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From: Wetton
Parking: Roadside parking in Wetton
Start Point: Wetton
Region: Peak District White Peak
Route length: 6.9 miles (11.1 km)
Time taken: 2:54
Average speed: 2.4 mph
Ascent: 673m
Descent: 633m
Summits on this walk: Ecton Hill (369m)
Other points of interest: Thor's Cave
The River Manifold is a beautiful river, with a lower section that rivals Dovedale's spectacular valley. The river meets the Dove at Ilam but not before it has wound its way through some very fine limestone scenery to the imposing mouth of Thor's Cave. Its name may come from the Anglo-Saxon word manig-fald meaning "many folds", referring to its comely meanders. It's a place certainly worth exploring, the first challenge for us however was actually getting there.
Unseasonal and prolonged snow had fallen in the weeks preceding our chosen weekend which had left many of the country lanes around Wetton inaccessible. In fact, we had to detour a number of times thanks to barriers of snow blocking the way. It turns out, after getting the car parked in the village, that many residents had been totally snow-bound for a couple of weeks with access only being cleared a few days prior to our arrival. Luckily for us, this did make for a stunning winter/spring day out.
One of the many snow-filled lanes that impeded our progress |
Snow piled up along the lanes leading from Wetton |
Some of the undisturbed snow buries a cattle trough |
The snow bank makes for an easy stile crossing |
Heading towards Wetton Hill |
The view west towards Ossoms Hill and the middle reaches of the Manifold |
The path coming down the slopes of Wetton Hill |
Deep snow on the route down towards Lees Farm |
Snow drifts along the drystone wallks |
Wetton Hill |
Wetton Hill's eastern summit |
Plenty of signposts mark the route |
The trig pillar overlooking the Manifold Valley to the north |
A panorama from the summit |
A view down into the rapidly deepening Manifold Valley |
The slopes of Ecton Hill |
Some of the remaining snow drifts |
The snow was still very deep in places |
Sunlight reflects off the snow-covered slopes |
Sara makes her way down some slippery paths |
An interesting house in the hamlet of Ecton |
The Manifold Trail |
The L&MVR in its heyday |
The River Manifold |
Swainsley Tunnel |
Inside the tunnel with one of the refuges |
The River Manifold at Wettonmill |
The crags of Wetton Hill |
A look back towards Wetton Hill |
The ominous Thor's Cave |
Thor's Cave once again |
Sara on the climb up the path |
The entrance to Thor's Cave |
The Manifold Valley |
Thor's Cave |
Thor's Cave |
Getting out of the cave in one piece was as difficult a challenge as we faced all day but we managed it with a few ungraceful moves. We returned back down the steps to the path before making our way up the muddy valley to Wetton.
The climb through the trees towards Wetton |
The top of the valley |
The Manifold Valley |
Wetton |
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