Gradbach to Three Shires Head

 Friday 13th September

The sunrise through the window was spectacular, just before 7 am.

We had breakfast and set off from Snipe Cottage soon after 9 am. The car park at Gradbach had plenty of room at this time, and we started walking just after 9.30. 

We did the route from February in reverse - this way is better, as the climbing is done more quickly and of course more steeply.

We walked back along the road for about 100 yards, before turning left, over a footbridge.

We followed the footpath by the river Dane to a minor road.

Shortly after the cottage there is a footpath to the right. It climbs steeply, through woodland

with ferns and gorse.

We reached an even more minor road shortly before Bennetsitch Farm and followed the road uphill until we reached a footpath on the left which leaves the road quite steeply, just past a farm building, and opposite Hole Edge Farm

The footpath joins a track past a small cottage. 

The sign, barely legible says “Beware of the Dog.” We saw and heard nothing.

As we climbed  higher there were great views over towards the Roaches,

and also to Shutlingsloe.

We met no one until we reached the high point on the moors. The footpath joined Knarr Lane just behind a cottage, and then our route took us over the road to the track to Three Shires Head. We paused for a coffee by this track.

We met a group of walkers and a lone mountain biker on this track. At Three Shires Head itself, there were at least a dozen people, many of them in the water.

It was quieter on the other side of the bridge.

The descent was along the stony track, then downhill over fields far less muddy that in February.

The gentle slope is far better as descent than ascent.

We arrived back at the cottage by 1pm for lunch. 

Almost 5 miles, but quite strenuous, with uneven paths, some bog, and almost 600 feet of climbing.

The cloud cover increased as the morning progressed.