Let's Get Away From It All

Do you ever want to just get away from it all? We found the perfect place the other day, out west of beautiful Buxton, among the wide open high plateau moors and rugged dales around Wildboarclough. The area is dotted with isolated farms and has only a couple of roads sweeping through, and we walked miles without seeing a soul. The high moorland is grassy with soft peat underfoot, reached by gently-climbing paths and lanes through river valleys and dales. We started below the flat-topped Shuttlingsloe peak and trekked to the Three Shires Bridge where Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire meet. They come together at the junction of three dales and two rivers, which have produced a pretty scene of rock pools and waterfalls. From there it's a steady but gentle climb to Axe Edge Moor and then to the Cat & Fiddle pub sitting 500m up on top of the Whetstone Ridge.

Along with wide-open vistas in all directions, we saw curlews, lapwings and several hares, but few people. There are also fewer villages in this area than in the White Peak or even in Edale and the Derwent Valley, and this gives it a more isolated feel. A great place to stretch your legs, blow away cobwebs and relax your mind!