March 2023 Snow
The village of Holymoorside awoke to its heaviest snowfall in five years on 10 March 2023. I was making my way home from university that morning and was regularly checking updates on the village's Past and Present Facebook group for information and photos of the snowy scenes, whilst the train I was on whizzed through the white blanketed Yorkshire countryside.
Once back home, I ate my lunch, packed a rucksack full of snacks and water, wrapped up warm and headed out with my dog for a five mile walk through the fields and lanes above Holymoorside.
Many young people from the village and surrounding communities made the most of a day of school closures by heading out sledging. Here people are seen in a field near Cotton Mill Hill in the early afternoon.
The field has for many years been a popular sledging spot in the village, due to it being a short walk from the centre of the village and its north facing slopes ensuring there is ample snow cover, even when the sun is shining.
By the time I set out for my walk, much of the snow that had been covering the trees that morning had sadly melted away. Despite this, much of the ground snow remained, and there were still plenty of opportunities for photographs of the picturesque landscapes.
This was taken in the fields off Pocknedge Lane as I made my way through towards Woodhead Farm and Chander Hill Lane.
Left: The early spring sun peeking through a tree near Woodhead Farm.
Right:
An undisturbed snow field near Chander Hill
The last field before Chander Hill Lane is home to many magnificent trees that look to be at least two hundred years old. Their twigs also cast impressive shadows on the canvas of snow.
My dog certainly loved the woods. He was busy rolling and diving in the snow and weaving his way through the multitude of trees and branches which had fallen due to the high winds the previous night, blocking the path.
At times, Birkenshaw Wood felt very much like Narnia, as, unlike down in the village, there was still plenty of snow covering the leaves and branches which enclosed the path in a tunnel of green and white.
Despite it being early March, the countryside had a very festive feeling to it, with smoke billowing from the chimneys of the farmhouses that dotted the frozen landscape. These red holly berries dusted with snow in Birkenshaw Wood certainly added to the atmosphere.
It was near Back Wood where the snow suddenly increased in depth to about one foot, and my dog had to begin bounding like a wallaby to make his way through the fields!
He absolutely loved eating the snow and chasing after snowballs!
The snow continued to get deeper and crisper as we made our way up towards Besom Farm, following a snack whilst admiring the view towards Ladywood.
The ascent to Besom Farm was rewarded with a stunning view over Chesterfield and far beyond. It was noticeably colder up here than it was down in the village and it was not long before I carried on walking, not wanting to get any colder. I was also conscious of the fact that only two hours of daylight were remaining and I still had a lot of ground to cover.
Had it not have been for a snowplough which had been along Besom Lane, the hamlet of Upper Loads would have been entirely cut off by the drifts which reached as high as the dry stone walls in places.
It was incredibly peaceful up here, with no wind and no other people about. Only the sound of the distant A619 was discernable and even that was very quiet, having few vehicles traversing the Pennines and the snow dampening most of the sound.
I had to wear sunglasses for most of the walk, as the sunlight's reflection off the snow was blindingly bright, especially now I was heading out towards the moors, with the shade of the woods long since behind us.
It is scenes like these which I imagine to be virtually unchanged for many decades, save for perhaps the telephone wire, with the ruined buildings and trees having many stories to tell.
A few fields away from Claypit Lane were some very hardy horses munching on some hay.
In the background, residential streets of Dronfield can be seen, beyond which stand the Herdings Twin Towers near Norton, over nine miles away from where I was standing.
I have often wondered what it must be like living in those towers. I bet the views are amazing.
After more than two hours of walking through deep snow and spending a lot of time taking photos and taking in the scenery, I had reached Syda Lane. It appeared to have been partially plowed but soon became quite treacherous and impassible to all but the sturdiest of 4x4s.
The snow drifts along Syda Lane had the appearance of cliffs and peaks from certain angles. Whilst I was walking along the snow covered road, a couple of brave 4x4 drivers made their way cautiously along the lane.
Left: My dog enjoying the snow drifts on Syda Lane
Right: Looking out over the Eastern Moors towards the Rodknoll Transmitting Station
I had chosen this particular route to walk having seen photos of the snow drifts by the Longside Road/Syda Lane junction earlier that day. It was without a doubt the heaviest snowfall I had ever seen locally. After slipping over a few times on the icy final stretch of Syda Lane, I was rewarded with a brilliant view of the sun hanging low in the sky over the bleak and inhospitable environment of Beeley Moor.
The road down towards Hipper Sick and the S-bends, or "murder corner" as it is locally known appeared all but impassible, being covered in thick snow and ice which glistened with the light of the setting sun.
At the junction were three people who had come sledging, only to find the snow was too deep! Apart from them and two other dog walkers, the area was completely deserted, with even the sound of traffic from the A619 having completely died away.
Looking over towards Harewood Moor and Gladwin's Mark, the full extent of the snowfall and drifts can be seen, which are practically covering the gateway and stone wall.
I had originally planned to continue my walk along the bridleway to Harewood Road, but it was already 5pm and there sadly wasn't enough time before it got dark.
It felt strange walking in the middle of the road, not having to worry about traffic racing down. Instead, the only vehicles that passed me were a 4x4 and a smaller car near Well Lane. When I looked back up the road, I could see the car had become stuck about half a mile back up from where I was, with the driver trying to get the car free from the snowy ground.
My dog was busy watching the group attempting to sledge down Longside Road when I took the photo of him, with the last light of the sun shining on his face.
Once the sun had dropped behind the hill it silhouetted the trees and the air soon became very cold.
Farms and smallholdings in the Upper Loads area, viewed from Longside Road.
The wavering tyre tracks can be seen looking back up the icy Loads Road.
The fiery sky with the snow and shadows seemed like something out of a Farquharson winter painting.
More agricultural scenery near Nether Loads, with the lovely smell of woodsmoke drifting up through the air from the cottages and farmhouses.
Heading back into the cosiness of the village, I passed the snowy Wasp Nest cottages, where people were out gritting the paths and clearing the snow from the pavements.
As darkness drew nearer, I was glad to down off the wild moorland lanes.
Wasp Nest cottages are seen at the crossroads of Loads Road with Gallery Lane and Chander Hill Lane, with the Old Star in the background as the road curves towards Nether Loads.
The snow had melted throughout the day in the village, but there was still plenty of it covering the rooftops of the lovely Lamb Inn, which looked to be a great haven from the cold with its roaring open fires.
The temperature was due to drop to -12C that evening, and with the temperature already plummeting, there was hardly anyone to be seen out walking in the centre of the village.
Left: Holymoor Road alongside Hipper Hall.
Right: A snowman had taken up residence in a driveway near Pinfold Close.