Bradwell and Castleton.

Not a very long walk today, only about three miles, plus exploring the back streets of Castleton and storming Peveril Castle at the top of the hill. I had planned to walk from Bradwell over to Peak Forest and then loop back to Tideswell, but I left my map on the bus after I had left it on the seat and it must have dropped onto the floor. I was fairly confident of actually making my way along my planned route from memory, but less confident about the pacing; I needed to get to Tideswell for about 3:20 to catch the bus back to Sheffield, otherwise I'd have a long wait or a long walk down to the main road at Blackwell crossroads to catch the TransPeak bus to Bakewell.

Back at Sheffield it must have been the start of the new term at Sheffield Hallam University; there were about a dozen coaches parked on both sides of the road near to my bus-stop, where the Students' Union building is. The only way I could make sure that the driver of the 272 bus could actually see me was to step out right in front of him and semaphore where there was a small gap between coaches where I'd be able to get on his bus.

The footpath which I used at the start of the walk at Bradwell is a bit unusual because it goes right across the bottom of a garden and then up some steep steps which are almost hidden from view if you're walking along the pavement.

I know the paths leading westwards and uphill out of Bradwell well and so didn't realise that I'd left my map on the bus until it was probably too late to rush back down to the village and retrieve it from the bus as it returned to Sheffield; anyhow with it being a Sunday I'm not even sure that all the buses serve Bradwell.

I decided to just walk to Castleton on the high level back lanes; there were some good distant views of Win Hill to be enjoyed...and then later on Castleton itself, nestling beneath Mam Tor.

At one stage I was near to the top of a quite long uphill stretch and a cyclist easily overtook me. He stopped at the top, and so did I a couple of minutes later; myself for a rest and he to wait for his friend who was a long way behind. We started chatting and he explained that he was taking his friend to do Winnats Pass later, one of the longest and steepest road ascents in the Peak District...poor bugger! 

When I reached Castleton it seemed to be rather quiet despite a fell race due to finish there mid-afternoon. I decided to pop into the Rose Cottage Café and Tea Rooms for something to eat; I chose a fish pie from the menu and enjoyed it outside in the sunshine in the large, well-maintained rear garden; I could  certainly taste the cod, smoked haddock, salmon, and prawns.

About forty minutes later, not too far from the castle entrance, I nearly tripped up over the only pair of cat's eyes placed in the middle of the road in Castleton.

I reached the castle unscathed. I didn't have to pay the admission fee because I'm a member of English Heritage and so I could justify the short length of time I spent there; just taking photographs really.

I then had about thirty minutes to wonder around the village before catching the bus. There are many attractive buildings in Castleton; I particularly liked this one today.