Walk on the rocky side

Another dry day with temperature around 24 degrees so decided to take the birthday boy out for a walk in the Peak District,  back to Wildboarclough starting point but this time doing the full 4 and half mile circuit.      Only about a 20 minute drive from home but realised the printed map was still in the printer back home !   so had to rely on our 5 or 6 year memory of the same walk we did back then although everything looked different so we just headed for the hills on a wing and a prayer   lol        The walk was much more tiring this time, mainly due to being 5 or 6 years older than last time we walked it and also because of the heat;   we also forgot just how rocky these old drovers tracks are and spent more time looking at my footing than looking for birds   LOL

Anyway, onwards and definitely upwards for the first part,  photos taken on the old mobile and took the 7diii and 100-400 lens without extender and binoculars - it was heavy enough already and felt like a ton weight by the end of the walk !

First bird as we walked alongside the River Dane was a male Grey Wagtail;  there can be Dippers here too but didn't see any today as we headed up the drovers track 

A robin greeting us on the steady incline ......and before Paul asks I did leave it some mixed seed with mealworm ! 

Meadow Pipit lurking in the long grass 

there were dozens of them everywhere but skittish 

and a beautiful female northern Wheatear 

a male Kestrel was hovering close by

now a few pics taken along the route (using the old iPhone 5)

this next photo is a popular visitor spot called Panniers Pool  by Three Shires Head area  (Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire)

We stopped here to eat our ham salad sandwiches and drink down another bottle of water 

onwards and upwards to rejoin the Buxton road where we crossed over and on towards Wildboarclough village 

the view from High Peak - no Stonechats seen this trip but it is a favourite area for them 

Heading down again towards Wildboarclough, this area can be boggy during rainy season and there are duckboards crossing the pasture once you cross the Buxton Road

female pheasant in a group of half a dozen happy foraging in cover on the lower woodland area;    they must realise the inglorious 12th has begun :(

robin junior 

a Grey Heron in Clough Brook 

St. Saviour's Church, Wildboarclough 

Our weary feet continued back along the lane towards Clough House car park again where we seem to trudge on for a mile !  

Nice cool shower once home and feet up for the rest of the day after a salad dinner and some birthday dessert of chocolate mousse and ice-cream :)