Alport Hut

Alport Hut is owned by 16th Sheffield (Westbourne) Scout Group. Any correspondence relating to the hut should be directed to them.

This page is all about the Alport Hut. This is a small refuge in the River Alport valley near Kinder Scout, Derbyshire. It has been a particularly special place for Breadsall scouts and Rubicon V.S.U. for many years.

I was introduced to the Alport hut by my scout leader, Sid Vallans from 1977. He had camped there when he was in scouts. His ashes are now in the Alport Valley.

Sunday 20th September 2012 - 50th Birthday trip

Thierry and Heather are round here for 8:30am, we transfer stuff to Annette's car and I drive, park near to the start of the path. Start walking at 10:20. The hut is unchanged from three years ago. The river is higher than for many years. We stay on the right hand side for quite a while before we can cross. A couple of people are camping by the river. The four Inn's memorial has been built up since last time. Progress is slow but steady, after a little debate we decide to stay by the river. Shortly after that I twist my left ankle quite badly. Me and Thierry scale the first waterfall on the left hand side as usual. We find a “50 Birthday” helium balloon tangled in some grass us we approach Grains in the Water. At the top for 2:45, the lack of a bottle opener only causes a small delay in opening the wine. Very good picnic lunch. Leave at 4pm. Walk along the top edge of the valley. Views of Loose hill in shadow as we walk down the valley. Decide not to go down past the castles because the valley is in shadow. Walk on some very good paving slabs. Come down from the top a bit too early. Walk down past Gillott Hey National Trust place. Not very nice walking back along the road. Back to the car just before 8pm. Contemplate going to the Barrel Inn to watch the sunset but I cannot think of the best way to go. Call in at the Millstone on the way back for a tick.

Sunday 20th September 2009 - Birthday trip

Decide at late notice to walk up the Alport valley. Start walking at noon. Take a couple of pictures of the Four Inns memorial. See a bloke naked part way up from the straight after the memorial. Have dinner by the disused Sheepfold. I have a skinny dip whilst we have our dinner stop. Grains in the water at 15:40. Try to head back along the top, but go along the middle track. Have to do some fence climbing and detour because of Forest work. Have a quick look at the hut, no change from last year. Back to the car for 19:30. Go for one at the Poachers Arms in Hope. They have no beer but the landlord asks where we have been etc. Someone else knows the man that we saw, he is called Ray. Have another one in the Woodroffe.

Sunday 5th August 2007 - Birthday trip

Set off from Annette's at about 9am. Pick up Rachael and drop them at Belper Morrison's to get sandwiches. I go to mine to get boots, etc. Meet Brian and Trisha at the Heather Mead car park. Start walking at about 11:30, two hours ahead of last year. Call by at the hut for a sandwich, no change to last year. I swim in the river a couple of times. Get to the top for 5pm. Enjoy the food and wine. Head across to the Snake, go a little too far north and end up walking close to the road. Drop down steeply to the access point at Birchen Clough and then walk down the road to the Snake, it is shut !! we cannot believe it. We have to walk on down to the car and then drive to the Yorkshire Bridge. Stay for a couple. Back for 11:30pm.

Saturday 5th August 2006 - Birthday trip up the valley with Annette and Rachael

Pick up Rachael at about 10am. On the way to Belper Morrison's for the sandwiches Annette realises that she has left her boots at Chad and her rucksack in Kilburn. I leave them pair to buy some food and I drive a circuit, it takes an hour. Drive up to the Alport valley, park just up from Hayridge farm. Start walking at 1:30pm. The river is a little lower than last year. Have a little paddle and coffee after about two hours. I have a dip in the waterfall. Get to grains in the water for about 4:30, have an hour there, enjoy the wine and beef and onion sandwiches, same as last year. Walk over the top towards the Snake Inn, Annette struggles with some of the peat bogs. The girls begin to lose faith when we have to walk round a load of trees behind the Snake Inn, get there for about 7:30pm. Here is the route followed. Have a pint there then I go back for the car. Call in for one in the Black Sheep in Crich on the way back.

Monday 29th August 2005 - Birthday trip

Meet at Brian's at a little after 10.30am. Previously David had cycled from Rolleston to Breadsall, picked up the car and driven back. Me and Annette go to Belper, Morrison's to get sandwiches, etc. Convoy up to Alport, with David and Debbie, Brian and Trisha. A few delays due to the traffic. Park about ½ a mile after the farm in a lay-by. Debbie feels ill and they go back. We set off from the cars at 1.30pm, heavy drizzle. At the hut for 2.30pm, the kitchen is almost usable, still no fire. The weather really clears up and is bright blue sky. We start doing a few river crossing and they are quite tricky due to the river being a little higher than normal. We are moved by the grave to the three scouts. After a while we give up crossing the river and walk up the valley side. Get to the top for 5.45pm. Have a bottle of wine and stay till 6.30pm. Walk along the top and round the back of the castle. I run from the hamlet to the cars and drive back. We arrive at the cars for 9.30pm. A very tiring day.

Sunday 3rd August 2003 - Birthday trip up the valley.

Me, Annette and Thomas go. Leave the car at 1.20pm. Very hot day, do lots of swimming in the various pools. The deepest pool is over 8 feet deep. Get to the top after fours of travelling. Have an excellent picnic at the top. Leave at about 7pm to come back down. Walk down through lots of bracken to get to the hut, there has been no progress since last year, it is very over grown.

Sunday 4th August 2002 - 40th Birthday trip up the valley.

After endless different plans and ideas for my 40th birthday over the previous year the plan finalises in the week before the occasion :- a small scale expedition to the head of the Alport valley with Anna and Clive.

Go round to Anna's for 9am. She has been ill all through the night. I get a fantastic toolbox and loads of screwdrivers and spanners from Anna and Clive. We watch the women's triathlon and then just me and Clive head up to Alport. Arrive at about 11.30. We walk up to the hut, they have put a roof over the kitchen.
Enjoy walking up the valley. Very hot on the walk up, jump into a couple of rock pools on the way up. A little surprised when I jump from 10 feet up into a particularly dark one to find that it is only 4 feet deep. It turns dark at about 2pm and pours with rain, we get soaked. Fortunately it is dry by the time that we get to 'Grains in the Water' at 3.30pm. Enjoy the Barry Fitch leftovers from Tim S's World tour home coming party the previous night. Name the walk the 'Chicken Run' since we have eaten some much chicken. Walk down the side of the valley. Back to Anna's house. Order a large pizza and have lots of red wine.

Decide to make the event an annual pilgrimage to the Alport valley.

The future of the Alport valley - The Alport Project

August 23rd to 26th 1996, Last Venture Trip ?? . Me, Helen, Matt S, Ste H, Adjy and Sarah, Chinney, William, Katherine H, Tim F, Paul F, Frances M, Kate M.

Friday 23rd - Up to the Scout hut for 6pm. Me, Helen, Matt and Ste in my car. Adjy takes his. Carry everything up to the hut in one journey. Leave immediately to go to the Snake Inn, fill up a water container with 20 pints of Tetley. Back to the hut for 11pm. I cook egg banjos for supper. Have a good fire. Play 'Hello Harry, my name is Harry'. Lots of rain coming through the kitchen roof. We all sleep in the bedroom. Ste stays up to watch the sunrise.

Saturday 24th - Sunshine and showers all day. Drive over to Castleton in the afternoon, wander round the trinket shops. Rush back to the hut, expecting Chinney to turn up at 5pm. Spag bol for tea. Chinney, William, Katherine H, Tim F all turn up at 9pm. Take two cars and rush over to the Ladybower Inn. Get 20 pints of John Smiths. The new arrivals are really buzzing. Chinney has 24 bottles of Stella. Bed at 4am. Force Chinney to sleep on the floor.

Sunday 25th - Showers all day. Adjy and Sarah go early. Doss around the hut and then go to Glossop in the afternoon. Call in at the off-license. Back to the hut for a very good tea of chops, new potatoes, peas and sweet corn. We run out of gas. Paul, Fran and Kate M turn up at 9pm. Have a very good fire, the hut becomes like a sauna, sends all the milk sour. Matt starts playing his guitar. William and Play sing some fantastic blues, a great night. Bed for 4am.

Monday 26th - Not get out of bed till 2pm, no gas so sandwiches for breakfast. Some disagreement about who should do the washing-up. Paul, Fran and Kate go back. The original four of us are left. Do a lot of tidying up. Go in the Snake Inn for a last pint, home for 8pm.

November 1995, Venture Trip. Me, Helen, Ste H.

Me and Helen at Alport.

Helen S and Ste H sitting on top of the Alport Castle in November 1995.

This is the shove used to heat the hut. This shows what an evening of dedicated fire raising and a whole bag of coal can produce in the hands of a master.

This is the 'Fire Starter' himself, Ste H.

April 1st to 4th 1994 Last Scout Trip. Me, Paul A, Nick H, Phil D, Tom D, Tim S, Jo M, Dominic J.

Friday 1st - Pick up Belper van, round to the hut for 5.30pm, packed and away by 7. None of these scouts have been there before. Take all the stuff over the bridge, takes three long journeys, the last one in the dark with heavy hail. They like the hut but are all cold and wet. They talk till at least 2am.

Saturday 2nd - They are up and about at 6am. Walk up the opposite side of the valley. Heavy hail alternates with sunshine. Walk up the valley after lunch, cross the river many times. Show them the Four Inns memorial. Pork chops for tea. We all go down in the van to the Yorkshire Bridge so that they can phone home. Get them to bed for 11pm.

Sunday 3rd - Play cards in the afternoon, wet and overcast. Ben and Jeremy Gillat turn up at 7pm with their dad, stay for the evening. Very windy at night.

Monday 4th - One inch of snow in the morning. Have a fire in the morning and burn all the rubbish. The van is stuck in the mud. William and Kate turn up just as we are leaving. Back to Breadsall for 4.30pm, I spend till 7pm clearing and putting away the gear.

Christmas 1993, Me, William B, Rich M, Chinney and Ann-Marie G.

Friday 24th - Start packing at 10am. I go and deliver our last 'Stamp and Deliver' cards. On the way by 11.30am. Fish and chips in Darley Dale. Unload all the stuff and carry over the river, loads of food. Clear blue skies. Down to the Yorkshire Bridge, AMG turns up at 10pm. Fill up a water container and back to the hut. Play three card brag for nails.

Saturday 25th - Wake up at 9.30am to a nice covering of snow. Go sledging on plastic bags on the slops behind the hut, feel like we have the whole valley to ourselves. Gentle snow all morning. Chinney tries to build an igloo. Chinney and Rich have a rather serious game of chess on Christmas day morning.
We have bread triangles with various dips to start the meal. Turkey, carved with a penknife, brussels, carrots, cauliflower, boiled and fried potatoes, and gravy.
Play Monopoly after dinner, I end up 9 and a half grand ahead. I could not resist taking a picture of the winning board since all the property and money was mine.

Sunday 26th - Good fry up for breakfast. Down to the Snake for 12.30 to meet Chinney's family. Tell them all our stories over a few drinks. Back to the hut for more sledging. Turkey curry and then apple pie and cream for tea. They all go to bed for 8.30pm. William gets up at 10pm and his eye is very red, decide that he should go home. Drive him back, I am a little concerned since my starter motor has ceased up. I get back to the hut for 1.45am, Chinney cannot believe that William is no longer there.

Monday 27th - Lots of problems starting the car in the morning. Take AMG to the Yorkshire Bridge for 2.15pm. The rest of us wander back on the late afternoon.

November 20th 1993, Hut repair Trip. Me, William and Big Rich.

Go up to the hut to help with some repair. Meet Dave Middleton and the Sheffield crowd. Build a new veranda and a put a load more bitumen on the roof.

February 26th to 28th 1993, Venture Trip. Me, Adjy, Big Rich, Chinney, Michael B, William, Paul F, Frances M, Michelle B, Jo P.

Friday 26th - Pick up Belper van at 6pm, the battery is completely flat, takes 20 minutes to charge it from my car. Put food in and then pick up Adjy. Leave the hut at 8pm, flat tyre on the way up. dump the gear at the farm, Me and Adjy leave the others to take the stuff up to the hut. We rush off to fill a water container at the Snake Inn, excellent Bass. I act as bar maid 'Daisy' and serve out the beer. Drink till 3am.

Saturday 27th - Liz W and Mr. Pither turn up at 9am with Jo P. Cook breakfast and wash up. Walk up the Snake pass and then over the top to the Nags Head, snowing, stay till 4.30pm. Snow storm on the way back over Edale End. Spag bol for tea. Most of them go to bed. Extremely cold and clear night. Stay in and share one can of pedigree.

Sunday 28th - Good breakfast, leave at 2.30pm, call in at the Snake Inn on the way home.

July 3rd 1992, Venture Trip. Me, Adjy, Chinney, Tat, Wilko, Big Rich, Johnny H, PK, Paul Tattershaw, Mike B, Edna, Ann-Marie, Frances M, Jo P, Michelle B, Emma H, Emily H.

Friday 3rd - Get to the hut for 6.30pm, pack and leave by 7.30pm. Pick up some paraffin and coal on the way. Call in at the Yorkshire Bridge to fill up a water container. Johnny H is brought up my his parents and Lotty at 11pm. Everyone crams into the kitchen and I play at Daisy the barmaid. Wilko sleeps on the front lawn.

Saturday 4th - Wilko wakes us up at 5am, he gives Tat a cup of tea. I get up at 7.30am. Slight rain all day. Drive down to Castleton, Bull's Head for pool, move onto the George, the Travellers Rest, Ladybower Inn. Back for spag bol for tea. Nip down to the Yorkshire Bridge with the girls and Adjy for more supplies. Johnny H does a good Rubicon on the wall.

Sunday 5th - Get up for 7.30am late breakfast. Edna goes for a walk with Emma, Emily and Wilko go to the top of the tower. Michelle and Jo play at Army in the bracken. Lots of people arrive at the Hamlet for a 'Love Feast'.
After a much debated death cut Michelle and Emily do the deed while we all watch. Leave at 3.30pm, call in at Hathersage for a while, home via Crich.

May 23rd 1992, Scout Trip. Me, Flod, Richard B, Robert M, Matt S, Ian G, Steve M, Tim F.

Saturday 23rd - Meet at 9.30am, pack the gear into my car. Robert, Ian and Beav travel up with me. Drop them off at the Yorkshire Bridge, they walk up from there. My Orion breaks down on the track on to the hut, phone the RAC, After they have a lot of difficulty finding it and a lot of difficulty moving it they take it away to Glossop. The three scouts turn up for 4pm. We have to carry all the gear half way along the track, done by 7.30. Fish, peas and potatoes for tea. Flod comes up for 9pm with the other three scouts. Play cards, Matt is cheeky and Tim breaks the tilley.

Sunday 24th - Matt starts talking at 5.30am, I shout at him. They get up at 7.30am, cook breakfast. Flod takes the new three down to the Yorkshire Bridge to walk back. We walk up the valley and swim in the river. Burgers for tea, have a fire outside.

Monday 25th - Walk up the opposite hill and then down the hidden valley again. Have dinner in the hut and then walk up the valley. Swim in every pool on the way. Very hot. Find an eight foot deep pool, jump in from ten feet up the bank. Walk up to the waterfalls. Jokes about beached whales. Back to the hut for stew. Have a good fire. I take Ian G down to the Yorkshire Bridge to be picked up my his parents. I fill up a water container.

Tuesday 26th - Drive to Glossop to get my car. Flod goes back with Tim and Steve, his mother needs the car for work. We walk up to the castles and then along the top and then down to the deepest pool again. Lots of jumping in. Walk back, the toilet has blown over. Pack up and go home, back for 8pm.

April 3rd 1992, Venture Trip. Me, Adjy, Chinney, Tats, Wilko, Funky, Ann-Marie, Jo P.

Friday 3rd - Get Belper van and go down to the hut for 6.40pm. Call in at the Yorkshire Bridge, fill up a water container. Lots of singing till 2.30am. Me and Funky sleep on the kitchen roof, very heavy frost.

Saturday 4th - Chinney gets everyone up at 7.30am. Cook breakfast and start at 10.30 to walk over Kinder to Edale. Large billie of stew for tea.

Sunday 5th - Get up for 9am. Me, Jo and Paul walk up to the top of the Castles. Home for 6pm.

March 22nd to 24th 1991, Venture Trip. Me, Adjy, PK, Anna, Lisa W, Tony Y, Matt G, Johnny D.

Friday 22nd - After scouts I drive to the Yorkshire Bridge. Meet all the others there. PK has a meeting with a tree on the way up the track in his van.

Saturday 23rd - Lisa starts waking people up at 6am. I walk over Kinder to Edale and back over Edale End. PK goes off to fetch Matt G and Tony Y. Go to the Yorkshire Bridge, Anna drives PK's van. Quince calls in for a while, he is camping in Edale. PK and Johnny sleep on the roof. Have some of Adjy's home brew later.

Sunday 24th - Drive down to the Cheshire Cheese for lunch. wait over an hour for the food to arrive. A bit of Rally driving on the way home.

This is me and Adjy returning to hut after going to the Snake Inn to fetch 24 pints of finest Bass Ale. Picture courtesy of Lisa W.