Four locations in one day? A photographic voyage around the lesser known.

The path up to Ashover Rock, looked slightly different on the 9th of June 2021, for I had been here in December of 2020 and had told myself back then the following,

“I would love to return to Ashover Rock in the Summer.”

Surely enough here I was, back in December when Lockdown measures were still in place and hospitality largely closed, I was taken to another world and was stunned by just how awe inspiring Ashover Rock truly is. Still though, here I was a number of months later and Ashover Rock still looked majestic and awe inspiring against a delightful cloud free blue sky.

A rock beneath the blue.

Last time I was walking along the path to Ashover Rock, the sky was grey, the weather was cold yet now with a heatwave it was even more magical, I thought to myself as I was walking towards this uniquely hidden derbyshire secret, I soon reached the top, turned slightly left towards a stone picnic bench and a small stone plinth/platform that pointed out the views of just how far you can see, to the right of me now was Ashover Rock - exactly how I had remembered it, yet instead of bleak cold weather, here I was enjoying the surroundings just at the beginning of a heatwave - either way I paused for a moment and immediately turned to my right, the skies above Ashover Rock, looking even more dramatic, almost dreamlike with the contrast of blue skies and on the horizon, white clouds, I just had to take the following photograph.

A Fabrick of a view.

The rock itself is commonly known as “The Fabrick”, why it has that nickname I do not know, but it is quite possibly one of the most magical secrets that Derbyshire holds, below Ashover Rock, is the view overlooking the village, but for the time being, my mind was on capturing the rock in all of its glory and beauty, one with summer instead of the winter, yet somehow the June skies and heat, made it that little more challenging to capture. Either way I was happy with that first rather “oh so simple” shot that I had taken. Either way I just had to explore some more and re-discover a location that I had come to love in December of 2020, now I had turned away from Ashover Rock, and a trig point made for a unique shot, last year I had tried to capture it, but the blue sky and the very few clouds looking east was magical.

Trig point on high.

Then in all of its glory my eyes wandered back over to a mysterious structure, just a stone's throw away from the rock, and whilst last year I had captured this mysterious structure, now was the time to capture it again, this time I positioned the camera and took the following photo.

Listening In.

The structure itself that is rather mysterious holds some secrets, whilst it was abandoned in 1991, it still provides explanation for those wanting to step back in history, for the structure in question that is a mere stone’s throw away from Ashover Rock - is a former “Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Station.” Amazing what secrets can be found in places where you least expect them to be. Now though it was back to capture and attempt to re-create the following, that I had taken last year.

The drama of the landscape - (A photo of Ashover Rock, form December 2020).

Next up came a challenge, and where I had been hoping to capture something that was akin to the photograph from December, from the same location - this time around it was not possible, but that did not stop me, scouring for a suitable location I just had to place my tripod down, the camera attached to it; now though some more “little fluffy clouds” floated overhead and I managed to capture the following on a four minute long exposure.

Ashover Rock Dreams.

Now though it was time to move onwards, I knew I had to explore the village of Ashover below, but next up was the walk back to terra firma. Either way though I managed from another angle to capture these stunning photographs of this majestic rock, which acts as a guardian overlooking this hidden Derbyshire gem.

Oddities of Ashover Rock - (Landscape).

Oddities of Ashover Rock - (Portrait).

The movement of Ashover Rock.

Under Ashover Skies - (Colour).

Under Ashover Skies - (Black and White/Portrait).

Routes to the rock - (Black and White).

Routes to the rock - (Colour).

A short while later I had arrived in Ashover, previously when I had visited, I had been passing through in transit, now though it was different, Ashover itself is like no other village that I have ever visited or explored.

“Ashover is just one of those villages that remains hidden, hidden away in it’s own secret valley that protects it from the outside world, ironic really seeing as it is perhaps one of the most photogenic and prettiest villages that I have ever explored. Here history and community mix together in harmony, yet Ashover itself is like being in a real life painting by Monet, here everything is so alive, so next time you are passing through Ashover, take the time to explore it’s many delights, not just the rock.”

From where I had arrived in Ashover village, it was a short walk to the centre of the village, okay I say centre, but Ashover is more like a ring, the way it is laid out, and the first sight I came across was the following pub.

Down the boozer?

You might be able to recognize that pub, for it appeared in Peak Practice, yes after filming in Crich had finished, “Cardale” was relocated to Ashover, and The Black Swan itself is just one of three pubs in Ashover. And each of the three pubs in Ashover, well they all have history within their own rights. I walked down the road, The Crispin Inn, to the right of me, but I was not heading here, instead I opted to cut through Ashover’s rather impressive churchyard, again the church in Ashover was used many times on Peak Practice. After taking a walk through the Churchyard I looked back at the church, and it had a certain charm about it. The architecture of this delightful pretty church left me amazed, but somehow it seemed so photogenic.

Delights of Ashover church - (Landscape).

Delights of Ashover church - (Portrait).

A route to the village church - (Portrait).

A route to the village church - (Landscape).

After being left rather amazed at just how pretty and picturesque Ashover Church was, I continued on my walk, this time I turned right, at the bottom of the high street of the village and walked by one of the most beautiful and small but perfectly formed gardens, for anyone who has not visited Ashover before, the gardens are truly delightful, I can imagine that sometimes open garden events happen here, but I could be wrong.

A secret Ashover garden.

I then continued down a street until I came across a house - by now it had gone slightly grey, yet the heat remained humid, yet this house was also picturesque, and it more than likely had many stories to tell.

Quiet Ashover Streets - (Portrait).

Quiet Ashover Streets - (Landscape).

Some things in photography need simplicity and this was one of them, I just loved how the road leads down to the house. Either way, it was now time to move onto the next location, bidding farewell to Ashover it was a short trip via Bakewell, to Magpie Mine.

Again, Magpie Mine is a location that I had visited last year in December of 2020, but this time around I knew things would be slightly different. Familiarity is what came across me as I walked across the cattle grid, only this time around, young cattle where in the field and they were a little too curious to say the least, needless to say I was relieved when I had eventually crossed the final cattle grid, the young cattle behind me and now I got the camera out and captured the following photographs of this eerie yet stunning location.

Down the track to Magpie Mine - (Landscape).

Down the track to Magpie Mine - (Portrait).

Still in time.

Then I continued walking the short distance towards this strange and eerie abyss, abandoned on the road between Bakewell and Monyash, Magpie Mine, looks like something from Cornwall, whilst it has the appearance of a Cornish Tin Mine, which was intended on by the designer, this is actually an old Lead Mine, now standing still in time, as life orbits around it. An old industrial ghost perhaps is the most accurate way in which I would describe Magpie Mine as - either way with the humidity and the cloud cover it was incredibly dramatic.

My mind was cast back to last year when I was at Magpie Mine; but this time I wanted to try some different photography and shoot this fantastic place with completely different compositions, by now I had crossed over the cattle grid and in front of me, an industrial Amphitheatre of architecture was in front of me, everything exposed and yet so calm, I stopped and captured the following.

In the old heart of the past - (Landscape).

In the old heart of the past - (Portrait).

Then I decided to walk up a brief incline, at the top of the incline the old and small - yet perfectly formed headstock was in front of me, and I had to capture it, the skies looking dramatic and in the distance a break of blue, for this was the sky.

Winding away the years.

I then walked a short distance, and another view came into place, this time the view looked over towards Flagg and Sterndale Moor, grasslands, wild stretching as far as the eyes can see.

Across the Derbyshire landscape.

Somehow the old abandoned buildings added something else to the view, overlooking the Derbyshire countryside in front of me - now though it was time to turn back on myself, back down the incline and this time I turned left, now I was in the shadows of this industrial ghost staring at me.

“Magpie Mine is an old industrial ghost that stands proud, once this site would have been different and now it offers a strange sanctuary, for the photographer it is the perfect place for experimenting as so much happens here and changes so quickly. Yet this building, the structure is keeping you safe with a watchful old set of eyes.”

I walked up a part of the field at the back of the mine, set up my camera and managed to capture the raw beauty of this truly fantastic but hidden landmark. The skies changed constantly; but that made things even more magical and mysterious.

Magpie Mine, Cloud Dance.

Old ghosts come out to play.

Drama in the shadows of ghosts - (Colour).

Drama in the shadows of ghosts - (Black and White).

Now though it was time to head back from this location, the second location of my photography adventure. Instead though a field full of cows on the way to the mine, had meant a detour had to be taken, saying goodbye to Magpie Mine, I managed to get the following photograph.

Leaving behind the old ghost.

Next up, was a walk through some “cow free fields” a safer route, but as I was walking through these fields, magic occurred, the fields full of buttercups intertwined with the grass, and the skies, dramatic with grey clouds - yet so humid it was.

When colours meet.

A lone tree and the mine - (Landscape).

A lone tree and the mine - (Portrait).

“Ashford In The Water” was the next location that I had ended up in after a short journey from Magpie Mine - whilst I had passed Ashford In The Water, many times before I had never stopped to explore this delightful and picturesque Peak District Village, but here I was, lockdown had given me inspiration to explore new locations and a new location I was now at. Sitting on the banks of the River Wye, Ashford In The Water, has a photogenic quality to it, and by now I was opposite the church; immediately I could sense the quirkiness that I was about to find. I walked from the location where I had stopped, to a bridge, closed to traffic but open to pedestrians, on the opposite side of the river, a structure made from stones that looked like the ruins of an old house or cow pen made for something thought provoking - but it was neither, this was the infamous “Sheep Wash” pen located to the bridge that I was now on, called “Sheep Wash Bridge” it is here that in days gone by farmers would have allowed the sheep to cross to the other side of the river - thus have a wash, now it remains silent, yet the river is still used, an angler fishing for trout provides me at this stage with a sense of calm, he is just stood a short distance away from the Sheep Wash pen wading in the shallow depths of this glorious river, a pause to watch him and I decided to continue over the bridge and turned left.

Now I was on the other side of the River Wye, and behind me the sounds of traffic on the A6, but this riverbank was a sanctuary, across the river an idyllic calming scene soon unfolded of the simple life by the river, and I was immediately transported into some form of Alice in wonderland environment, calm and to some extent I was away with the fairies, I suppose that is the effect that a river and a glorious location can have on the mind. I stopped and glanced over at a majestic willow tree in the garden of Riverside Cottage.

Riverside Willow.

Soothing it was and magical, still though the cottage itself looked like something from a fairy tale as well, and I just had to take the following photographs of this simplicity and of what I can imagine would be a simple life.

Riverside simplicity.

The idyllic riverside life.

I then continued along the river bank to come across a series of benches, all overlooking the serene River Wye, sat down and pondered on the discovery of Ashford In The Water, that I had come across, positioning my camera in front of me I set it up to capture the bridge in front of me along with Riverside Cottage, needless to say that I was impressed with the result.

Ashford Serenity.

The oasis of calm, where I was on the banks had enveloped me, and asked me to stay a little longer, so naturally I did, but behind me an old abandoned farmhouse of some kind just asked to be photographed.

Abandoned in Ashford - (Landscape).

Abandoned in Ashford - (Portrait). 

Now it was time to reluctantly move on, I walked back towards the bridge, crossed over the bridge and retraced my footsteps only this time I decided to walk clockwise around Ashford In The Water, curiosities everywhere and just a short distance away from Bakewell, yet somehow this village seemed a million miles away from anything tourist like, an idyllic gem in the Peak District that envelopes anyone who visits. Returning to the location where I had started my exploration of Ashford In The Water, I came across another delightful church, and just had to pause, I took the camera out and took the following photographs.

The Ashford Chimes.

Sadly it was time to leave Ashford In The Water (but I will return), and heading out of Ashford a dramatic route took me down into Monsal Dale, descending down a glorious road into somewhere that I had never been to before, like little Switzerland it felt like and again I hope to return to this part of the world and explore it some more, the road now winded to Cressbrook, a short distance away from Monsal Dale, and now I was heading back up to the tops above Cressbrook, through towards Litton and back down towards Stoney Middleton, now though was one last stop I had to make and that was the delightful town of Bakewell.

The chances are is that you have more than likely heard of Bakewell, it is a town well known for tarts, of the pastry kind which are just delightful, but again it is on the banks of The River Wye, a short distance downstream from Ashford In The Water - Bakewell though is another place of curiosities and fantastic shops to explore and cafes to unwind in thus observe life at a slower pace over a cup of tea or coffee, yet I was here for the fantastic river.

Now I was in Bakewell, and the River Wye beckoned. I had visited this location some years ago and captured a photograph of the river that I just loved, it was autumnal but magical at the same time.

Already in my mind was the composition that I wanted to get but this time things were different and whilst I had not got the autumnal tones, the grey skies added drama to what I had in mind, firstly I stood next to the river on the footpath that graces the sides of the River Wye, and managed to capture the following.

Serenity of Bakewell.

Besides the Wye.

Needless to say that I was incredibly impressed, the weir looked stunning, but now I just had to get onto the infamous bridge, with locks on it, and opted for the middle of the bridge. I set my camera up and managed to capture these three photographs.

Bakewell river charms.

Weir and the weather - (Landscape).

Weir and the weather - (Portrait).

Purely magical, Bakewell is just one of those places that still has “lesser known” locations to explore and discover despite it being on first glances a tourist trap, does that matter? Well know, because if you go off the beaten track you are likely to come across something different, even somewhere that attracts tourists. Either way I just loved the photographs from the Bridge of the river when I looked at them and it just summed up everything that I already knew and loved about Bakewell. Its stunning location and charm again envelopes those who visit it. But sadly it was now the end of my photographic voyage around the lesser known. Yet the lesser known just proves that if you go off the beaten track you will surely come across places of discovery that tell stories and for any landscape photographer, try going off the beaten track and visiting these lesser known locations as you will come across something different and unique that offers so much more for your own photography.

Sometimes a walk through the woods and a Reservoir is all you need.

The reservoir at Moorgreen is one of those “Blink and you miss it” kind of locations and it is somewhere that I had not been to in many years, I have fond memories of walking at Moorgreen reservoir and it was on the 31st of May 2021 that I decided what better thing to do than revisit it, and take a walk down memory lane. Of course though the recent warm weather had meant that I did not want to do my mad dogs and Englishmen impression, and have a walk in the heat of the day, instead I wanted to escape the heat and the call of Moorgreen reservoir was just tempting me; after all I knew that the path that runs alongside the reservoir would be sheltered by the glorious tall trees that form part of the wider Moorgreen woods, here the woodland gently slopes down to the shores of Moorgreen reservoir and these woods even when I was younger provided many happy memories that I still have inscribed in my memory. Still, despite it being a while since I last walked this glorious pathway, I knew that some things might have changed and the landscape would be much more different.

Yet in some ways I was proven wrong to the changes that might have occurred, instead when I first set foot on the path it seemed as familiar as it had done all those years ago. To the right of me is the old gatehouse which is a clue to what else lies within these woods and is hidden from prying eyes. Yes it really is amazing what secrets woodlands can hold and this was no exception. Either way the path lay ahead, but I paused for a moment and looked over a gate, which at one time you could walk through towards the reservoir, now though it is all closed off, unless you are an angler with a permit; oh how the times change don’t they. But that did not matter. Yes, things have a habit of changing and just lately the world has changed quite drastically - I suppose that is down to the pandemic and it is forcing us to adjust and make changes to our lives and that involves a lot of walking. Still, I digress.

Either way I was on this path, behind me was the gate and the view over the reservoir, along with the gatehouse, but something then caught my eye, a beautiful rhododendron flower, bright pink against a lush background, so I had to stop and take a photograph of it, so simple it was a little pink flower and setting my camera to F 0.95 I captured this stunning pink flower of the rhododendron, the background blurred out and I was amazed at just how atmospheric it was.

Pretty in the pink.

I then continued walking, the sound of an orchestra playing although instead of violins and other orchestral instruments; this orchestra was one of bird songs along with the distant sound of the breeze and the rustling of the trees.

“Sometimes music does not need instruments, sometimes the best music is the one that nature makes - slow down and pause for a moment when walking through woodlands or a forest, by the coast or within an area that is beautiful and listen to the sounds of nature making music, it really is something else, best of all it is free.”

Then in front of me a puddle on the floor, now I have a thing for water on the floor as it can be used as a mirror, if you want to challenge yourself with photography make sure to use a puddle to capture the reflections of the surroundings, I placed my camera close to the puddle and got the following photograph.

Reflections of the woods.

After capturing the glorious reflection of the lush green woodlands in the puddle, I continued to walk, forking off the path that I had been on, and now I was on a path with a gentle incline, it was on this path that things began to change, I paused for a brief moment and looked on at the woodland in front of me, a wooden fence on the left hand side of me meant for an interesting leading line and the trees along with the light felt serene, dreamlike and ethereal, for I was in the moment.

A summer path.

Of course though the reservoir was still on the left of me, and I could just see it in the distance. Creaks of the branches in the breeze, the orchestra of the birdsong accompanying me as I walked deeper into the woods, the sunshine seeping through the trees and things felt radiant. Magical almost and it probably was. Oh how the warmth changes the world and changes people’s minds, gone is the worry of listening to the doom mongering scientists (academics) and their views on what life is more than likely going to be, but here I was creating my own little piece of Utopia within the woodlands next to the shimmering water of Moorgreen reservoir. The sun just shining through the trees making a glorious effect with the light as it shone on the trees was purely magical.

Still this Utopia that I had created started to become even more stunning as I progressed, a little further on the path and to the right of me, is when I set eyes on the most magical of sights, here the woodland changed and the trees became more twisted, abstract like and surreal.

“If you are after an art gallery, then the woodlands provide an art gallery, best of all anyone can enjoy them. Shapes change all the time within woodlands and each one is unique, forests, woodlands etc. Have a certain charm to them that just invites people to explore them. Instead of looking at what is in front of you, look all around you and you will surely come across the most delightful pieces of artwork on the planet, for I as a photographer remain amazed by the artwork in woodlands and the trees are more like a painting that is constantly being worked on.”

I stopped and glanced to the right, the trees looked like sculptures, slightly surreal is what they were - but non the less, incredibly photogenic. Here I was in a woodland that was not affected by industry but one in which nature rules the roost and changes things naturally thus shaping the trees to how they look today. Yet the light against the trees was something so serene that I had to take the following photograph,

Sunshine woodland arts.

Sun-drenched trees do have a certain quality to them and they are just magical, somehow the light shining on the trees adds a certain amount of beauty to an already twisted sculpted scene. I then continued to walk, but again I had to stop, the pathway I was walking along just looked glorious with the trees on each side.

The trodden path.

A little further past the path, the avenue of trees and I had entered another section of the living art gallery, the trees all naturally shaped, with interesting intertwining sections to them, tall and small these were eclectically formed and the growth stages of the trees made for interesting shapes, pausing yet again I had to capture the beauty of them.

The natural museum.

When sculpture lives.

Yet here in this woodland I was aware that the water was getting ever so slightly closer, I carried on walking along the path, the woods at this stage encroaching on the reservoir and I could see the shimmer of the sun on Moorgreen reservoir, it was purely magical almost like being on another planet and still the orchestral sounds of the wildlife rang out around me. Aware of the reservoir on the left hand side of me, I found myself in a location of contrasts, and contemplation, here I paused and looked in awe at the view through the trees towards the shimmer of the reservoir, enigmatic and full of energy, unspoiled it was at this stage but that would soon change.

A waterside proximity.

Down to the shore - (Landscape).

Down to the shore - (Portrait).

I continued to walk and arrived at a location, taking a path to the left of me I had arrived at a location in which a playground had been developed, simple it was with a rope swing over the river, for I had visited here many years ago, but change had happened, where as I used to walk along the river towards Felly Mill, on a path by the river - well that path was no more, erosion/destruction had made that section of the path disappear, but previously unspoiled it was full of litter left over from those who use this location as a natural adventure playground.

“What has happened to society? It has broken and respect gone, is it really that difficult to take your rubbish home with you instead of leaving it in this river or on the banks of this river. Perhaps in the future you should take it home instead of spoiling it.”

Now though I walked away, with thoughts from yesteryear in the back of my mind and of the happy times that I had spent in this location when I was younger, again things change and with the detritus left over at a spot that years ago was a little oasis - sometimes those changes are not for the best. Still, it was time to backtrack along the path that I had walked on, that had brought me to this former oasis, now spoiled by litter.

Ahead of me on the path that I was now backtracking on was another tree, this time providing an arch over the path, naturally forming the arch was and it looked truly beautiful, for this was something else, and it looked like a scene from lord of the rings, the lush dense woodlands and the natural growth of the trees, I paused for a moment and took the following photos.

Woodland Portal - (Landscape).

Woodland Portal - (Black and White/Landscape).

Woodland Portal - (Black and White/Portrait).

Woodland Portal - (Portrait).

Amazing really how trees can be so thought provoking, this growth and the formation of the archway had happened over a number of years and I had not noticed it before, maybe when I was younger I never really paused to think about things or maybe I did not remember it, either way the path beckoned and it was back to the starting point of the walk. But upon the return to the starting point of the walk, the magic still happened.

I walked past the old lodge house that marks the entrance point to these woodlands and the glorious walk that I had, for now the sun was slowly beginning to set but the light was something else, I turned around and took the following photographs of this magical and mysterious old lodge house that, I am sure has plenty of stories to tell.

A woodland life - (Landscape).

A woodland life - (Portrait).

By now a magical light, and across the road, another property, the tall trees blocking out the sun, but somehow the skies seemed so calm and I had to capture the moment. But again the back of my mind was questioning things. Why had I never paused for a moment to take notice of this old house and it’s stunning architecture? I had no idea.

Life in serenity.

Stories to be told.

What stories did that house have to say about the serenity of the location it was in? The architecture was a statement and the beautiful brickwork was something else. But now I walked a little further on to a location on the pavement. In front of me now was Moorgreen reservoir and the skies clear, calm it was and I was here looking at a giant landscape painting in front of me, the trees of the woodland meeting the reservoir in front of me made for one of the most serene scenes that I had ever captured.

Evening calm of Moorgreen.

The reflections of the trees on the water along with the sky and the evening calm, for this was the most magical of ends to any walk that I had been on in a long, long time, but here I was looking at this glorious hidden body of water amongst the landscape, but it really does go without saying that sometimes a walk through the woods and a reservoir is all you need.