Castleton

Just a short visit to Castleton today with my friend Justin; we needed to be back early because he is the full-time carer for his mum and he had to be back home before his mum returns from the daycare centre.

Justin wanted to visit the castle, but because of his limp he wouldn't have been able to make the climb.

Monday is possibly the worst day of the week to visit Castleton; several of the shops were closed after opening yesterday...and of course it's market day at Bakewell.

Nevertheless Justin enjoyed looking around the craft shops and I took a few photographs in various parts of the village.

We then went to a pub for lunch. We both immediately decided to have game pie but were rather disappointed with what was served up; there were no roast vegetables, just chips and mushy peas, and the meat in the pies was rather bland and tough to chew.

We stayed in the pub until the bus was due. The timetable has recently been modified, and at the time we travelled the 272 took a much longer route, taking in Bamford village and a circuitous route around Sheffield that went everywhere except the railway station. As we got off the bus at the bus station I told the driver that I wasn't impressed with the new route. He did not reply to my comment.

Castleton, Hollins Cross, The Great Ridge and Mam Tor

I originally hadn't intended going walking today: I'm glad I did though because the weather turned out to be very nice.

Yesterday, today's weather forecast wasn't very promising; but when I checked online this morning it said a band of rain followed by sunny periods coming from the west - so I decided to go to Castleton; as far west as the 272 bus goes.

It was raining when I reached Sheffield, but was already dry by the time I'd got off the bus at my journey's end...and within the hour the first breaks in the cloud were observable.

I left Castleton and walked across the fields at the back of the village and then climbed up to Hollins Cross, the lowest point on the Great Ridge. I then continued westwards along the ridge to Mam Tor, then descended along footpaths which I haven't used before and took a photograph of Mam Tor from a different angle.

Finally, I walked along the road back to Castleton, enjoying good views of Winnats Pass.

Bradwell, Mam Tor and Castleton

I bought some new boots on Thursday; a real bargain at £12.99. They bedded in really well on today's walk - I could walk downhill without them rubbing my toes.

The walk started with quite a steep climb out of Bradwell, skirting the perimeter of Hope Cement Works, which is well screened and so doesn't spoil any of the views along this route. I then went along fairly level tracks and country roads to Mam Tor, the second time this year I've climbed the Mother Mountain; which is nearly 1700 ft high. I counted the steps this time - there are 243 of them, plus long stretches along a steep path to the summit, from where the views of Edale, The Hope Valley and along The Great Ridge are spectacular

I then walked along the ridge, which I notice is now being marketed as 'The Castleton Skyline Walk' to Hollins Cross and then took a rather steep path back down to the village - this really put my boots to the test.

Highlights of the day: my new boots and the weather, which was perfect for photography.