“Nestled just above the town of Matlock is an area of land that is incredibly unique and holds some secrets to what life would have been like many centuries ago. Just walking around this rather secret and hidden area will reveal clues about those who lived here and the stories that they told”.
Located just above the village of “Birchover” within Derbyshire is an expanse of land that remains ever so slightly mystical, a landscape that could be described as being ever so slightly “outer worldly”. Here the old scars of industry blend together with a more ancient landscape to form something of a unique artwork. An artwork painted by the influence of those who lived here and those who worked this land. For this expanse of land is Stanton Moor.
It had been a number of years - since I had last visited Stanton Moor, and whilst I had some vague recollections and memories of it, the rest had gone. But thankfully with lockdown 2.0 in progress the ability to actually get out and about to explore meant that Stanton Moor was somewhere that would be perfect for some exploration and to revisit. Thankfully though I had chosen the most delightful winter day in which to revisit Stanton Moor, for bleak really was something of an understatement, more windswept and incredibly damp due to the moorland being just within the cusps of cloud cover. The heather on the moorland was a dull brown colour, but did this matter? No it did not - instead it meant that Stanton Moor was more challenging for landscape photography.
Parking at Stanton Moor is slightly different as you have to park on the roadside, but thankfully from the roadside it is literally a couple of seconds walk away until you reach the entrance to the moor. Going through the gate and walking up the ever so slightly graded slope, you get to the first point of interest on this moorland, and this is perhaps the first point in which many visitors will arrive at. The Cork Stone.
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| An invitation to climb. |
This piece of rock is Millstone Grit and stands alone next to an ancient quarry,
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| Back on The Rock and Roll - (Landscape). |
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| Back on The Rock and Roll - (Portrait) |
The Cork Stone, is a feature that if you look closely at it, has some interesting features and you can see that it has been popular with climbers for many years. Since Victorian ages as well. You can see the indents and the withering within the Millstone Grit, which has worn down throughout the ages along with the scars where many hands and feet have found routes up this piece of popular rock. Small but mighty it provides a challenge for anyone visiting the moor with a sense of adventure.
For landlubbers though it makes for the perfect photographic opportunity and has a slightly alien like quality about it. A giant rock surrounded by heather moorland that changes throughout the seasons.
But carry on walking past The Cork Stone and things get interesting. Various pathways branch off across the moor in all kinds of directions, so exploration is just perfect, you really can create your own adventure here. Walk on one path and you cross over the moorland, walk on another path and you can end up walking around the entire circumference of Stanton Moor - with this circumference walk - you can gaze at the views of the lower Derwent Valley and across to the Dark Peak to the north and to the west, across to the Derbyshire Dales and the White Peak. Contrasts that provide some interesting and unique compositions.
Just a short distance from The Cork Stone, I just had to stop. Grey and desolate it was although the simple composition of some lone trees made for an interesting photographic opportunity.
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| The shapes of trees - (Portrait). |
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| The shape of trees - (Landscape). |
Something has to be said about trees, they are living pieces of artwork that can provide so much to a photographer or anyone who is an artist. I suppose they are inspirational in so many different ways and throughout each season, trees bring colour along with telling some rather interesting stories.
Continuing past these trees I could see a drama unfolding over the lower Derwent Valley towards the town of Matlock, a vista but it was one obscured by low cloud and the falling drizzle, needless to say it lent itself to a couple of shots with a slow shutter speed to smoothen out the movements of the clouds.
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| The calm of the valley - (Landscape). |
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| The calm of the valley - (Portrait). |
Dramatic yes. A slow shutter speed can really make the difference within landscape photography and adds a little something else to what would otherwise be a rather flat and boring image.
Having taken these dramatic shots overlooking the Lower Derwent Valley and Matlock which was under the cloud and the drizzle/rain, I decided to turn around and not continue on the path which would have lead to the circumference path around Stanton Moor, instead I opted to walk on a path across the moorland. For this path was one of many contrasts, each with a constantly changing scene like no other.
The moorland on this particular path over Stanton Moor really was like a theatrical performance with twists and turns and something else just asking to be photographed. It is one this particular path in which the wild and windswept desolate moorland merges with an ancient landscape of trees. Lone trees and trees that with the moorland around them really do make for some interesting compositions which would please any photographer who is wanting to challenge themselves.
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| Following that hidden path. |
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| Something about the light. |
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| The path to the trees. |
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| Is this really earth? |
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| A creature of wood evolves. |
“Stanton Moor is one of those places which offers so much. Each short distance you walk, explore or uncover a photogenic opportunity or composition arises that is sure to challenge anyone. Work with the landscape and the shapes and you will be stunned at what you can capture in this outdoor playground”
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| Time's passage - (Portrait). |
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| Time's passage - (Landscape). |
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| The druids remain silent. |
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| Silence of the druids. |
Somehow the moorland and the trees merge together and the moorland quickly changes as you approach a certain jewel that can be found on the top of Stanton Moor. That jewel is nine stones all made out of Millstone Grit in an upwards position laid out in a circular shape; thus giving the name “The Nine Ladies”. Each of the stones in the stone circle are less than a meter in height.
Dating back from the Bronze Age - The Nine Ladies are thought to be a site of ritual, ceremony or burial. However they remain suggestions, although from the history of other stone circles and their purposes perhaps a ceremonial site, an outdoor religious site or burial site could be plausible. After all we have a rough idea of what life would have been like in the Bronze Age.
What is interesting about The Nine Ladies, is when you count how many stones there are. For is it really Nine standing stones forming this delightful stone circle or is it slightly more?
Well if you actually counted ten stones that would be correct, although the tenth stone “is not standing” - this is because that tenth stone was discovered in 1976 after being exposed as a crop mark by the weather.
The area in which this infamous stone circle is located, sit’s at the northern edge of Stanton Moor enshrined in the trees and silver birches that surround it. Mysterious it feels and rightfully so as it is here that many a solstice has been observed. The silence of the area makes it feel alien and you can just envisage what life would have been like in the Bronze Age upon this moorland. Slightly different to what it is like today.
But of course Stanton Moor has a slightly different element to it, and that is one of “a time machine”. Why the time machine? Well that is because here things co-exist together and next to an ancient old monument (The Nine Ladies Stone Circle) is a quarry that provides stone slabs for Marshalls. Yes, if you want some stone in your garden from Stanton Moor, then you can do it. Link is below.
https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/product/stanton-moor-block-stone
Not only is it possible to take a peek into the future with the more modern industries that surround Stanton Moor, but you can also see the scars of old industry. Having taken the pictures of The Nine Ladies, it was time to move on. A short walk away from The Nine Ladies Stone Circle and you will come across another stone, this is in a westerly direction from the clearing where the stone circle is located. And this stone is also a mystery as it is known quite simply as “The king stone”. Why that is I do not know. But I do know the following,
“Whoever let their dog have a poo, on The king stone, thus not tidying up your dog mess really is quite difficult to understand. Is it that difficult to actually pick up the mess that your dog left and put it in a bin?”
Yes I would have taken a picture of The king stone, but someone had decided not to clean up the dog poo that their dog had left.
That small rant over, from passing The king stone it was a short and slightly brisk walk through the wooded area again, until I decided to take a left turn, the wooded area made up of mainly silver birch trees provides a unique element to Stanton Moor which in terms makes it a true gem to photograph, everything from challenging landscape photography to the most simple scenes can be captured upon this moorland and that in terms is enough to challenge any photographer from beginner to professional.
Just a short and brisk walk, the silver birch woodland, gave way to the moorland once again. This time the moorland felt moor alien, eerie almost with the sounds of old ghosts that once operated here.
Those old ghosts being those of the old industry that once existed, now only the scars are visible. Those scars being the old quarries that form deep chasms and ravines within this desolate outdoor playground.
I just had to stop and take a look at the landscape that had changed. Only five to six minutes before hand, I was in a wooded area surrounded by silver birch trees, now I was on the moorland again looking at the nature and trees that had made this deep chasm of this former quarry into their home.
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| Where old footsteps once walked. |
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| Did we walk on the moon? |
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| Looking down to earth. |
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| Guardian of healing. |
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| Contrasts on The Moor. |
A little distance past this quarry and to the left, the highest point on the moorland, marked only by a lonely trig point. I am sure in the summer though, that this trig point is not so lonely with people taking in the views over the moorland and the amazing 360 degree panorama that on a clear day would be visible. Sadly due to the winter weather, bleak and desolate the view was one of grey.
Either way though, I did see a little reminder that Christmas was around the corner. A lone Christmas Tree (Pine Tree) next to the pathway that leads up to the trig point.
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| A Stanton Moor, seasons greeting. |
Having paused to capture this lone Christmas tree, it was then a short walk along the moorland, before I noticed, yet another tree. This time however I just had to explore what this tree offered. Crooked and bent over due to the winds that pass over this desolate moorland, I just had to capture it. Keeping it simple, for this bent over oak tree lends itself to minimalistic photography.
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| The shape of nature. |
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| Survival from the elements. |
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| Through the branches. |
Of course though this part of the moorland with a unique art feature (the bent over tree), makes for an interesting composition no matter what time of the year it is. Carrying on the walk, it was back down towards the old quarry, now abandoned and to that first landmark that anyone walking on the moorland will come across, the mysterious looking Cork Stone.
Just walking on this moorland and you end up walking through time, from modern day to the old and ancient where it is possible to walk in the footsteps of the druids, some of whom still frequent Stanton Moor on a summer or winter solstice, and that is not the only element of time you will see if you walk on this moorland, Victorian engineering to present day engineering, all of which flow into one and help create a landscape that remains unique, alien and otherworldly. But let's not forget that this is Stanton Moor, a place that feels mystical as soon as you step onto it.
But it is also one of those places that just needs exploring and whilst I managed to explore a tiny percentage of this glorious and mysterious moorland - I shall be returning sometime in the future to explore some more of this mysterious and ever changing moorland, known quite simply as Stanton Moor. Could it be that Stanton Moor is one of Derbyshire and The Peak District’s more hidden locations. I for one think so.
