A slice of Cornwall within The Peak District?

Located between the town of Bakewell and Monyash within the Peak District is something which resembles a “ghost of industrial past” A shell that is a reminder of the old industry that once operated in this somewhat desolate area. It is a place though that I had always wanted to visit but never got the chance to. But that all changed when the week before Christmas I took the plunge and decided to explore this fantastic and mysterious location.

Magpie Mine from a distance looks quite eerie, alien almost and does not fit in with the surroundings of the rest of The Peak District Landscape and upon the first sighting of it from the road which approaches the mine, my first thoughts were the following,

“Hold on a minute but that looks like an old Cornish tin mine”.

Yes from afar when you first see it from the road or even looking at photographs of Magpie Mine, it looks Cornish, you could almost be forgiven for thinking that this mine and it’s buildings have been lifted up from either The Cornish Coastline or the heaths and moorlands of Cornwall and placed within The Peak District. But this mine was used not for the mining of Tin but instead Lead, however Magpie Mine does have links to Cornwall though and this can be discovered with the history of the mine.

https://pdmhs.co.uk/magpie-mine-peak-district-history/

The engine house reflects that of a Cornish Tin Mine - why you might ask, well that is because in 1839 the Cornish Engineer, John Taylor was bought in to re-open Magpie Mine which now incorporated The Great Redsoil Workings.

However nowadays all that remains of this mine are it’s buildings and a replica Horse Gin located on The Redsoil Engine Shaft.

Parking at the mine is quite easy and it is a short walk up a gently winding path which leads to the first building that you will see, this to the untrained eye looks like a farmhouse which so happens to have a former Lead mine in the farmyard, but this unassuming building which still stands today is actually the former site office for the mine. Now it is used as a small shop that sells information about the mine. However due to the COVID crisis that is happening, it was closed.

Not that this mattered as being in the open is the perfect way in which to enjoy and explore this fantastic former industrial structure in all of it’s grandeur. And what with the dramatic peak district landscape as the background along with the big open skies for that extra dramatic atmosphere I just had to compose some shots.

A hybrid mixture of both landscape and architecture? Quite possibly and that is the joyful thing about Magpie Mine, that a lot of other locations within The Peak District do not have the ability to do, yet here it is all about thinking outside of the box. Yes you have the landscape surrounding you. But you also have an abandoned lead mine to contend with, but work with the environment and you can get some truly fantastic and interesting photographic results.

So what was the first photograph that I took? Well it was an old piece of rather small machinery, that was on the ground - abandoned but not moved since it was left, and low down was the best composition for this, the sky itself was slightly grey, surreal almost but with a truly stunning light to it. Well winter does have a habit of making interesting light conditions. So I had to take these photos using a slow shutter speed to blend the clouds together.

When the machines stopped working.

When the machines stopped working - (Black and White).

The silent parts.

The silent parts - (Black and White).

But those images are just merely scratching the surface. For walking around the land that this mine is located on reveals some interesting features that become revealed and you get a sense of this slightly lunar landscape that really should not exist in The Peak District, but does. Visible are the old heaps of rocks that are abandoned now with grass on them, some even exposed. And the next shots well they show the scale of this abandoned former industrial ghost.

A silent ship - (Black and White).

A silent ship - (Colour).

The ghost of the magpie - (Black and White).

The ghost of the magpie - (Colour).

Magpie Magic - (Black and White).

Magpie Magic - (Colour).

If you listen you can still hear - (Black and White)

If you listen you can still hear - (Colour).

Like a silhouette this old abandoned mine is perfect for any photographer who is wanting to challenge themselves, and you only have to look on Flickr, to see what others have also achieved. It really could be described as,

“A photographer's playground that just invites you to get creative. To work upon new ideas, angles, views and perspectives that can help you become a better photographer”.

And it really is a photographers playground, I just kept coming across new compositions all the time, some that were quite challenging, others that needed patience, but then this happened, a gorgeous light occurred and I had just had to take the following photographs,

Cornwall in The Peak District - (Black and White).

Cornwall in The Peak District - (Colour).

Atmosphere of light - (Black and White).

Atmosphere of light - (Colour).

The engine is on - (Black and White).

The engine is on - (Colour)

The other world - (Black and White).

The other world - (Colour).

The engine house of Magpie Mine, is one that is incredibly photogenic, it has a certain quality to it, and the light was just spectacular, attempting to break through the clouds and it had been trying to do this all day, but had failed. However that did not stop it looking dramatic, and a dramatic location deserves dramatic photos.

Perhaps these photographs are the best ones of 2020 that I had taken, I sure think that they are,

Again I continued to walk around this impressive location, and once around the other side of the main engine house, the old remains of the mine became more visible, old machinery which at one time stood proud, now remains silent, but you can still hear them somehow, mysterious yes but magical at the same time, and I had after taking the photos of the old engine building decided to take a short walk up to a flat piece of land, that had many other interesting elements to it, including old buildings now abandoned that at one time would have been buzzing with life and looked incredibly different from today.

The view from here - (Landscape).

The view from here - (Portrait).

The view from here - (Landscape/Black and White).

The view from the mine is rather impressive and the vista towards Monyash in the west is something to behold, I can imagine that the mine workers, when they came up to the surface admired the stunning vistas around them and had a minute to take it all in.

But even the smaller industrial scars including a rather small but perfectly formed headstock remain photogenic, and I just had to capture this.

The time machine - (Black and White).

The time machine - (Colour).

The technology from yesteryear - (Black and White).

The technology from yesteryear - (Colour).

A sense of awe is something that I experienced at Magpie Mine, and it is a location that I shall definitely return to for more photogenic adventures. But it is also a location for photography that has taught me to experiment more within photography and actually work with angles and perspectives to capture something unique.

Still though it really is a slice of Cornwall within The Peak District, and that in itself is something unique, for anyone visiting The Peak District should seek out these unique hidden places, they make for some truly unique photographic challenges that are sure to challenge any photographer.

Following the footsteps of the druids. A mystical walk on Stanton Moor.

“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.

An invitation to climb.

This piece of rock is Millstone Grit and stands alone next to an ancient quarry,

Back on The Rock and Roll - (Landscape).

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.

The shapes of trees - (Portrait).

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.

The calm of the valley - (Landscape).

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.

Following that hidden path.

Something about the light.

The path to the trees.

Is this really earth?

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”

 

Time's passage - (Portrait).

Time's passage - (Landscape).

The druids remain silent.

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.

Where old footsteps once walked.

Did we walk on the moon?

Looking down to earth.

Guardian of healing.

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.

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.

The shape of nature.

Survival from the elements.

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.