Cressbrook Dale

	Starting from Wardlow Mires there is a straightforward walk down the valley to Litton Mill and the High Peak Trail along Miller's Dale. The unusual rock formation is Peter's Stone.
	This is herb rich grassland with plenty of insects and quite a few sheep. The upper part is fairly open with meadowsweet by the dry stone walls, Potentilla and a few orchids in the grass. About half way down a stream emerges from the limestone although seldom seen in the summer. Scrub takes over and the path becomes wooded: it can be very slippery underfoot, even in summer.
	There are alternative routes. One up the hill (left) gives a good overview of the dale. There is an alternative western route from the Mires going to Litton (and the excellent Red Lion) and thence to Tideswell but this involves walking along roads in part. Brown argus are present in numbers along with blues and meadow browns.
	On one patch of stinging nettles were large masses of butterfly caterpillars. A few ground beetles including a dead violet Carabus violaceus. The absence of large lines or pits on the elytron (click pic for close up) differentiates this from other violet ground beetles, especially C. problematicus.

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CREATED 20.9.2005