Lodge Moor, Porter Valley, and Sheffield Botanical Gardens

Following on from Saturday's walk with a steep climb up Win Hill the steepest climb today was in Sheffield City Centre, from the railway station to the bus stop on Arundel Gate.

I caught the number 51 bus to Lodge Moor and rode all the way to the terminus. This is the view from the terminus, not bad at all for a service which runs every ten minutes. It's not actually as rural as it looks; there's a large housing estate right behind me, but as can be seen, it's easy access to the Peak District from here.

I crossed the road and took the footpath that leads into Fox Hagg Nature Reserve and walked through woodland, high up above the Rivelin Valley until I came out much further along Redmires Road.

For the next two miles I was walking along country roads and across fields until I reached the top of Porter Clough. I continued down the valley until I reached Forge Dame Café, where I ordered a 'Full Forge Breakfast' - even though it was 12:15. Although it was busy in the outside seating area, there was plenty of space inside.

Up until this point, and even further towards the city centre the valley appears quite rural, it only takes on the appearance of a city park for the last mile or so before you reach Eccleshall Road. Along this section I saw two small white dogs chasing each other, running towards each other, running in circles, and frantically jumping over each other whilst barking and sounding like two old men blowing their noses. A few minutes later I saw another animal running around frantically and jumping in the air; a grey squirrel - maybe it's the time of year and they're all feeling frisky.

I walked down Eccleshall Road for a few hundred yards and then visited the Botanical Gardens; they were quite colourful - most of the flowers were multi-coloured primroses. Here's a photograph of some palm trees in the greenhouse though.

I had intended to walk all the way back to the railway station and take some photographs of the places I most often visit in the city centre, the theatres, the City Hall, The Peace Gardens, the Winter Gardens, and the Millennium Galleries; unfortunately I pulled a couple of muscles in my lower back on Saturday and they were starting to be bothersome - so I caught the bus.

Here's a photograph of the City Hall I took a couple of months ago when I went to the opera; I think it's the best photograph I've ever taken - it was featured by Google + on one of their showcase travel pages.