Brough, Bradwell, and Castleton

I couldn't wear my regular boots this morning; my right boot didn't fit, it was too tight - the laces were digging in to the top of my instep. So, I wore another pair, an older pair of Berghaus boots which are no longer fully waterproof, but still very comfortable. I'm wondering if this problem with my instep might be connected to the bone spurs I've got growing on the back of my heels which have been causing tightness and pain in my Achilles' tendons.

I got off the bus at Brough and immediately took the wrong path, the path at the wrong side of the river. It didn't take me long to realise my mistake and cross over the bridge and find the correct path. There were some nice views as I was walking along this path towards Bradwell, an easy low level route. I've selected a photograph I took of the Hope Cement Works which were brightly illuminated by the morning sunlight.

A few minutes later I was taking photographs in the village of Bradwell and called in the shop and bought some sausage rolls to eat later.

I climbed up the steep path and steps to eventually reach the road that leads to Pindale and Castleton. There were some lovely views as I got higher...not from every viewpoint though because in some places the unattractive roofs of several of the buildings in the small industrial estate can be seen.

The next section was flat, walking across limestone grassland and well-maintained tracks suitable for vehicles.

When I  was still quite a distance from Mam Tor I could see there were a lot of people on the summit, the most I've ever seen...there were also many vehicles parked on the various approach roads.

I didn't climb Mam Tor today, I turned right and walked down Winnats Pass, which is always spectacular. None of my photographs were really any good; the contrast seemed to be too high and much of the detail was washed out. The image I've selected, because I do like this one, was taken right at the bottom of Winnats Pass after I'd been to the toilets which are hidden away at the back of one of the ancillary buildings next to the car park for Speedwell Cavern.  

When I got down into Castleton it was very busy too; I'm thinking that this might be because it's Valentine's Day today, the weather was fine, it's a weekend...and Chatsworth House is closed until the end of next month due to the renovation works. 

I was hungry, and unusually for me I queued, for ten minutes, for some chips and mushy peas. I wasn't this hungry though.

Due to roadworks at both Hathersage, and Bamford, the bus was fifteen minutes late. The latter part of the journey back to Sheffield was rather cramped and uncomfortable...and potentially dangerous. A large bouldering mattress nearly fell on me and I nearly had my eye poked out by the point of another walker's walking pole.