We had a break and our picnic and discussed our options with the land – not suitable for us. We agreed on it without having to explain, debate or argue. It was too far out of the way, with no easy access for our stuff – vehicles or animals – and therefore, we would never be able to achieve what we have planned.
“Back the way we came, or on up that track?” I said.
“Well, if you’re up for a longer walk, let’s go,” @s0u1 said.
Off we went up a bridle path – not suitable for motorised vehicles, just cycles, people and horses. A steep, meandering country lane, with lots of fascinating things on either side. I wouldn’t have made the walk six months ago, I was still weak from the illness and I have the ponies to thank for getting my strength back.
At the top of the lane, I’d expected glorious views, but we weren’t at the top of the hillside, we were about 10-20 metres from the highest point – not 20 metres distant, 20 metres below the peak.
Walking through a cutting in the hillside, you get a sense of how small we are in the great scheme of things.
When we got to the end of that lane, we still had a good walk ahead of us, but we paused to take in the wonderful scenery.
I’d found two quarries for sale and looking out over the fields, I saw a quarry.
“If that’s on the list, I want that!” I said. Spectacular scenery all around, a scene from Lawrence of Arabia and the sand dunes in one direction, a dramatic dark quarried hillside in another, with fields, trees and woodlands all around.
I could certainly never tire of those views.
Onward to the next property… well, onward to find the car, first.
On the way down the hillside, we encountered the steepest High Street in the country. I can’t dispute it, the road was certainly steep – look at the bag @s0u1 is carrying, that gives a good indication of how much the gradient fell away.
We found the car and I would have been OK to come home, but while we were out and about, we soldiered on.
The Sat-Nav wanted to take us down a narrow lane, but it also redirected us when we decided against the track.
I spotted the lane we needed and saw cars parked along the wall bordering the road. Fortunately, the car owners were considerate and parked really close to the wall to allow others to pass.
Up the track, to a place I recognised from the website. “That’s it!” I pointed to a building off the road and we got out to explore.
The literature on the property gives two lots to look at. The ground was described as ‘grassland’ and I can tell you from first-hand experience, it was more gravel than grass!
So much NOPE.
Still, we went forward to see the whole thing. Part of the land had a quarry site on it and that seemed rather interesting. We checked the print-outs… wait a moment!
The interesting part wasn’t actually part of the lots for sale. So, you have two horrible, scrubby pieces of bare gravel with dots of grass struggling to grow through, and it all leads to a massive hole in the ground. The hole was abandoned as a quarry a few decades ago and it looked interesting to say the least, but that wasn’t what you’d get in the sale. What you’d get was a bit of land with a lot of waste concrete and plastic (we found out) and a few filled-in mine shafts and very little else. All for the princely cost of top-whack per acre!
We decided to nope it out of there, too.
On to the final property, hopes dashed, so far, but as I said, if this off-grid thing was easy, everyone would be doing it, right?
The journey took us to Castleton where there’s an old castle Peverill Castle. Close by are Blue John Mines – a semi-precious stone in a museum-class mine. I’ve been a few times and it’s fascinating… maybe it’s time to revisit.
Past that, down a few lanes, through woods, we finally found somewhere to park and started off up yet another stony path.
OK, I did actually like this one and it was really tempting, but no – and for reasons I’ll explain later.
There was evidence of off-roading having taken place recently, bike and 4x4 tracks all over the place. The first ‘entrance’ to the piece I wanted to see was a little mountain-goat-ish but we tried. Part way up the steep slope, Trev wondered if it would be easier climbing up the grassed part… Too late to suggest that, now! Eventually, we got to the top and the view of the quarried Cliffside was again, a dramatic sight. Black rocks hewn away from the mountainside, growing through with grass, moss and even trees.
Oh wow!
A walk around the edge of the level floor of the quarry, we discovered a couple of things. It was exceptionally high and there was no water.
Also, the site faced North, so there would be little or no sun, so no chance to grow much naturally and no natural heat.
Further up the track we found a ledge and looked down over the quarry floor. Another awesome view, and we hadn’t got to the top!
Onward and ever upward!
At the top, we found a track that we could have used to access the site. It was used as a dumping ground for household waste – such a shame.
A little way beyond the boundary was another quarry – a MASSIVE working quarry with a warning sign saying there would be frequent blasting throughout the day from 10am to 4pm.
I see a fatal flaw in my cunning plan.
The other side of the track we climbed was gravel and rocks, another cliff the off-roaders found challenging.
Personally, if it had worked out, I could envision a house built on the ledge with a stunning, glass balcony suspended over the quarry.
Unfortunately, it was not to be and we made our way back.