Category Archives: Uncategorized

On the 19th of February 1956, Tom Tomlinson, the first full-time head warden of the newly formed Peak District National Park and Fred Heardman, the landlord of The Old Nags Head public house in Edale, organised the first training exercise of Edale Mountain Rescue Team.   In February 2026 the Team held a 70th birthdayContinue reading “Plaque to the Past”

This hot dry summer has resulted in some enormous insects out on the moors. This Giant Red Striped Whopper Whopper Moth was pestering me on Kinder yesterday. The buzz from its wings was so loud i had to tuck my ears in !!!

I wrote about this issue in January 2025 here Please read that first. It’s now ‘come home to roost’ as well as grown a few additional limbs. As i said back them i am categorically opposed to verge parking – it trashes the landscape, BUT i am equally, if not moreso, opposed to using enforcementContinue reading “Chaos Approaching …”

Quiet night …. and then a 52 seat coach turns up at 9.50pm and 52 people from Slough get out (aged between 6 and 86) to go stargazing on the first cloudy night round here since the last Ice Age. They went on a walk up to Millstone and back instead and then Colin McRaeContinue reading “Phoenix Nights”

aka Tales from the Eclipse … We received a report and a photo from a witness of a couple having a BBQ on the moor at Totley Air Shaft. As soon as we arrived, a male (aka the one in the photo) walked straight up nose to nose with me and told me he ‘didn’tContinue reading “Derek the Barbecue Denier”

Partial eclipse night in the Peak District ….

Facebook reckons the fire in the Burbage Valley was started by a barbecue. I was the fourth person there (after Isaac and two firefighters) at what i think was about 40 minutes after it was first reported to the emergency services. I stayed there for 7 hours fighting it and helping co-ordinate the response. IContinue reading “Anatomy of a Fire”

Photo 1 – Looking west – Possibly the start of the longest spell of rain in something like 10 weeks. Due to fall until lunchtimeish tomorrow. Photo 2 – Looking east – A rainbow over the city and smoke visible in several places. South Yorkshire FRS are currently dealing with fires at Wharncliffe Woods, nearContinue reading “Look Both Ways”

It is undoubtedly the case that most UK wildfires are anthropogenic.  Caused either by deliberate malice, unthinking and inappropriate activities or chance.  Naturally ignited fires are rare and hard to identify, and ignition sources such as lightning strikes, though well documented in continental Europe and North America, are hard to confirm in the UK. ReadContinue reading “Words on Fire”

One of the key themes out of ‘Skoda-gate’ has been the renewed spotlight shone on the desperate need for a sustainable income model for all Protected Landscapes including @peakdistrictnationalpark. One of the ways the National Park attempts to generate a small amount of income is by working with businesses, organisations and brands and helping themContinue reading “Getting Away With It”