Surprise View, Hathersage Booths, Hathersage, The Bird Cafe, and Bamford

Another walk in the Hope Valley today, this time using a footpath I definitely haven't used before, it doesn't really go anywhere though...unless you're prepared to use the stepping stones across the River Derwent.

I caught the Castleton bus to Surprise View, the first bus stop in Derbyshire, and made my way along the top of Millstone Edge, heading northwards. The path then crosses moorland down to a minor road, which I crossed to take a path which leads down into Hathersage.

A couple of young women who were exercising their horses had roped off part of a field and blocked the footpath. It was easy enough to climb over; I was prepared for an altercation, but nothing happened.

I actually took a different path than I had originally planned, one that went down to Hathersage Booths rather than coming out at the church in the village...I did this to keep as far away from the horses as possible.

[It's not often you get to use an automatic gate opener on a public footpath, this one's on the private drive that leads to Scraperlow, a large house.]

I walked down the hill to Hathersage and then through the village until I reached the footpath I mentioned at the beginning of this report; it now crosses the railway over a footbridge which needed to be constructed since the addition of the passing loop for freight trains. 

I was expecting there to be three tracks; I could see the third one in the distance though, just beyond the next bridge.

The next path goes down to the riverbank and follows it for half a mile upstream to the stepping stones, where I had the option of turning right and re-joining the main Hope Valley road. I took this option and and then walked for a few hundred yards to the bird cafe, somewhere I'd not visited before. I was a bit disappointed with the bird cafe, there weren't a lot a cakes to choose from and they were rather expensive, and so I didn't bother and just ordered a pot of tea. I didn't really get to see any birds either, a few came up to the utilitarian bird feeder atteched to the window where my table was but they only stayed for a couple or seconds and so I couldn't photograph them.

I left the cafe and continued walking westward along the main Hope Valley road to the bus turnaround at Bamford Station where I knew there would soon be two buses to going to Sheffield by different routes.

I got off the bus at The Moor in Sheffield and went to the indoor market to get some fish and cakes, but not any fishcakes. I'm trying to get a different variety of fish every time I go there and today I bought something that the fishmonger's sign was red sea bass but when I checked its Latin name online that's not one of its names, which are beaked redfish, deepwater redfin, ocean perch, Atlantic redfish, Norway haddock, red perch, or golden redfish.

Finally, I had a bit of time to spare and so had a quick look at the Christmas market.

My Gait

Something I've noticed; my gait has changed since I've recovered from my injury when I tore a ligament whilst climbing over a stile, and then a few days later, getting tangled up in my vacuum cleaner's hose, tripping and falling down several steps at home.  

I've always had an awkward, bouncy, loping way of walking which I assumed was due to my Asperger's syndrome causing to me to be clumsy and un-coordinated, and more recently my decades of undiagnosed severe vitamin D deficiency which could have caused permanent muscoloskeletal damage.

Until a few months ago though when climbing up stairs I would always firmly plant my entire foot on each step, but now I only place the front few inches there - I've observed that this seems to be what most people do. 

So, maybe my gait has now improved or become more naturalistic, I don't know. I tried climbing steps how I used to but found out that I don't have the strength in my thigh muscles.

Bawtry Christmas Market

I travelled on the bus to Bawtry, a small local town that's about ten miles away, and met up with my friend Justin, who lives in the next village. The weather was sunny and the market was surprisingly busy.

I had something to eat before I left the house and so didn't need to buy anything, Justin bought a hotdog though...I didn't spend a penny all day.

Justin spotted a sign saying 'Free Tea and Cake' and wanted to go and get some. It was a church group which was organising the event. The people seemed pleasant enough; I ate a couple of mince pies, Justin appeared to eat an entire plate of various types of cakes. I tried to push him forward to get involved with the group or to take part in some of the activities that were happening in the building but he was being very negative as he usually is. The highlight of the day though was the chair collapsing underneath him. 

Baslow, Chatsworth Park, Chatsworth House Christmas Market, and Sheffield

This has been the walk I'd planned to do last Friday when I decided to go to Chesterfield instead because my knee was hurting me.

I caught the bus to Baslow Nether End and entered into Chatsworth Park. I climbed up to Stand Wood and did some exploring before making my way down to visit the Christmas Market at Chatsworth House.

I found some new areas to walk, in particular the Emperor Lake Woodland Walk.

The Christmas Market was much larger than it was the last time I visited it, several years ago - there was also some entertainment provided which I stopped to listen to. I didn't buy anything though; the prices were shocking, just as I expected they would be.

I was blocked twice by stewards when I was trying to get to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Sheffield. They insisted I use the correct fenced off route, which wasn't signposted and was difficult to find. To finish off my day the bus was thirty minutes late. When the bus reached Sheffield I got off in The Moor area in order to go to the market - I bought some cheap, out-of-date cakes. I passed by the Christmas Market but didn't visit it, I'd had enough and was rather tired.

Chesterfield Christmas Market and Christmas Tree Festival

I wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather and get out walking in  the Peak District today but last night my right knee started aching a bit and so I thought it would be better to visit the Christmas Market at Chesterfield.

Well, there wasn't really a Christmas market at all, and very little sign of any seasonal deecorations in the town centre apart from a large marquee, which wasn't open, so I don't know what was inside.

Inside the indoor shopping centre I took a photograph of a giant reindeer, although at the time I thought it was a rabbit...I didn't realise until I got home and looked at the photograph.

The Christmas Tree Festival inside the church was certainly the highlight of the day: it was a lovely seasonal atmosphere and there was even a pianist playing carols.

The final photo features what I always associate Chesterfield with, its rows of half-timbered black and buildings - they're not ancient though, just over a hundred years old I think.