I drove to Buxton and parked in Macclesfield Old Road, where I spent a few minute thinking how very old and tired I felt and wondering if I should just drive back to Sheffield. But I got in touch with my inner drill sergeant who yelled at me to boot up and set off up Bishop’s Lane, past Edgmoor Farm and up the steps through Beet Wood to pick up the path over the moors towards Errwood Reservoir. A little detour took in the trig point on Burbage Edge then back (gets momentarily a bit steep here) to meet the main path again by the old railway tunnel. There are signposts everywhere hereabout so rounte-finding is mainly very easy. On to reservoir and along its eastern shoreline to pick up the road by Bunsal Cob. I realized by now I had packed nothing to drink so was very pleased to find the ice cream van at the car park selling cans of pop. Just to be on the safe side, I bought an ice cream as well.
Then on over tarmac as far as Shooter’s Clough Bridge. Paths around here get a bit labyrinthine. I took the stepped woodland path that goes right from the road just before the bridge, then branched off left on a well-engineered path above Errwood Hall, through a clearing and over a bridge to meet a track where you turn left and almost at once right on a path signposted to Stakeside. Lovely views across towards Foxlow Edge opened up as I climbed to the plateau where it was a right turn and very straightforwardly on to the top of Shining Tor. Again the ubiquitous signs make everything very easy. I then took the footpath that goes from by Stake Farm over Goyt’s Moss back to Burbage, utterly glorious today with the heather in full August colours all around. On the final descent by the plantation towards Burbage a herd of cows were grazing around the path but they were placid beasts and munched away ignoring me. By now I was grateful to my inner drill sergeant.
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