The Bride Stones circle is about 9m in diameter, the tallest stone standing is just under 1.5m. There are 13 stones still standing in the inner kerb, 10 of them together in the south eastern part. For a change for this part of the moors, the route doesn’t start from the Chop Gate Village Hall, this time parking is by the side of the road in this layby on the B1257 as I thought I’d try another route up to the top.
Heading uphill along a track and through farmland, woodland and an easy path through bracken. To the Bride Stones and the cairn previously visited in the Chop Gate to Nab End tour. The route back following the same path in reverse.
Parking by side of the road in a layby, leaving Tiggy on her own. I’ve passed by here quite a few times and there are often other cars here.
From the side of the road near the layby, looking north is the hill in the distance this route is to take us up to.
Head along long the side of the road north for around 100m to this junction where a gravel track leads up to Hill End Farm, this is where we are heading.
Follow the track uphill for half a mile.
A closer view of the hill we will be heading to with Hill End Farm in the foreground.
As I approached the farm there were a few signs asking to disinfect your footwear before heading further. To lessen the risk even more of me spreading anything I avoided the farm altogether and took a path to the right of the farm buildings which led to this barely noticeable stile heading into a small wooded area.
The path through the woods is short but steep.
On the other side of the woods and through a couple of grassy fields.
At this signpost head a little to the right following the dip in the ground on the right of this pic.
This leads you to a short, fairly straight path through some woods.
After clearing the woods its then a grassy path through some bracken – easier than other paths through bracken I’ve had to use thankfully.
It is a steep path through the bracken as you head up Nab End, take a break and checkout the view over to Bilsdale Moor. The hillside in the distance was part of the Chop Gate to Bilsdale Tour.
A little further uphill and the bracken clears and it’s back to grassy paths and moorland. At this point the Cairn just above the Bride Stones is visible at the top of the hill.
Follow the track uphill for a closer look at the Bride Stones.
One quick look at the cairn visited on an earlier tour (Chop Gate to Nab End Moor).
This was the view from the very top, looking back down the valley. The Bride Stones are just out of view below the cairn.
A look in the opposte direction at the track which takes you over Nab End Moor back to the tracks covered in other Chop Gate treks.
With the Bride Stones visited it was just a case of retracing my steps back the way I came, this time downhill!
