04.09.09 Bleaklow Distance14.3 km Highest Point 633m

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Leaving Glossop with Shire Hill to the right

 

 

The first climb was a gentle one up Lightside

 

 

Looking back towards Glossop and hoping the cloud stays away

 

 

Kinder Scout far back

 

 

Looking down to Yellowslacks Brook

 

 

Another view down to Yellowslacks Brook

 

 

Dowstone Clough

 

 

Taking the opportunity to avoid peat and enjoy the water

 

 

Bleaklow Head in the distance. Reminded me of a grave from a cowboy film.

 

 

Bleaklow Head

 

 

As I left I noticed the only footprints on this lunar looking ground was mine

 

 

Back at Hern Stones. Behind me the cloud was coming in

 

 

Somewhere over there is Higher Shelf Stones and the Trig Point

 

 

After weaving through some large Peat mounds I found the site of the crashed B29 Superfortress 'Overexposed'

 

 

With poor visibilty it made this site that little more unsettling

 

 

Hard to believe this has all been here for more than 60 years

 

 

The debris from the plane covered a larger area than I expected

 

 

I made sure not to touch anything

 

 

Clearly many people still come to pay their respect

 

 

The Trig point at Higher Shelf Stones

 

 

It may look calm but I was getting battered by wind and rain here

 

 

A brief break in the cloud

 

 

Following Crooked Clough beside the Pennine Way

 

 

Still raining as I make my way down Doctor's Gate (path)

 

 

Footbridge over Shelf Brook

 

 

The finally stretch back to the edge of Glossop

 

 

I had spent a long time umming and aghing over whether Bleaklow would be the type of walk I would get something out of. It just looked so desolate and uninviting. I'm glad that other peoples reviews did finally persuade me as it was definitely a walk I will remember well. The weather was pretty horrible most of the time and I'm sure many would say that it adds to the Bleaklow experience. The area certainly has its dangers though with its deep groughs and bogs and it certainly put my navigational skills to the test.