I had three different, conflicting, and constantly changing weather forecasts to choose from last night and this morning when deciding where to go walking today: I decided though that it would be fine to make an early start for the Peak District.
I arrived at Sheffield and left the railway station, running up the hill as fast as I could towards Arundel Gate to catch my bus, weaving in and out of groups of people like a demented rugby player who'd forgotten to carry the ball. As I reached Arundel Gate and was waiting for the pedestrian crossing to turn to green I saw the number 61 pass bus going to Bradfield, the bus that I was hoping to get. I gambled and ran over whilst the crossing was still showing red and desperately lunged for the try line...but the bus had already departed...sometimes it waits in for a few minutes, but not today.
So...a wait of thirty minutes at a bus stop on a busy road at the back of the Crucible Theatre: The next service was a few minutes late but the driver made up time to arrive at Low Bradfield on schedule.
I walked along the road towards Agden Reservoir and then took the concessionary footpath which goes alongside the southern bank. It was quite muddy in places but I preferred this to the road - and there were nice views in places when there were gaps in the trees.
I reached the western extremity of the reservoir and then started walking along the northern bank for a few minutes until I found a path going in a straight line up the steep hillside, right next to a forestry plantation - I don't really like straight lines in the countryside.
This path soon turned to the right, and then to the left, to bring me out onto open heathland and then the moors, and finally a road.
I headed north east and then east along this road, encountering one of the many ancient, but well-maintained, mileposts that there are in the parish of Bradfield.
There were some lovely views as I continued along the road...and a brief section of bridleway.
I took a footpath heading off uphill to the right; again walking in a straight line next to a pine plantation, until I reached another country road. I crossed this road; the next footpath was across access land and a few hundred yards later I arrived at a choice of footpaths; one was definitive and depicted on the Ordnance Survey map and the other was another concessionary path. I've been at this location before, several years ago and couldn't remember there being two paths...so I decided to take the concessionary path hoping to see some different views. I wasn't disappointed; the views looking down at Agden Reservoir were nice...unfortunately I was looking into the sun and was partially blinded by the glare....I managed to get a photograph of some sheep though.
This path came down off the moors onto a farm track, which in turn took me to the road that leads down to High Bradfield. A few hundred yards along this road two cyclists passed me, both rather overweight middle-aged men, one of them wearing only socks on his feet...bright pink fluffy ones.
There's a church at High Bradfield for me to photograph.
I then walked down the steep road to Low Bradfield and caught the bus back to Sheffield.
It's been lovely and sunny today; far better than any of the weather forecasts had predicted...ideal conditions for photography, but not necessarily for walking. There was a harsh bitterly cold wind blowing, which despite me wearing my thick woolly hat pulled down over my ears I still got quite bad earache and so ended the walk early just before two o'clock...the fine weather looked as though it was set for the day though. As soon as I boarded the bus and got warm my earache cleared up and I'm perfectly okay now, sitting at home.
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