It's an area of ancient landslip, a process which started many years before our time.

The rolling, hummocky terrain is the giveaway characteristic and the slippage is so significant in the Starkholmes area that the highway has moved in one or two places.

The evolution started 10,000 years ago, just after the Ice Age. At this point the landscape would have been bare with no vegetation. The ground would have been frozen and any rain would have merely run over the ground.

The landscape would have been quite unstable because of this dynamic activity.

In modern times a similar action has been taking place as man sparks off a catalyst with property and highway developments.

Just one example of modern life mimicking the lands' natural progression.

Gravel path to the gate into the woods

Peer onto the hill and you'll spot lots of pretty houses nestled in the hillside, many of these are holiday cottages. Unfortunately for the owners' it's a fact that these houses will be moving, albeit very slowly, down the hill.

The slippage isn't too bad in this area and shouldn't be a great concern to home and landowners but in places like nearby Castleton the landslip has been more assertive actually resulting in the closure of a road.

At the top of the hill you'll come out into a cluster of cottages and a series of windy roads. Stick to the main thoroughfare and look for a wooden signpost leading you leftwards and towards a latch gate which takes you into the woods.