Walk Summary
Starts along the Trans Pennine Trail at Penistone and works its way to the moors through a combination of fields and country lanes. Joins the moors near Langsett and follows Hordron Road on to the moors. Things start feeling remote as the route heads up to Howden Edge (spoiler: it's more of a plateau than an edge). Heads over trackless moor to the isolated Horse Stone. Wild camp with a tremendous view down the Derwent Valley.
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Date: 03/06/2024
Length: 9.464 miles
Height Gain: 536 m
Terrain: Trails (TPT), country lanes, muddy tracks, grassy tracks, stone tracks, boggy moors, trackless moors, lightly used roads.
Navigation: Map, compass and gps required. The route from Hordron Clough to the Horse Stone becomes vague and trackless on Howden Moor (flat and featureless).
Start: Penistone Train Station
Route: Penistone Train Station, Hartcliff Hill, Hordron Road, Hordron Clough, Howden Edge, Horse Stone.
Map: OL1 - The Peak District - Dark Peak
Weather: Grey and overcast
Walkers: Nun.
Captain's Log
Hartcliff
This is the Captain's Log of my first Mini Venture. I used to do quite a bit of backpacking and camping, but less so in recent years. I've decided to get back into again. I decided to go fairly easy on my first Mini Venture which would be a two day affair with a walk up to the Horse Stone (in the Upper Derwent Valley) from Penistone and then a second day that would call in at the Crow Stones. It had probably been three or four decades since I visited the Horse Stone. It is fairly remote and not that easy to include in a day walk. It's remoteness would be no problem for a Mini Venture though.
It was grey and sultry when I set off. I wondered whether there might be a thunder storm, although none had been forecast. There was a breeze though, which cooled my engine. My pack felt heavy with all the camping equipment I was carrying. From past experience, I knew that it took a few days for the body to adjust to a heavier pack. The start of the walk was easy enough with pleasant walking through fields and along country lanes. I climbed out of Penistone to Hartcliff hill and then diverted off the road to the summit. The hill isn't very high, but it has a wonderful view westwards to the Pennines stretching along the horizon. I looked across the moors and could see Hordron Clough. It seemed quite distant; I needed to get a wriggle on to reach it before sundown.
Hartcliff Tower
Looking Towards Langsett From Hartcliff Hill
A Walk Full Of Wildlife
Walking To The Moors
At Fullshaw I was having discrete pee against a stone wall when I had the curious feeling that I was being watched. I looked along the stone wall and saw about 20 metres away, a Long Eared Owl glaring at me. We had a staring competition for a while and it seemed that he would win. Once I finished my comfort break, I went towards it to have a closer look. It didn't fly off. It was only when I was a three or four metres away that I could see that it was a model. It wasn't a bad model either. It's eyes were uncannily real. I wondered why somebody should spend so much effort preparing and putting it there.
The Swinden Lane track and then the Hordron Road (a stone track) gradually eased me into the moors. By the time I reached the stone buildings at Upper Hordron, I felt that I'd arrived on the moors. I descended down to Hordron Clough and had my tea, some sarnies; I couldn't be bothered to cook on a 2 day venture. I had brought my stove though for tea and coffee. The beck running along Hordron Clough has the grand title of The Porter Of Little Don River. It looks like Newcastle Brown with the silt, but I filtered 2 litres to take up with me to the Horse Stone.
The Hordron Road Provides Fast Access To The Moors
Horse Stone
I started feeling my leg muscles straining on the climb up to Howden Moor. Carrying that extra 2 litres of water seemed to make quite a difference. It was getting quite dark again and I worried again about the possibility of a thunderstorm. The track became more vague, until I started making my own way on to Howden Edge. I could see the Horse Stone on the skyline over to the south. I started tramping in that direction. It was boggy, but it wasn't too bad. About a quarter of a mile from the stone, I found the vaguest of tracks. The Horse Stone is obviously not that popular. The track led me right up to the stone, and it is fine stone indeed. It even has its own little moat around it. Even better was the view down the Derwent valley. I took some photos and then decided to find a camping spot.
Officially there was still another hour before sundown, but it was actually quite dark. Horse Stone is on a boggy plateau, but I managed to find a dry spot a couple of hundred yards over to the east. In fact, not only was it dry, but it had some long grass for comfort too. I pitched the tent, made a coffee, spilt a full mug of coffee and made a mug of tea. It would take me a while to get back into the swing of camping again. Over to the east I could see lights coming on over towards Barnsley. Looking south, I had that dramatic view down the Derwent valley. It was magnificent. I entered the cocoon of my one man tent and eventually managed to contort myself into my sleeping bag on my inflated mattress. I thought I heard some people talking outside my tent, but I deduced that it was only the sound of the tent's guidelines vibrating in the wind. I listened to the News and Book At Bedtime on Radio 4. I figured that I'd give the subsequent 'supernatural story' programme a miss given my talking tent guidelines and so decided to go to sleep.
Looking Towards Cut Gate From The Hordron Road
The Horse Stone Has Its Own Moat