Whirlow to Ringinglow

A general view in the Limb Valley

On the first leg of the Sheffield Round Walk, in Ecclesfield Woods, I had encountered various points of geological and geomorphological interest and when planning the second leg – from Ringinglow to Hunters Bar – I looked forward to fully exploring many of the various places that have been highlighted by a colleague, Peter Kennett, along the Porter Valley.

A view of part of the Sheffield Round Walk on Google Map

Due to problems with the rural bus services, which are now endemic in South Yorkshire, these plans were left in shreds but, although it was now 3 o'clock in the afternoon, my exploration of the Whinfell Quarry Garden had only taken half an hour and I was determined to take full advantage of the very rare sunshine and warmth in late March.

The Norfolk Arms

With a very infrequent bus service running from the Norfolk Arms at Ringinglow back to Sheffield, I knew that I had many kilometres to walk before I would reach the far end of Endcliffe Park, at Hunter's Bar, and my exploration of the upper Limb Valley had to be undertaken at a brisk pace.

An old quarry exposure of the Rough Rock in Whirlow

At the beginning of the marked public footpath from Whirlow to Ringinglow, an old quarry face exposes a section of horizontal thin bedded Rough Rock, with shale partings that have weathered very deeply. From here onwards, the public footpath rises high above the course of the Limb Brook and it was only by using the full extent of the zoom facility on my Canon G16 camera that I could identify rock exposures in the bottom of the valley.

Rocky exposures alongside Limb Brook

The further I walked up the path, the further Limb Brook disappeared into the distance and I realised that an in depth exploration of the geology of the upper Limb Valley would have to wait for another day; however, when emerging from the woods at its northern end, my interest was revived by the presence of numerous springs alongside the footpath.

An emerging spring at the head of the Limb Valley

Following Limb Brook further uphill towards Ringinglow, an extensive patch of sphagnum moss and other water loving plants – similar to those that I had seen a couple of years previously when investigating Burbage Edge and Burbage Brook – marks the development of springs at the junction between the Chatsworth Grit and the Marsden Formation.

Boggy ground at the upper reach of Limb Brook

Moving on to the outskirts of Ringinglow, where a near dilapidated information panel marked the end of the walk up the Limb Valley, the Limb Brook emerges beneath Shephill Road - just a short distance downstream from the point where it rises in the plantation beyond. I wish that I could have had a pint or two at the Norfolk Arms – before following the Porter Brook back down into Sheffield - but with another 6 kilometres still to walk, there was no time to stop.

A dilapidated information board at Ringinglow

The Whinfell Quarry Garden

A general view of the Whinfell Quarry Garden

As a start to my planned exploration of the Sheffield Round Walk in the early spring 2017, my trip to Ecclesall Woods had gone as planned; however, my next day out – 10 days later – didn't work out the way that I had intended. To cut a long story short, my bus didn't turn up and, through a subsequent mix up with the bus timetables, an intended leisurely walk down the Porter Valley turned into a bit of a slog, with two planned trips turning into one.

The geology around Whinfell Quarry Garden

On what had turned into a very sunny and warm day, after having had to unexpectedly walk  2 kilometres to Whirlow, I finally arrived at the Whinfell Quarry Garden – an old quarry in the Rough Rock that had been worked for flagstones up until the last part of the 19th century and which is now being restored by the Friends of Whinfell.

An exposure of the Rough Rock

Given the change to my plans, I only briefly explored the gardens and didn't examine the rock exposures closely but the old quarry faces are quite extensive and are easily accessible, without disturbing the plants. It provides good examples of the flaggy Rough Rock, which I had only previously seen in the stream bed of Limb Brook and at the Langsett Bank Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS), 20 years previously.

An exposure of flaggy beds of the Rough Rock in an old quarry face

In Sheffield city centre, however, the massive gritty varieties of Rough Rock from Huddersfield – Crosland Hill and Rockingstone – have been used in such urban landscaping developments as Sheaf Square and Tudor Square, as well as extensively for paving. These are often included in educational walks around the city, organised by members of the Sheffield Area Geology Trust and others, and the Whinfell Quarry Garden therefore provides an opportunity to compare the physical characteristics of the Rough Rock in two very different environments.

A general view of Whinfell Quarry Garden

As also demonstrated at the Quarry Garden at Brodsworth Hall, imaginative landscaping projects like this can be very attractive and Whinfell Quarry Garden is known for its rhododendrons and redwood trees. Although, towards the end of March, the various flora could not be seen at their best, I can imagine that this place looks wonderful at the height of spring and summer and it would make a good stopping point for lunch, as part of a Sheffield U3A Geology Group field trip – a walk down the Limb Valley from Ringinglow to Beauchief. 

A group of students relaxing at Whinfell Quarry Garden

A Walk in Ecclesall Woods

A map of Ecclesall Woods courtesy of Sheffield City Council

Getting off the bus from Sheffield at Parkhead Cricket Ground on Ecclesall Road South, my exploration of Wood 1 at Ecclesall Woods – my first leg of the Sheffield Round Walk - was very brief and walking down the slope towards the River Sheaf, which is underlain by mudstones, siltstones and sandstones of the Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation, the most notable feature was the abundance of streamlets that criss crossed the woods.

Converging streamlets

Although a warm spring day, the trees were still bare and, apart from a very occasional clump of daffodils and a few shoots, conditions were perfect to see exposures of rock, but none were to be seen and I quickly walked down to the Wood Collier's Memorial in Wood 2, which was the only point of interest marked on the maps that I had downloaded.

The Wood Collier's Monument

Being very grateful for these, as it is easy to become disorientated even on a sunny day, I then made my way own to the Woodland Discovery Centre, which was an unexpected surprise – having expected facilities that were much more basic. On a Wednesday in the middle of March, the café was closed but having purchased a coffee from the vending machine in the well stocked information centre, I sat down to read the Archaeological Trail that I had picked up, which described various points of interest in the woods that I had walked through.

The Archaeological Trail

Only having a very casual interest in industrial archaeology, I have to say that I didn't notice the Q-pits, charcoal hearths or even the old ganister quarries and if I ever get the chance to wander around Ecclesall Woods again – to find the cup and ring stone carving - this leaflet will prove very useful and, if it hasn't been done already, it would be good to see it as a download.

A view of Limb Brook

Having had a short break, I set off again on the next leg of my walk to investigate the Whirlow Wheel and Mill Pond, which is set near to Hathersage Road, and on my way I had to ask for directions. Following the path round the inaccessible bird sanctuary, which I later discovered was where poor quality coal was dug extensively, there are spectacular views of the Limb Brook where a thick sandstone formation forms a very steep escarpment.

An old trackway

Walking down to the brook, and up to the other side of the valley, I noted one of the several sections of sunken trackway that can be seen in all three of the woods that make up Ecclesall Woods and then headed up the hill – along the banks of the brook wherever possible. Although disappointed to discover that the Whirlow Wheel constituted a few ruined buildings, with an interpretation board, I had at least encountered various outcrops of a flaggy variety of the Rough Rock in the stream bed.

An exposure of Rough Rock in Limb Brook

Heading back down the hill, I then continued my walk along a path above the south bank of Limb Brook, before dropping back down into the broad valley that runs down all the way to Abbeydale Road South. Here I encountered a few outcrops of massive bedded sandstone in the hillside and what appears to be a natural spring that discharges iron rich, ochreous water.

The ochreous spring

Often associated with coal mining activities, where the oxidation of abundant iron pyrite is further enhanced by is bacterial action, I had never seen anything like this before and its vividly coloured natural displays – which continue to stain the stream bed downstream - proved the geological highlight of my visit.

The ochreous spring joins Limb Brook

In total, I spent over 3 hours exploring Ecclesall Woods and from a geologist's point of view Wood 3 is the most interesting part and, given that this part of the woods has a history of coal mining and quarrying, deserves further investigation and I am sure that this would have formed the basis of one of the geology events that were organised for the public during the early days of the South Yorkshire Regionally Important Sites (RIGS) Group.

An old interpretation panel

Leaving Ecclesall Woods at Beauchief, for anyone who wants to add a couple of extra hours to an already enjoyable walk in the woods, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is only a stone's throw away. Although I thought that it had obviously suffered from budget cuts, and I was very disappointed when I visited it after a wait of over 30 years, back in 2013, it has since had a considerable amount of money spent on it. 

A view across the dam at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet

The Sheffield Round Walk

On the way to Ecclesall Woods

After exploring a wide variety of historic stone buildings, geological sites when encountered and other places with Geoheritage value, I ended 2016 by exploring Temple Mine and the Peak District Lead Mining Museum in Matlock Bath with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group. With well over 50 places visited and thousands of photographs taken, I then made the most of the winter months by applying my writing skills – recording my observations in this Blog and on TripAdvisor.

In Ecclesall Woods

Following a mild winter, the weather during the spring of 2017 provided some hope that the coming year would be equally productive; however, starting 21 months previously, I had travelled as widely as I reasonably could using public transport from Treeton and, although the bus routes into the Peak District National Park from Sheffield still had some more potential and there were a couple of mediaeval churches that I had not yet seen, I had to think of other places to visit that related to the Language of Stone.

At the top of the Limb Valley

In the summer of 2014, I had explored parts of the Rivelin Valley, the River Sheaf, the Porter Brook and the River Don and I therefore decided to further explore Sheffield's geology and geomorphology and, although I have limited knowledge of the subect, its industrial archaeology.

Arriving at Ringinglow

When surveying the Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS) in the Peak District National Park, I had visited various old building stone and brick clay quarries within the Sheffield city boundary and was aware of the significance of local sources of iron ore, coal and ganister in the development of its steel industry, but I had never explored these in any depth.

Endcliffe Park

Undertaking research on the internet, I soon discovered the Sheffield Round Walk, which seemed to suit my exact needs. Gathering further information on points of interest that I might see on my travels, I just looked forward to getting some much needed exercise in the sunshine and to explore some of the parts of rural Sheffield that I had never seen in any detail before.

Ladies Spring Wood

The Peak District Lead Mining Museum

A specimen of Labradorite at the Peak District Lead Mining Museum

After the guided tour of Temple Mine and an introduction to panning for Fool's Gold, the Sheffield U3A Geology Group joined up together again and, crossing to the other side of the busy A6 road, we finished our day out to Matlock Bath with a guided tour of the Peak District Lead Mining Museum – housed in the Grand Pavilion, built in 1910, which is now being maintained and restored by a local charity.

The Grand Pavilion

When living in Bakewell, where I carried out a survey of Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) on behalf of Natural England and the Peak District National Park Authority, I made good use of its bookshop, to purchase British Geological Survey maps and memoirs, but I didn't go into the museum itself.

A general view inside the museum

As a geologist, I obviously have an appreciation of the economic exploitation of mineral resources and I have enjoyed visits to such places as Chislehurst Caves and the National Coal Mining Museum – as well as Temple Mine - but I have to say that the Peak District Lead Mining Museum had never been on my list of places to see; however, I found the talk by our guide interesting, especially the descriptions of the various pumps used to drain the mines.

Part of the Howie mineralogical collection

The real highlight for me was to see the fantastic displays of minerals, which contains part of the Howie mineral collection. Professor R.A. Howie, as every undergraduate in Britain for the last 50 years will know, was the co-author – along with J. Zussman and W.A. Deer - of An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals - a classic textbook that is now in its 3rd edition. Along with Rutley's Elements of Mineralogy, I put this to good use 20 years after graduating as a geologist, when cataloguing and packing the collection of 1500 minerals at Clifton Park Museum in 2002, and I still have occasion to use it in my work.

A general view of a mineral display

Time, unfortunately, was not on my side and I was only able to have a quick scan of the wide range of excellent specimens on display and I would like the opportunity to see it again, although its relatively remote location makes it unlikely in the foreseeable future.

Various minerals

Although it is necessary to pay to see it, it is to the great credit of the Peak District Lead Mining Museum that they maintain this collection of minerals, and it puts many regional museums to shame, especially since many of these – Sheffield and Rotherham in my region – contain very good collections themselves, yet have no desire to show these wonders of nature to the general public. I have only seen better collections in London, Madrid and perhaps Barcelona and it was a great surprise to discover this one in Matlock Bath.

Various minerals

In writing this Blog, I have described my visits to places that I think that other people with interests in geology and the wider applications of Geoheritage and Geodiversity – which includes building stone, ancient monuments and historic stone buildings – would like to see. This includes professionals from Catalonia and Sardinia, who work in Geoparks or have expressed their interest in bringing groups to England, as well the Sheffield U3A Geology Group and others and, if I were arranging an itinerary, I think that I would make a point of taking them here.

Derbyshire oak stone

Panning For Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold

The day trip by the Sheffield U3A Geology Group to Matlock Bath was undertaken out of season, in November, and our visit to the Temple Mine and the Peak District Lead Mining Museum was specially arranged and, as such, the group were provided with exclusive access to the facilities.

Learn to pan and wash Fool's Gold and other minerals at Temple Mine

Given that more than 20 of us turned up for this event, which a single tour of the Temple Mine could accommodate, we were split into two groups and after our tour of the mine everyone was given a chance to try their hand at panning for Fool's Gold and other minerals. Although no real gold was at hand, the Temple Mine did hit the headlines back in 1992, when an analysis of the basalt here – undertaken by Sheffield University – revealed that the basalt tested yield 37 grammes per tonne – quite a respectable quality ore.

A lesson in panning for minerals

Like any new skill, there is a steep learning curve and, with much laughter involved, everyone soon got the hang of the technique. I am myself by no means an expert but I did this once for real nearly 30 years ago – when my best friend and I travelled down to Dolgellau in North Wales for a long weekend one summer, where we panned the stream that runs down from the Clogau Mine to the Afon Mawddach.

Panning in practice

All of our friends and family had a great laugh at our expense, saying that we would of course find nothing and, during most of the time we spent there, they were right; however, on one of the days we struck lucky.

Celebrating the discovery of gold

When you see that single grain which shines far brighter than the rest of the worthless detritus before your eyes, the sensation is quite exhilarating and it makes you want to dig for more. With a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey firstly cracked open to toast our success, we then packed up and headed off to the nearest pub – where, in a Western movie style, we asked for two more large whiskeys to be slid down the bar.

Gold and silver

Much to our disappointment, the barman didn't comply with our polite request but, nonetheless, even though I certainly lost as much gold as I managed to keep when removing it from the pan, it was enough to wipe the smile off the faces of everyone when we returned home and showed off our few tiny specks – which in my case included silver too.

Gold and silver

Temple Mine at Matlock Bath

The entrance to Temple Mine

As a geologist, I like to go underground whenever I can and my trip to the Temple Mine in Matlock Bath, with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group, was my fourth time in a year. Apart from offering a viewpoint of a rock exposure that often can't be appreciated at the surface, it also provides an opportunity to practice my photographic skills although, having said that, I somehow managed to delete an excellent set of photos that I had taken the previous month in the magazine at Pontefract Castle, when the lighting had failed.

Starting the tour of Temple Mine with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group

At the National Coal Mining Museum, no photos were allowed for safety reasons but, at Chislehurst Caves and during visits a few years ago to Treak Cliff Cavern, Peak Cavern and Mortimer's Hole with groups of Spanish students – using my old digital SLR - I came away with some good photographs and I looked forward to visiting Temple Mine.

A tunnel in Temple Mine

To date, all of my visits to show caves/old mines have dwelled on the history and various tales that relate to them, and except for Creswell Crags, I would consider them to be very “commercial” and, like very many other tourist attractions in the UK, not very good value for money. Catering for the general tourist, especially children, business motives generally take precedence over their educational value and with the Earth Sciences having fallen out of favour with schools, universities and museums, it isn't really very surprising to find this happening.

A general view of Temple Mine

Having professional interests in Geoheritage and its associated tourist industry, my expectations are probably way too high and I have yet to visit a show cave without feeling somewhat disappointed; however, even though I usually end up missing half of what is said by the guide by hanging back from the group to take photos, I usually leave with a little bit more geological knowledge than I had before – not forgetting a great sense of gratitude that I have never had to put up with such working conditions.

A general view of Temple Mine

At Temple Mine, which was mined for lead and fluorspar like other show caverns at the Heights of Abraham nearby, the Carboniferous limestone seen underground has a distinctly yellow/brown tinge, unlike nearly every other outcrop of limestone I had encountered when surveying the Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) in the Peak District National Park 20 years previously, which usually occurs as various shades of grey.

Various drills

Although there was simply no opportunity to examine it closely, and I didn't think to retrieve a small specimen, I assume that this is the product of the original limestone being dolomitised – based on the colour of the dolomitic limestones that I have seen in South Yorkshire.

A general view of weathered basalt and overlying clay

The particular highlight for me, which I am sure that I wouldn't have noticed without it being pointed out by the guide was the occurrence of a sticky yellow/brown bentonite rich clay, which is the product of the weathering of a layer of the Lower Matlock Lava Member, which is interbedded with the limestone here in the mine.

The guide highlights an example of  bentonite rich clay

Where this formation occurs in the region around Matlock Bath and Bonsall Moor, the basalt - and the overlying tuff which is often associated with it - is weathered down to this clay in varying degrees and, although I wasn't able to inspect this example very closely, its origin as a lava flow can often be determined by the presence of amygdales.

Basalt overlain by bentonite rich clay