Mother Cap

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Mother Cap is a short walk from the Surprise View car park above Hathersage.

Higger Tor and Carl Wark

After Wednesday's snow there was still some lying on the ground on Sunday, but in these views of Higger Tor and Carl Wark the snow has melted.

Higger Tor

Carl Wark

 

Posted with Blogsy

Sand and snow

This view is of Carl Wark (left) and Higger Tor still clinging to snow on their eastern slopes.

 

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Gritstone edges

I sketched the relationship between the various gritstone edges using SketchBook Pro overlaying the OS map so that the relationships are to scale.

The main edges (Stanage to Gardom's) are of Chatsworth Grit (318-319 million years). White Edge and Birchen Edge are made of younger Crawshaw Sandstone (314-316 million years) while the lower Bamford Edge is of older Kinderscout Grit (319-321 million years).

Posted with Blogsy

Eagle stone

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Eagle stone is a short walk from Curbar Gap carpark on Baslow Edge.

 

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Stratification and lichen

The cross stratification on this sandstone block on Froggatt Edge forms a sheltered micro-climate for lichen.

Toad's mouth

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A fantastic natural rock "enhanced" to look more like a toad.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Millstones and bedding

When there is good weather at this time of year it really is fantastic. Here are some iPhone shots taken under Stanage Edge.

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The beast of Black Rock

This prehistoric looking beast is an eroded outcrop of Ashover grit at the top of Black Rocks above Cromford (SK293558). The Black Rocks site was mined for lead, the spoil on the scree slope leading up to Black Rocks supports many interesting lead tolerant plants (leadworts). The scree slope is an ideal place to search for a variety of rocks and minerals. Other interesting habitats can be explored from Black Rocks, since it is near the boundary between limestone and gritstone. Cromford Moor has heather moorland and various types of woodland.

From Black Rocks we can see the huge outline of Dene Quarry. It produces crushed limestone for use on roads and in concrete.

Posted with Blogsy

Alport Castles

One of the finest views of regular medium bedding is at Alport Castles which forms a fantastic natural amphitheatre.

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The god of Stanage Edge

This sandstone outcrop on Stanage Edge looks like an Inca god.