Manifold

From Stanshope Hall (which is a privately owned B&B, so we couldn't go inside - sorry Desiree), we turned west across the fields to the rim of the Manifold Valley.

I really love the little rocky outcrops of limestone.

The Manifold is a sister river to the Dove, though generally less well known. The upper course runs through gritstone, but at Ecton, it reaches limestone country and cuts through a deep valley. 

North of Ilam, this valley widens out and is dry for much of the year as the river disappears underground, only emerging again just above Ilam Hall, after which is reaches its confluence with the Dove and the two rivers take on that single name.

Top 'o the dale

Stanshope Hall sits at the top of Hall Dale, just outside the village after which it is named. The hall is dates back to the 1600s and was, at one time, home to the quartermaster of Oliver Cromwell (who happened to be called Michael Jackson). It is now a listed building. An unusual feature of the interior is that every room is hand painted by an artist.

Standing just below the hall and looking back, this is the top of Hall Dale and the field of the Belted Galloways. This scene is very typical of the White Peak area of the Peak District National Park; limestone walls climbing the hillsides, the bones of white rock poking through the steeper slopes, the lush green of the small enclosed fields and the sudden fold of a steep sided dale. Beautiful!

Washed with wet sandpaper

And this is what was waiting round the corner at the top of Hall Dale; Belted Galloway calves. Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?!

Cows are curious, but naturally timid. If you run, they may chase, but shout and wave your arms around and it is they who will retreat.

(This one courtesy of Sacristan)

Which is why it was all the more surprising when the mother decided to investigate up close; having a good old lick at my hand (probably 'pleasantly' salty from sweating up Bunster Hill) and generally acting rather like an over-sized pet. But goodness, that tongue was rough! It was a bit like being washed with wet sandpaper.

(This one courtesy of Sacristan too)

She really seemed to enjoy being scratched between the ears!

Out of the Dove and into the Hall

A short way below Ilam Rock, we said goodbye to the Dove and turned up a small side valley, heading towards Stanshope.

After a short climb, we crossed this stile and emerged into Hall Dale.

Although the sun was still shining brightly, the bottom of the dale was firmly in shadow because the autumn sun was too low in the sky to overcome the steepness of the dale sides.

Outcrops of limestone protruding from the grass give this place a lot of character and the path twists its way along the dale bottom; which, in places, is quite narrow.

Finally, as we reached the upper dale, the sun began to finger its way down the hillsides and brighten up an already pretty place. We got the sense of the countryside opening out and began to wonder what was waiting for us in the sunshine just around the bend.

A tor around a rock

This is Ilam Rock, about which I have posted once before, so I'm going to be quiet and just allow you to enjoy the photo.

 

Almost directly across the river is Pickering Tor.

This cave close to the foot of Ilam Rock is one of many in the gorge. Although unpromising from the outside,  the roof rises to make quite a spacious place.

Looking out, you can just spot the end of the wooden footbridge on which I was standing to take the first photo. Also, notice the puddle. The day outside was bright and sunny, but water seeps slowly through limestone and there was a regular drip rippling this wetness.

Thorpe Cloud from all angles

This hill, which towers over the southern end of Dovedale, is called Thorpe Cloud. It lies between the villages of Ilam and Thorpe. Here, it is seen from the rim of Dovedale, beyond Bunster Hill.

Thorpe Cloud is a limestone hill which stands at 942'high and would (approx 350 million years ago) have been part of a shallow sea. The limestone was cut into reefs during the two ice ages and left proud as the seas retreated . It's name comes from the Old Norse Thorpe, meaning village or farmstead and the Old English Clud, meaning a hill.

Thorpe Cloud is very popular with walkers because it offers views right up the Dovedale Gorge or south over the Midland plain. It is also popular with paragliders.

In total, we counted seven, but I didn't manage to get a decent photo of more than five at any one time.

I'm really unsure about whether I would fancy a go at this or not. Part of me thinks it would be brilliant, but another part thinks that this is genuinely dangerous and maybe not such a good idea.

What do you think?

Have you ever had a go?

Am I wrong about the 'dangerous' bit?

"I jumped over Ilam cross!"

In the centre of Ilam, close by the river bridge, is this 30 foot high cross, erected by Jesse Watts-Russell in 1840, in memory of his wife Mary.

The design was created by architect John Macduff Derrick and is modelled on one of the crosses which Edward I had erected in memory of his wife, Eleanor of Castile in 1290. Eleanor died in Nottinghamshire but was buried in Westminster Abbey and a cross was erected at each stopping place on her final journey. 

The cross does show some wear from 170 years of erosion and met with a tragedy in 1960, when a storm dislodged the already weakened top. For a while, a temporary sandstone replacement was erected. Because it proved impossible to establish who actually owned the cross, there was some delay in its restoration; grant awarding bodies being reluctant to award money for the scheme. Then, in 2003, the Peak Park Authority made a compulsory purchase order and in March 2009, the cross was officially handed over to a charitable body known as the Ilam Cross Trust.

Restoration work began soon after.

On September 16th 2011, as the restoration work was nearing completion, Ilam schoolchildren, staff and visitors jumped over the golden cross. It was then processed down the street and handed to the stonemasons for fitting at the top.

In future years, those children will be able, in all honesty, to say "I jumped over Ilam cross!"

The fully restored cross was unveiled in early October and has been shortlisted for the English Heritage Angel Awards, the results of which are to be announced this Monday (31st)

To help ensure it's continued protection, the cross is a grade 2 listed building and features on the English Heritage register of Buildings at Risk. The Ilam Cross Trust continue to raise money to pay for maintenance.

Ilam in the Alps

Human activity around Ilam dates back as far as 700BC, when neolithic man built burial barrows on the surrounding hills. The area was settled by both Celts and Romans but became more significant after the death of Bertram and the beginning of pilgrimages to his tomb in the Middle Ages.

Ilam today is a mix of old and newer properties, nestling alongside the River Manifold, sitting close to the border between Derbyshire and Staffordshire and overlooked by Bunster Hill (1079' - half a mountain)

The village school, Ilam C of E (VA) Primary, is housed in this Alpine style building. It was built by Jesse Watts-Russell in the mid 1800s. As the new owner of Ilam Hall, he wanted to improve the view from his property. As a result, he had a large proportion of the village demolished and the people rehoused in newly built alpine style housing. The school was constructed as part of this redevelopment.

http://www.ilam.staffs.sch.uk/hisgeog/hismain.html

These two photographs, from the school website, show the building and pupils from their earliest days. The trees have grown somewhat in the last 130 years!

http://www.ilam.staffs.sch.uk/hisgeog/hismain.html

And the school uniform has seen some changes!

To read more about the school, click here.

This is just one of the Alpine style cottages, which must have looked rather incongruous when they were first constructed, but fit the landscape surprisingly well.

Church of the Holy Cross, Ilam

Much of Ilam church is Norman or early English; the base of the tower, for example, is 13th Century. Like many other churches, however, there have been later additions. Mainly, these came in the 17th and 19th century and included two chapels.

There is also evidence of the Saxon origins of this church, most notable of which is the stone font, carved with dragons and people.

The Saxon connection goes back to St Bertram, an 8th century Saxon Prince of Mercia. Bertram travelled to Ireland to marry an Irish princess. On the way back, they stopped off at Ilam because his wife had given birth. While she rested, Bertram went off to find food, only to discover on his return, that a wolf had attacked and killed his wife and child. Heartbroken, he remained here, giving up his royal claims and devoting himself to prayer and meditation for the remainder of his days..

His tomb is inside the church in the chapel built specifically for that purpose in 1618. In the Middle Ages, the tomb was a place of pilgrimage and believed to have miraculous healing powers.

These days, the pilgrims are mainly tourists, including us, on our walk :)

We're heading on past the church and up the side of Bunster Hill.

Eye lamb Hall

Ilam (eye-lamb, not ill-am) Hall, in Staffordshire, is owned by the National Trust. The first hall on this site was built by the Port family in the sixteenth century. In the 1820s, this was demolished by Jesse Watts Russell and replaced by a larger, grander hall. In the 1920s, most of this second hall was also demolished, some being saved by Sir Robert McDougall who bought the estate and then donated it to the National Trust in 1934.

What remains of the hall is now used as a Youth Hostel of the YHA. The hall also contains a small National Trust shop and Tea Rooms (which sells rather tasty scones - pronounced scownes, not scons).

The photo above shows the view from outside the Tea Rooms. On a warm day, you can sit here with your drink and enjoy this incredible view! (Even on a cold day, if you wish. The tea rooms lends blankets to those who would like to sit outside on the chilliest days!).

Incidentally, that flat topped hill is called Thorpe Cloud. More about that in another post.

I love the chimneys above the main archway at the front of the hall!

And on the grass outside, is this decorative trig point. I want one!!