May, I had arrived in my jogging bottoms expecting it to be cool. However, the first warm breaths of summer were filling the air and I was forced to change into some emergency magenta shorts from the car.
Coupled with my City shirt, I resembled a Drumstick squashie.
With the big stick I found, I strode up the hill like Gandalf the Blue & Pink before the trees soon gave way to moorland.
Here’s Andy looking at how far we’d come in just 15 minutes.
Here’s Brendan reminding us that he has stile.
Where the Gritstone Trail meets Mudhurst Lane on the ridgeline, you can find the Bowstones near a white cottage.
The plaque reads:
“Two shafts of late Saxon crosses which were probably landmarks or boundary stones as well as objects of devotion. The crossheads with interlace in the courtyard of Lyme Hall are likely to be from the Bowstones.”
These stones were crafted over a thousand years ago and local legends say their name is derived from their use by Robin Hood and his men to re-string their bows.
We continued on towards Sponds Hill despite the fact our path was patrolled by an army of cows.
Brendan, Andy and I have dodgy history when it comes to cattle, that includes being chased by a mad one in Castleton. I don’t trust them, but on this occasion, the moo-ers were unmoved as we walked on by.
All of a sudden we were transported from the Cheshire countryside to the moon.
I didn’t know JCB were now making lunar rovers.
I’d love to explain what this pile of squelchy/muddy grey muck was doing up here, but I’ve got nothing.
After passing the mound of grey, the Sponds Hill trig point appeared.
An easy Ethel to bag. If you really wanted, you could park near the Bowstones and it’s not even a 20 minute walk to the trig.
We headed back towards Bowstones and then eastwards towards our next Ethel.
Black Hill (Whaley Moor) – Height: 410m.
There are two Ethels in the Peak District called ‘Black Hill’. One is the highest point in West Yorkshire at 582m. This isn’t it, but the climb is a bit of a calf buster…
Across bridges…
…and through fields of green and yellow…
…we made the 50 minute ramble from the Hill of Sponds to the Hill of Black. There were a few up and downs, but a mighty “up” awaited us at the foot of the hill.
It’s one of those hills where, really, the only way is up. There’s no zigzagging path to the top. So we gritted our teeth, wished rest in peace to our knees, and climbed.
Brendan is the king of fake enthusiasm.
There is no obvious path to the top, and at points you have to contend with bog.
After ten minutes of hoping we’d reached the summit only for another incline to appear over the brow, we made it to the summit. This Black Hill, like many Ethels, has no trig point – which, after a knackering climb, is pretty disappointing.
Also, there’s no stile, so climbing over the fragile stone wall and wire was interesting.
Brendan chose a spot he decided was the summit and he took our customary photo.
Now to head back to Lyme. We skirted the cliffs on Black Hill and even these tiny drops made me scared.
Crib Goch did me a dirty when it comes to heights. I’ve not been the same since. Funny, really: a hiker who’s scared of heights.
The local farm animals inspired Andy and I to re-imagine The Lion King, but set in Britain and starring sheep. We have put a trademark on Simbaa, Mufasbaa and the evil uncle, Baar.
We headed through another wood and towards the reservoirs, where we stopped for a break. Brendan took the opportunity to break out his drone and fly over to Lyme Park.
The tower on the hill is called The Cage and was once a hunting lodge, but later used as a lockup for prisoners. Nowadays it acts as a big signifier of where you parked your car.
We headed around for our last hike of the day.
What an action shot.
I tried to get a lovely picture of a lovely tree with a lovely tower in the background.
Then, at The Cage, I tried to get a cool photo of the boys and the tower, without other bloody visitors.
This is the best I could do. It took ages. I looked like this on the floor.
Perhaps I should get myself a camera. Or just leave the photos to Brendan.
I quickly gave up trying to be artsy and enjoyed the views. From The Cage you can get a lovely view of Manchester on a clear day.
It’s such a nice view that the local deer population came for a look.
We headed back to the cars and into Disley for a Sunday dinner reward.
We are very sociable.
May I just say that the Sunday dinner I had from the Ram’s Head in Disley is one of the best roasts I’ve ever had (outside my mum’s). Oh my word I could have ordered a second one. RECOMMENDED.
And there we go! A lovely visit to Lyme Park and two more Ethels bagged.
Only 83 to go!
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