I travelled on public transport to Slatepit Dale, a hamlet about four miles southwest of Chesterfield on the Matlock road. The first photograph is where I got off the bus.
I walked downhill towards Alton, just another hamlet consisting of a few houses, going along footpaths, tracks and country roads. I got lost though and after about an hour I found myself needing to return to the main road, only about a mile from where I'd started. I did enjoy looking at the countryside as I was going nowhere in particular...and I was greeted by three cats at one farm and seven dogs at another. I really should take more care with the quality of the maps that I produce when I'm printing them off from online sources - my computer monitor screen might be high definition but my printer certainly isn't.
So...I tried again to head off towards Ashover...this time managing it without any problems.
There was nothing to photograph at Northedge or Alton; I didn't take my camera out of my pocket until I reached 'The Fabrick' most likely the highest point on my walk today - it was certainly the location with the most extensive views. It's a small area of high moorland with rocky outcrops and a toposcope on the summit. There's also a trig point and the ruins of some sort of building complete with the remains of electrical or pumping equipment.
Farhill is only about a mile to the north of Ashover, high on the hill above the village. I didn't see much though because the footpath descends through a couple of short tunnels and there are high walls at either side for much of the length.
I passed three pubs in Ashover, the first one, The Black Swan has a welcoming sign. There was also an eggs vending machine outside, which was only selling cartons of milk today. If I hadn't lost so much time earlier in the day I would have popped inside for refreshments and sustenance.
There's a building directly opposite to the church that looked interesting to me.
There was a large 'welcome' sign pinned to the door of the church stating the opening times, so I went inside. The interior is pleasant enough but the radiators must have turned up to the maximum heat because it was uncomfortably hot inside.
The roast dinners being served at The Old Poets Corner smelled delicious [I immediately noticed the lack of punctuation]. I doubt that my custom would have been appreciated in this establishment though.
I took the footpath down into the valley, crossed over the River Amber and climbed up the other side to reach the foot of Cocking Tor. A short section of road then followed before I made my way over to Tansley. On the way I noticed this gate incorporating an old oven shelf into the construction.
For the final mile into Matlock I needed to walk along the road. I timed my arrival so that I didn't have long to wait for the TransPeak bus to Bakewell, then had only a few minutes to wait for the Sheffield bus and then literally walked straight onto the train at Sheffield.
As I was walking through Doncaster town centre I was harassed by a junkie asking for money. When I refused he made unwanted and unpleasant remarks and comments so I had to politely, yet very firmly, tell him where to go and what he should do when he gets there. He seemed to still be staying too close behind me for my liking and so I walked to my house the long way round, cutting through back alleys and across a bit of waste ground. He soon lost interest in me. I think that many of these characters think I'm a fellow traveller...they couldn't be more wrong.
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