A few months ago, we though we would take a wander over Axe Edge Moor near Buxton. The weather was a bit grey but that didn't stop us. However when taking a wander in any new area sometimes things don't go to plan. Not every route we follow makes it to the website, sometimes for good reason!
The walk
We set off from the edge of Buxton with the intent to circle south around to Axe Edge Moor. We'd never been, the elevation looked good enough to be interesting and it was worth a walk.
We didn't expect to walk through an HSE test range.
Now before you ask there was no trespassing. These are all public footpaths and when the test range isn't live you too can walk right through the grounds. Just make sure you follow instructions when the sirens start.
So not a great start. But we figured once we got to the moor there would be something perhaps slightly more visually interesting that would qualify it to feature on this site.
We were wrong about that too.
Funnily enough as the name suggests the moor is shaped like an axe edge, and a moor. That means it is flat, fairly featureless and covered in scrub and heather. Great for bird watching but awful when a gale picks up (as it did). So all in all, we scrapped the route and a Sunday was 'lost'. Not every route makes it onto Northern Stroll, and this is one we won't be repeating.
P.S. We do rely a lot on either knowledge from childhood, topographical maps or Ordnance Survey guides to decide where we walk and what we cover. If you have a favourite walk, please let us know by getting in touch and we'll prioritise the route.
Team Northern Stroll