Peak District - Lost Farmstead - Elmin Pitts Farm & Lost Villages of Derwent & Ashopton

I’m still new to this hiking lark but have deffo got the bug. As you may see I’m, also new to filming and have a lot more to learn. Hoped to get in front of the camera more too in this video but was drowned out by the wind and must get a muff as well as a new tripod as I slipped and broke a leg off. Ouch!.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of the peak district but one of my favourites must be the Upper Derwent – steeped with history from the last ice age to the present. But in that 10,000 years, the biggest impact on the Upper Derwent happened in just 45 years or so from the building of the Howden, Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs to meet the needs of the thirsty millions in the surrounding cities. Whist growing cities of the early part of the century saw the great rural areas as being a supplier of resources, at the same time, there was a great interest of the ‘workers’ to get the freedom to roam the countryside to get away from the factories and the smoke.

Following the building of the Howden and Derwent, completed in 1912 & 1916 life would have been slowly returning to normal but the shock news came in 1935 for the villages of Ashopton and Derwent that their villages were to be submerged and lost forever as the final reservoir was to be built.

Flooding completed in 1946 but several farmsteads that once worked the sleepy valleys were submerged or simply made their pastures cut off and impossible to work.

One such Farmstead, Elmin Pitts Farmstead, now in the forest woodlands, has some of its stoneworks dating back to the 1740s still in place but alas much of it is tumbling from the falling trees. But an idyllic setting with moss clad dry stone walls- now amongst the pine trees. Maybe this would be a first wild camp location for me but I am sure a creepy place at night and not so enchanted.

Seen in the video is Hope Cross, located just above this farmstead, which stands on a former Roman road on the crossroads of an important packhorse route. The 7 feet high post with a square capstone bearing the names of Edale, Glossop, Hope and Sheffield on its faces dates back to 1737. Most likely there would have been across here before this one.

Other farmsteads lost were Bellhag Farm, Bridge End Farm, Cockbridge Farm, Fairholmes Farm, Grainfoot Farm, Haglee Farm, Wellhead Farm & Wood’s Farm.

In this hike, I take in Win Hill and Crook Hill and definitely recommend that walk to get a great Derwent & Ladybower experience.

Some links for you

My blog on the lost villages http://goo.gl/U4XNKH

My Music Creations using MPC



In this video, I use my latest track WelcomePeakz. Has some sounds of the Peak District - eg cows, sheep, thunder & rain! maybe a bit hip-hoppy not sure. Played with a voice generator for "more specifically" and “Welcome to the Glorious Peak District" while the 10cc style whisper is voiced by non-other than the real Amanda and which of course is coined by #TheGloriousPeakDistrict Oracle Dean Read    / deanread  

Thanks for watching and reading. Do subscribe and feel free to comment.

Reading?

There are some great books available on the history of the upper Derwent and I would certainly recommend Dr Bill Bevan. Bill’s own books on the Ancient Peakland are superb. Bill is an Archaeologist, writer, photographer and DJ (Unity Dub). https://goo.gl/AiGjLE

Also, I recommend the most excellent book Silent Valley by Vic Hallam. https://goo.gl/aEAmVq

In this ATV clip, the late Gwyn Richards interviews former residents of Derwent and Ashopton villages in Derbyshire which were flooded during the construction of Ladybower Reservoir in the 40’s. The B&W footage & commentary by Gwyn Richards is in true spirit of the mood of the day, although filmed in 1966. https://www.macearchive.org/films/atv...


Filmed with an Rx100, GoPro & Samsung S6
For maps, I used Garmin BaseCamp

Out of breath sound effects are real!

Tags: Elmin Pits Farm Elmin Pitts Farmstead Elman Pit Ladybower Derwent Ashopton Submerged Villages Derbyshire