Anyone go Hiking to Castleton in the fifties?

[grinder 10]

I worked down the market for Littlewoods, I was a barrow boy for about 8/9months in 1957..

Most of the "Barrow boys" I knew were 40/50, yrs old, Great bunch of blokes...

There was about half a dozen of us lads then, they were only ever work mates though ...

Edited August 24, 2010 by grinder

[terry457 10]

We must have led parallel lives - you described our "hiking" trips exactly.

We used to open the windows whilst going through Totley tunnel as we thought it better with the carriage full of smoke. Also spent time at Stoney Middleton climbing on the "windy ledge" and thought we were pro mountain climbers. Wouldn't dare go up there now though.

 

It was the start of kids doing damage going under the tunnel most of the bulbs were thrown through the window, should have said teenagers not many of us were hikers apart from hiking from hope to castleton. It was really a day out for us all loads of teds

[trastrick 866]

Four of us from Heeley (I was 8, the others were 9-11) set out to walk to Castleton one weekend (16 miles), with no gear except a blanket, 2 loaves and a couple of cans of beans. We got as far as Fox House and one guy remembered a cave, more like a hole in the ground, hidden in the bracken on the right hand side of the road going down to the Toad's Mouth so we stopped there for the night.

 

In the middle of the night all hell broke loose, a sheep had stepped with it's back leg into the hole and was frantically kicking to scramble free. All we had was candle and a dim torch, but we managed to push it out, and by then it was raining hard, so we went out in the dark and pulled up some sod clumps to put around the entrance to stop the water coming in. Finally settling back down to sleep, all was well until one of the lads yelled something and made a dash for the entrance, we soon found out what it was.

 

The sod clumps we had pulled up in the dark were teeming with ants and they were all over us.

 

There's more to the story, but you get the idea.

 

Now THAT's what us urchins from Heeley called camping!(circa 1947)

 

We went on to use that cave for a few years thereafter, and even dug it out a bit to make it more comfortable, never had another problem using it. There was even a natural fireplace outside the entrance and well placed rocks for seating.

 

Fond memories of that place. I even showed it to my kids on a visit from Canada.

 

Don't suppose any of you fancy Millet's outfitted kids remember that cave?

Edited November 9, 2012 by trastrick
spell

[gumeracha 10]

Reading some of the earlier threads of someone falling from the train whilst travelling through Totley tunnel, I remember one occurrence in the early 1950's. A group of lads used to catch the "hikers special" at Heeley and over time we got to know them, mainly through abseiling down the bluff of rock just passed the Speedwell cave on Winnats Pass. I think one of their leaders may have been called "Kirby" The first we knew about the tunnel incident was stopping at Grindleford station and railway people running around like scalded cats. Eventually people came out of the tunnel helping this poor individual who had obviously fallen out of the train. He was covered in soot and looked a proper sight, but still seemed well enough to wave to his mates and anybody else who showed interest. In the Monday night's edition of the Star it was reported that the victim had been standing with his back to the door while watching his mates play cards. The door had suddenly flown open and the unfortunate had fallen out. A few weeks later we heard that the real story was that so-and-so had being trying an outside traverse of the train from their compartment to another one three or four doors down the carriage, and unfortunately did what all climbers do from time to time, he fell off and landed in a great pile of soot beside the line. My mate and I had several years enjoyment between 1952 and 1956 catching the 9.00 or 10.00 train from Sheffield Midland visiting most parts of Peak District from Stannage to Kinder Scout, and had heaps of fun along the way. We loved camping at Stony Middleton, Stannage, just outside Hathersage and Bamford. Other places visited included the Yorkshire dales, and Lakes, Scotland (mainly around Ben Nevis). Our hiking and camping days came to an end thanks to National Service. At least the RAF did finance our transportation costs to northern Scotland when we were both stationed in southern England.

[johnpm 18]

We in Sheffield Boys Brigade used to do all our Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition training based at the Rotary camp at Castleton. Had many great weekends there from about 1960.

Also in 1961 when working at English Steel they sent me for a week to the Hollowford Training Centre (joint venture run by Sheffield Industry & Industrial Mission ) above Castleton Cricket ground. Thats the first time I ever did any climbing - Tango Crack on Stanage. We also did lots of team exercises & hiking. Hollowford was run by a guitar playing Vicar called Keith Pound - great guy who I believe ended up as Chaplain General of the Prison Service.

Also around the same time I spent a couple of years as a volunteer National Park Warden based at Edale each Sunday. Learned an awful lot about Kinder Scout through that.

They were great days & I still love hiking age 68 but now in North Yorks Moors Nat Park as I left Sheffield & went to Guisborough in 1976. Hiking isn't as popular up here though but I still go into the Peak District every time I am back in Sheffield for a few days.

[Johnsworld 10]

Can anyone remember Ron Wilkinson from their hiking days, he often spent his weekends hiking out there any staying at the hostel with his mates.

[soft ayperth 11]

That pass below Peveril Castle is called Cavedale. We used to climb up that way to the castle, risking life and limb to save paying. When you went into the keep, and climbed the stairs,there was a room with a "bum hole" in it which dropped whatever you were doing ( No.1 or No.2 ) down into the dale. Pretty smart those middle ages architects.

 

Are you sure you had to pay to see the ruins of P. Castle, buck? I seem to remember hiking from Winnat's Pass to Castleton and taking in the ruins en route. They were completely open. Or is my memory playing tricks on me?

[skippy 11]

Are you sure you had to pay to see the ruins of P. Castle, buck? I seem to remember hiking from Winnat's Pass to Castleton and taking in the ruins en route. They were completely open. Or is my memory playing tricks on me?

 

Speedwell Cavern was the only place you had to pay to see as far as I remember, and I'm talking about 1947 to 1970 ???????????????????????????

[hillsbro 32]

I don't ever remember the castle being free; an entry in my diary for 1958 indicates that the admission charge was 6d. It cost a little more (I think 9d) to visit the Blue John Caverns, and at that time there was no electric lighting - the guide had a miner's carbide lamp and every other person carried a candle in a holder, a bit like this.

.

Edited November 12, 2012 by hillsbro
Bad speling...

[soft ayperth 11]

My memory must have been playing tricks on me then, hillsboro - unless it would have been possible back then to avoid the gate by the roadside by walking across the open country parallel to but above the road from W. Pass.

[skippy 11]

My memory must have been playing tricks on me then, hillsboro - unless it would have been possible back then to avoid the gate by the roadside by walking across the open country parallel to but above the road from W. Pass.

 

Mine too, I've just looked at the castle on google, and it looks a lot different to what I thought it looked like, so it must be an age thing ?

[hillsbro 32]

My memory must have been playing tricks on me then, hillsboro - unless it would have been possible back then to avoid the gate by the roadside by walking across the open country parallel to but above the road from W. Pass.

It's certainly possible to walk from the Winnats along the hillside towards the castle, but the location of the castle was well chosen with sheer drops on two sides (to Peak Cavern on the western side and Cave Dale to the east). There is a shallower drop into a wooded gully on the south side of the keep (arrowed on this map and this photo), and a bridge over the gully was used as an entrance to the castle in medieval times (see here) but this approach was blocked long ago and so you have to enter by the path on the north side and pay up!.