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Middleton Top - Peak District Walk
Sunday 23rd June 2024
We were debating where to go walking later in the week and one factor was how far John could walk given that his ankle was playing up again. In order to get an idea of how his ankle felt we decided to go for a short evening walk that is fairly local to us.
Start: Middleton Top car park (SK 2749 5516)
Route: Middleton Top - Middleton Moor - Moor Farm - High Peak Trail - Middleton Top
Distance: 1.75 miles Ascent: 59 metres Time Taken: 45 mins
Terrain: Clear paths
Weather: Warm and sunny
Pub Visited: None Ale Drunk: None
![Middleton Top Middleton Top](2024-06-23/middleton top.jpg)
The Engine House at Middleton Top is at the start of our walk.
We pass on a visit to the gate by the old truck
and instead take the gate onto the moor.
![Middleton Top Middleton Top](2024-06-23/hot air.jpg)
As we make our way onto the moor we can see some hot air balloons. Not an unusual sight for us as they often take off close to where we live.
![Middleton Moor Middleton Moor](2024-06-23/moor.jpg)
For once there are no cows on the fields close to the path onto Middleton Moor.
![Alport Height Alport Height](2024-06-23/alport.jpg)
Looking back across the High Peak Trail. It looks like the bank of cloud that had greeted us as we drove up to Middleton Top is starting to break up.
![Black Rocks Black Rocks](2024-06-23/black rocks.jpg)
Looking across to Black Rocks and Cromford Moor from Middleton Moor.
![Middleton Moor Middleton Moor](2024-06-23/balloon.jpg)
Looking in the opposite direction I get a nicely framed shot of one of the hot air balloons.
![Middleton Moor Middleton Moor](2024-06-23/moor1.jpg)
Given the time of year we pass on visiting the ruined cottage, as it will just be full of nettles, instead we follow the path across Middleton Moor.
![Middleton Moor Middleton Moor](2024-06-23/moor2.jpg)
As we are crossing the moor we wonder where the other two balloons have gone. Given that this one appears to be descending we can only assume they have landed somewhere.
![Erewash Valley Erewash Valley](2024-06-23/balloon1.jpg)
We reach the highest point of the footpath and can look across Intake Quarry and down the Erewash Valley.
![Middleton Moor Middleton Moor](2024-06-23/moor3.jpg)
Behind us the sun is breaking through the cloud.
![Erewash Valley Erewash Valley](2024-06-23/balloon2.jpg)
We spend some time watching the hot air balloon as it starts to descend.
![Alport Height Alport Height](2024-06-23/balloon3.jpg)
It doesnt take long for it to start to drop down.
![Alport Height Alport Height](2024-06-23/balloon4.jpg)
It soon disappears below the top of Intake Quarry so we continue our walk assuming it has landed somewhere.
![Erewash Valley Erewash Valley](2024-06-23/balloon5.jpg)
As we continue walking across the moor we realise the balloon has reappeared, presumably the choosen landing spot had too many power lines in the fields for it to land safely.
![Carsington Pastures Carsington Pastures](2024-06-23/fields.jpg)
Descending to Moor Farm we look across the fields towards Carsington Pastures but there is no sign of the other hot air balloons.
![Moor Farm Moor Farm](2024-06-23/rabbit.jpg)
As we approach the gate behind Moor Farm a small rabbit runs across the path and sits just below the gate hoping we haven't seen him.
![Moor Farm Moor Farm](2024-06-23/moor farm.jpg)
As ever Moor Farm looks deserted, not even any sign of it being used for storage.
![Moor Farm Moor Farm](2024-06-23/track.jpg)
We follow the track passed Moor Farm to the High Peak Trail.
![Alport Height Alport Height](2024-06-23/alport3.jpg)
Once we are clear of the old cuttings on the High Peak Trail we look over the campsite and across to Alport Height, but can see no sign of the hot air balloon we were watching earlier.
All pictures copyright © Peak Walker 2006-2024