Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Brassington, Carsington, Hopton, Wirksworth...and Bakewell

Unlike anywhere else I know of, some bus routes in Derbyshire are numbered using a decimal point: this morning, after getting to Bakewell I caught the 6.1 service to Middleton-by-Wirksworth. 

When I got off the bus this was what immediately greeted me.

I found the lane that leads up to the High Peak Trail and soon reached Middleton Top.

About two miles further along the trail I reached Harboro' Rocks - the spelling with the apostrophe is the official version. My experience here was spoiled by a noisy industrial plant right next to the trail and the rocks, something to do with limestone I should think; making a constant syncopated hum interspersed with loud screeches and hissing...very annoying. There are some ruins at the foot of the rocks...and a large cave higher up the hill.

I caught my first glimpse of Carsington Water as I climbed high up on the rocks [not to the top though] and would get a better view later on...none of the photographs I took was any good.

After exploring the rocks I took the footpath that leads down to Brassington; it was raining now but not so much that I'd need to wear my cagoule - it was quite cold though. I needed to walk along a couple of stretches of road before I reached the village...and I did need to stop, reach into my rucksack and pull out my cagoule a few minutes later when the weather turned quite unpleasant, and stayed that way for over an hour.

I spent longer than I should have drinking my pot of tea and eating a packet of salt and vinegar crisps in the Miners Arms pub; initially I was the only customer, but eventually the village chimney sweep, an American, came in and ordered a Guinness. He had a fascinating conversation with the barmaid; I couldn't work out if he was trying to get inside her knickers, or up her flue.

The church is just across the road from the pub.

It was a gentle walk across the fields to Carsington, where the church there was also open and  some of the photographs I took inside here turned out okay.

There was then a stretch of road to walk along, passing through Hopton and then across the meadows and down to Wirksworth. When I arrived at the bus stop and was studying the timetable a man told me that the buses weren't running to timetable - up to half an hour late. One was due imminently, it might have even already gone, so I spent the next forty five minutes standing in the same place like a statue, concentrating on the road ahead making sure that I didn't miss the bus.

I had another forty five minutes to wait at Bakewell for the Sheffield bus, but at least I was able to look round the town and take some photographs.

Matlock, Matlock Bath, Cromford, and Wirksworth

After popping in to a shop at Matlock to get something to eat, followed by a visit to the toilets, I walked through the park, over the bridge and along the path to High Tor. There were some lovely views along this section of the walk in all directions, but the best photo-opportunities were behind me, with Matlock being illuminated by the bright sunshine.

The walk to High Tor comes out at the cable car base station; I took some photographs, but it's all a bit untidy at the moment and so I haven't included any.

I'd lingered for so long taking photos and just admiring the view from High Tor that I needed to make up some time, and the quickest way of doing this was to walk along the promenade at Matlock Bath...certainly nothing too unpleasant; I actually like Matlock Bath - I think there's a place for appropriate commercialisation in the Peak District. I counted six fish and chip shops, I forgot to count the amusement arcades; there were probably a similar number.

I continued along the road to Cromford, passing the church; it's not particularly old, but it was looking impressive in the sunlight.

The last building in Matlock Bath, before reaching Cromford is Masson Mills, I went in once ,but didn't stay for long; it's just a shopping complex....and I couldn't even find a toilet.

After a short detour to visit the shops and the toilets at Cromford I found the track that leads up towards the High Peak Trail, arriving halfway up the old incline railway; quite a challenging walk that just seemed to be at an annoying slope that it was causing the top of the little toe on my left foot to rub against my boot - and of course the slope is constant...so no respite. 

When I reached the top I thought I would be at Middleton Top, but that was a further mile and a half along the track of the old railway.

The place I'd arrived at was 'Sheep Pasture Engine House.'

There are some nice views from here though; so long as you ignore the two large quarries that are out of camera shot, over to the left.

I had a pot of tea and a scone at the Information Centre at Black Rocks; I didn't climb up to them though - I was concerned about my toe hurting me.

It was easy going along the course of the old railway for the next mile or so...until I reached Middleton Incline - my second incline of the day; the angle of ascent seemed kinder to my little toe this time though. I stopped to briefly chat with three cyclists who were repairing one of their bikes: I asked them if they were going up or down - they were going up the incline, and claimed that it had all been uphill so far today.

Although higher up than Sheep Pasture Engine House, Middleton Top has no sense of being high up...and there aren't any views at all. I was quite disappointed; especially after reading so much about the place.

This is the only photograph I took.

I then walked down the road and took a path across fields which eventually led down into Wirksworth, passing right through some deep quarry workings.

I've not visited Wirksworth before; it looks like it's a decent-sized town. I didn't have time to explore, my bus back to Matlock was due in ten minutes.