Down in the Don Gorge - Butterbusk, Sprotbrough, and Warmsworth

I caught the bus to Butterbusk, near Conisbrough, and walked down into the Don Gorge and spent some time exploring; it can be quite difficult terrain in places; steep, slippery, uneven, overgrown paths and sheer rockfaces. I headed east towards Sprotbrough and then climbed up through the woodland and returned along the Transpennine Trail alongside the river, continuing on the other bank of the river to Warmsworth to catch a bus for the final two miles back to the town centre.

For some unknown reason someone has dumped a temporary bus stop sign in the undergrowth at the base of the steep path leading up to this cave, I couldn't get close enough to photograph it and I didn't attempt to climb up to the cave.

 

I've just Googled it and the Exon Pride is a 620 ton oil tanker which sails between Hull and Rotherham. Boats up to 700 tons can reach Rotherham and larger boats of a thousand tons can reach Doncaster.

Maps

I always take a paper Ordnance Survey map with me when I go on a walk...except for very local walks. I use the 1:25,000 scale for the Peak District and 1:50,000 for elsewhere. The Peak District maps are very good; in particular there are two features I find very useful, field boundaries are shown and you can usually tell which side of a fence, wall, or hedge a path goes. The only thing they lack for me is the location of bus stops out in the rural areas.

The 1:50,000 maps aren't as detailed, lacking the two features I've already mentioned. Ordnance Survey only produces the larger scale maps covering the areas of the national parks though.

Of course, when planning a walk I use online zoomable maps.

Bakewell and Over Haddon

I didn't quite manage to complete my loop out to the west of Bakewell today, visiting Over Haddon and the lower reaches of Lathkill Dale. My left knee was starting to hurt so I cut the walk short at the bus stop for Haddon Hall and got the bus back to Bakewell.

Grindleford, Froggatt, Calver, Bubnell, and Baslow

I intended to catch the 218 bus to Bakewell but it didn't show up so I caught the 257 to Grindleford instead and followed the Derwent Valley Heritage Way downstream to the bus stop at Devonshire Bridge at Baslow.

Going back to Sheffiield yet again the 218 didn't arrive, but the 257 did - it goes the long way round though, but there's a lot of pretty countryside I could enjoy. 

Retford

A lovely day for a visit to Retford, my favourite local town - to be honest though I spent most of the time in the pub with my friend Justin.