Calver, Wardlow, Grindlow, Great Hucklow and Bradwell

I thought I might as well take the opportunity to arrange a walk before the next cycle of bad weather arrives; the weather forecasters are saying that the cold and snow might last well into the New Year.

Today's walking conditions were excellent, unbroken sunshine until about one o'clock, and as you can see from the photo, about an inch of fresh snow overnight.

Most of this walk was new territory for me, only the last two or three miles being covered in an earlier walk from Tideswell. Although measured as nearly eight miles by my GPS, it didn't feel tiring at all because most of the terrain was quite level.

The walk began with steady progress westwards until I reached some old opencast workings at a place called 'Bleaklow', where the sunlight was at the perfect angle to best show off the rock faces.

I then walked along lanes and back roads to Wardlow, and then Great Hucklow, where I must have noticed at least two dozen Christmas trees festooned with decorative lights -the villaget must look quite impressive at night.

It was then an easy two mile walk to Bradwell, despite the footpath having been diverted and there was no sign indicating the new route.

A few minor things went wrong on this walk though; first of all my mobile phone rang, and by the time I'd unzipped my cagoule, then unzipped my heavy waterproof coat, and then unzipped my fleece pocket where I keep my phone...it had stopped ringing. Next problem was when the bus arrived twenty minutes late at Bradwell, and finally, just as I was standing up to get off the bus at Sheffield Railway Station some idiot driving a sports car cut right in front of us forcing the driver to break, and me to bump into the seat opposite.