Over Haddon, Youlgreave, Elton, Birchover, Stanton In Peak, Pilhough, and Rowsley

I got a bruise on my shin before I even started walking today, I whacked my leg against one of the tables on the train as I was sitting down - I'm used to getting bruised though, it happens on most walks.

I travelled to Over Haddon to start my walk today; it's only ten minutes on the bus from Bakewell. I took my time and looked round the village before going down the hill into Lathkill Dale and climbing out of the valley again up through the woods at the other side.

Despite the 'Welcome' sign, the church at Over Haddon was locked...or I couldn't fathom out how to get inside.

I walked across the fields to Youlgreave, approaching the village from a direction that was new to me.

I walked down into, and then up and out again, of my second dale of the day, Bradford Dale, before heading off towards Elton.

I easily got inside the church at Elton, there's nothing much to see though...and Elton's certainly not one of my favourite Derbyshire villages.

After walking through Elton I reached the narrow, overgrown road that heads to the north but soon noticed a footpath over to the right, the Portaway, which led me to another road, much wider, busier, and better surfaced than the previous one. After checking the map though, I realised I should have continued travelling northwards on the other road; I'd added about half a mile on to my route to Birchover. The sun briefly popped out as I was walking along here and so I was able to enjoy the nice views. 

I didn't stay very long in Birchover; I took the path that starts right opposite to The Druid's Inn pub and goes through the wood to the car park on the Stanton road. I walked along this road for about a mile, at least, until I reached Stanton In Peak and then continued down another road, passing through the hamlet of Pilhough and then reaching Rowsley. Buses go to Bakewell every thirty minutes from Rowsley; my timing was bad because I had twenty five minutes to wait...and then another thirty five minutes to wait in Bakewell for the bus to Sheffield.

The journey back into the city took ten minutes longer than it should have because the driver kept stopping the bus so that he could blow his nose, catch his breath, and clear his throat...he seemed to be quite ill. He was making some really loud and worrying coughing, sniffling, spluttering, and wheezing noises - so was the vehicle's engine though as well and I wasn't sure which was older and more likely to break down first, man or machine. I got back to Sheffield safely though and caught the train back home to Doncaster...but it was so slow.