Flash

Flash is the highest village in England, or at least the highest post office (and the highest pub). It's near a place I've been wanting to see, the old packhorse bridge at Three Shires Meet: that's where Cheshire, Derbyshire and Stafforshire come together. Back up a valley near Flash (at what passes for a high altitude in this area), it was reputed to be an old-time hang-out for smugglers, for here they could easily slip into another county if the constable showed up.

We spent most of the morning cleaning the cottage and packing up, but then after lunch jumped in Aprille's Land Rover and went over to Flash. We parked in the village and set out on the footpath up to Wolf Edge. We were trekking through the heather uplands finally. On the way down the far side the boys spooked some red grouse. We walked through the farms at Knotbury (one cottage had duck eggs out for sale: leave a pound and take a half dozen eggs)., and down the old packhorse route to Three Shires Meet.

It was a magical place: the rock was all pink sandstone, and the first pines we'd seen were growing there: it felt like Colorado. It would be a great place to stay at all day. Will threw a rock in the Pannier's Pool below the bridge, and a ring ouzel flew out. Galen had his picture taken in each of the three shires.

We returned to Flash by going south around Turn Edge, and ascending through fields. In one field there were alpaca, who looked like something out of Dr. Seuss: giant clean sheep with long legs. The final ascent to Flash was steep, and we earned our dinner.

Aprille made us a special treat: Aga-cooked Baked Alaska! Wow.