Castleton, Edale, Ollerbrook, Nether Booth, and Hope.

It was sunny all the way to Hathersage this morning; but beyond, the entire Hope Valley was shrouded in mist. As the bus passed by Surprise View the view up the valley was amazing; with the sunlight glistening off the mist it seemed as though there was a massive lake, or reservoir that just wasn't there before - with small islands of higher ground protruding above the mysterious, hidden depths...an entirely new, but fleeting, topography to enjoy.  It's a pity I was on the bus; I didn't try to take any photographs because I knew they wouldn't be very good; and I only had a few seconds anyhow. Several people had stopped their cars and were busy with their cameras though.

Unfortunately, by the time the bus reached Castleton the mist was already lifting and so I wouldn't be able to enjoy anything as truly spectacular as I'd seen about half an hour earlier. I walked through the village and soon became caught up in a group of about three dozen eager and excited students on a field trip. Fortunately they weren't heading in my direction and so I didn't need to change my plans.

I walked in a westerly direction, pausing several times to admire the views of the mouth of Winnats Pass (as shown in the header photo), and  Mam Tor and the landslip. At first my route was flat and across grassy, and sometimes sodden, fields: the last few hundred yards up to Hollins Cross is much steeper though, firstly climbing through bracken and then utilising a paved trackway to the top. Hollins Cross is the lowest point along the Great Ridge; it's still quite high though, requiring a climb of about 700ft.

At Hollins Cross I sat for a few minutes to eat my sandwiches and appreciate the view.

It was still quite early, but I could already see that half a dozen paragliders were in the air: a couple of hours later when I stopped for another break I counted thirty three.

The route down to Edale is very pleasant, passing through a variety of landscapes, with many photographic opportunities. I've not visited Edale for nearly twenty years and so was looking forward to spending a bit of time there. My first port of call was the café at the railway station. I didn't buy anything; the place was empty and looked rather sterile and uninviting - the high prices on the menu didn't help either. I knew there was another café further up the hill and so wasn't too disappointed at the time.

I had a quick look round the Moorland Centre and then headed for the other café in the village. I was to suffer disappointment here too though; I arrived too late for a cooked breakfast...and there wasn't anything else substantial on offer. I bought a mug of tea though, and ended up lingering for quite a while because I was enjoying overhearing the man sitting at the next table telling his friends about his recent trip to the Ukraine.

I  walked a bit further up the hill until I reached the path that leads towards the hamlets of Ollerbrook and Nether Booth. I then needed to walk along the road for a few minutes before taking the well-maintained track that goes past Carr House and eventually comes out onto the same road I'd previously been walking along...only nearer to Hope.

Although it was a lovely day, I was aware of how waterlogged it had been underfoot at times, and remembering that the path alongside the River Noe always seems to be muddy, and I was muddy enough anyhow, I decided to stick with the road the rest of the way back to Hope - something I haven't done before anyway.

Foolow, Housley and Calver.

Today's walk didn't follow the original route I had planned because a couple of footpaths had been closed. The reason they were closed is clear in the photograph; they cross an area of land near to some old flooded quarry workings, and must be deemed to be unsafe at the moment.

I started the walk at Foolow and walked down the road towards the hamlet of Housley; somewhere I haven't visited before - it's only half a dozen farm buildings and houses though. I crossed the main road and took the footpath to the left. This goes in a straight line for over half a mile, something very unusual in the Peak District; and was as wide and well maintained as a bridleway.

I then arrived just to the west of Cavendish Mill; despite its rather grand aristocratic-sounding name, it's a bit of an eyesore actually. I had then intended to turn right and find the first footpath leading over towards Longstone Edge, but I ended up taking the photo where the footpath sign should have been; the next path, a bit further down the road, was no longer there either.

I continued down the road for about another ten minutes until I located a footpath leading across fields going in approximately the direction I required. This took me to a track, and then a path, which skirted to the south of the area which had been closed off; some rather out-of-this-world slurry ponds which seemed to give off a kind of diffused, translucent glow.

At the end of a piece of woodland I climbed up some fields to pass by a farm and then continued along a road until I reached a popular viewpoint on Longstone Edge. From here I took the restricted byway up the hill towards High Rake. I'm not sure if these are still active workings along here or not, but the deep gash in the ground caused by the quarrying is very impressive in its own way; like a miniature Grand Canyon. I took some photographs, but I couldn't get close enough to the cliff edge for the really spectacular angles...I'm a coward!

The byway continued for another mile or so and then I took a path across pastures which gave me some lovely views looking down at Calver and Froggatt, northwards towards Hathersage, and across the valley to Froggatt Edge.

When I got on the bus at Calver I noticed that it had a couple of posters advertising the details of Doncaster's Park & Ride scheme; it must have been used to provide the service at one time.

Surprise View, Leadmill, Bretton Clough, Abney and Brough.

Today's walk began at Surprise View, a location which got its unusual name in the nineteenth century when Queen Victoria was travelling in the royal coach and was pleasantly surprised by the panoramic view which unfolds at this particular point on the road to Hathersage.

It's only a view yards to some rocks which can easily be scrambled up to get the best view.

The route of the walk continued westwards and downhill to the River Derwent, with excellent views of the Hope Valley every time there was a clearing in the trees.

After walking for a few hundred yards along the river I reached the hamlet of Leadmill where the pub there has a lovely display of hanging baskets.

I then continued in a westerly direction towards Bretton Clough. The path here is easy underfoot and there are some pleasant, if not dramatic views, as I walked across fields, and hillsides covered in bracken, and through woodland areas.

When I reached Bretton Clough I stayed on the higher paths until I needed to descend, and then climb the other side of the valley.

I came across a sign that certainly didn't apply to me.

I soon arrived at Abney and took the lane that leads to the track that goes to Brough; where I arrived just in time to catch the bus.

Dore Moor, Long Line, Ringinglow and Fox House.

I didn't get much sleep last night due to the hot and sticky weather, and so had to curtail today's walk - I still managed five miles though.

Unusually, the walk began outside the boundaries of the Peak District. Dore Moor is about three miles east of Fox House and probably a bit over a mile from the official boundary stone on Hathersage Road. Being much nearer to the city centre there are a lot more buses serving this stop..

The path went to the north across fields but became quite difficult to follow as it passed by a farm; I had to get my binoculars out to look for a sign or stile up ahead.

I then walked through some woodland which I hoped would take me towards Ringinglow. However the path I took looped round and I ended up at Long Line, a linear settlement consisting of expensive detached houses.

I then walked along the road in the direction of Ringinglow, but before reaching the village turned left onto the track that leads to Houndkirk Moor; by this time I was in the Peak District, but I hadn't noticed a sign.

It was then a straightforward walk across the moor to Fox House.

Hathersage

I think there was probably too much lying snow today.

I never ventured more than a couple of miles from Hathersage; doing a five mile circular walk along the country roads and farm tracks. A couple of short sections were across open country though, and it was hard going, walking through snow that was eighteen inches deep.

As you can see, I've been experimenting with converting the photographs to black and white; I think it looks much better for snowscapes.