Bakewell, Over Haddon, Elton, Bonsall, and Matlock Bath

I was following a squirrel for nearly a minute this morning as I was walking through the town centre to get to the railway station. 

After travelling by train and bus I reached Bakewell and made my way up to Over Haddon, going by the riverside and then the recreation ground.

I used the antibacterial handwash at the public toilets in Over Haddon but then struggled to use my camera because of my greasy fingers - I nearly dropped it twice and so I wiped my hands on my hankie and then on some damp grass.

I went down into Lathkill Dale and then climbed up the zigzagging path at the other side, going across the fields and heading over to the road, just west of Youlgreave. There were some nice views and plenty of wildflowers in the meadows.

There was a short stretch along the road before I descended into Bradford Dale and then gradually gained height as I entered open limestone country again, making my way across to Elton.

I waked through the village and then picked up the Limestone Way, bypassing Winster to the west and south. I split off from the Limestone Way because I wanted to take a different route across Bonsall Moor; this didn't go according to plan though because beyond the first stile I encountered I couldn't find my way out of a field - I was concentrating more on the several dozen cows than looking for the next stile or gate though. I needed to return to the road; fortunately I didn't waste much time or effort though.

After a bit more than a mile I re-joined my originally planned route into Bonsall.

Each time I walk from Bonsall to Matlock Bath I've taken a different route and without intending to do so I did again today, enjoying some views of the river and the promenade from different angles whilst being high up on the hillside.

As I was coming back on the train from Sheffield the guard had a difficult situation to deal with. The train consisted of eight carriages but the platforms at Meadowhall are only long enough for six, we were delayed for quite a few minutes because a couple tried to move up through the carriages because the doors were locked on the rear two carriages. They were frantically struggling to lift a large and heavy double pushchair high in the air over the seats and the heads of sitting passengers as well as having to cope with the two toddlers and several large bags. I think another passenger was helping them, the guard wasn't, but he had other duties to do.