Fox House, Upper Padley, Grindleford, Leadmill, Shatton, and Bamford Station

My first walk in the Peak District for over a month due to various commitments I had, bad weather and conditions underfoot, and the railway line to Sheffield being closed on Sundays due to engineering work.

Another failed attempt to reach Foolow to have a look at the sinkhole; I had to get off the bus early at Fox House, just about the first opportunity I had. The bus was very crowded and I was wedged in tight and was in a lot of pain; there was very little legroom for me and certainly no space to manoeuvre my knees into a more comfortable position.

As I stood up to get off the bus and make my way to the front, my right knee collapsed...not a good way to start a day's walking.

The views from Fox House are spectacular; this wasn't the direction I was heading today though.

I crossed the road and entered the Longshaw Estate and headed for Padley Gorge. At the head of the gorge there's a roadside parking area; every other time I've passed there there's been one or two ice cream vans, but today there was a hot food vendor. Maybe he paid more to Derbyshire Dales District Council for the licence. 

I thought I might get some good photographs as I walked down through the woodland; the lighting conditions were good and in places it's like being in a fairytale enchanted forest, with gnarled and writhing trees,  [ sometimes creaking as I passed ] moss-covered boulders, a very eerie and ghostly light, and the constant sound of tumbling water. My photography skills weren't up to the task though - I think I'm much better at distant, widescreen, panoramic landscape shots...not the close-up arty stuff.

I was surprised at how busy it was; I know this is a popular area easily reached from Sheffield, but you would think that I'd be able to find a quiet spot for a pee...it took me a while though.

I soon reached Upper Padley and the Old Station Café where I tucked in to a massive serving of egg and chips; the chips were piled that high that they kept falling off my plate. I would have ordered a full cooked breakfast, but I'm under doctor's orders to limit my intake of greasy fried food - it's not good for my acid reflux erosive oesophagitis.

It took me twenty five minutes to eat my dinner, without stopping. I then walked down the road to Grindleford and took the footpath that goes across the meadows alongside the river. This was a bit of a gamble on my part; the area is obviously a flood plain and could well have been difficult walking conditions. It was okay though; still a bit muddy and boggy in places, but much better than the conditions underfoot on some of my recent walks, in the Peak District and elsewhere.

There are some lovely views along this section of the walk; the countryside still looking very green.

The last mile or so to the road at Leadmill is easy-going - a track suitable for four-wheel-drive vehicles.

I suspected that for the next part of the walk I would have to take a higher route, staying well away from the river - the last time I was here I had to actually walk in the River Derwent whilst holding on to overhanging trees for balance...other people just use hiking poles though.

I turned left and walked along the road for a few yards and then took the road which leads to Abney. It was a bit of a climb until I reached the first available footpath, leading down to Broadhay Farm. Yet again, some lovely views of the Hope Valley to enjoy.

Just before reaching Broadhay Farm the path leaves the farm track and climbs uphill through woodland. This was probably the most challenging climb of the day and so I stopped for a rest, and a break, at Callow Farm at the top. I was soon joined by another hiker, who I subsequently found out was called Dave and was a volunteer ranger...and had an acid reflux cough just like me - so we had plenty to talk about as we continued walking together for the next two miles.

We parted ways at Shatton Lane End, he was continuing up to the Surprise View car park...still a substantial walk, and I just needed to walk a few hundred yards to the bus turnaround opposite  Bamford Station. I only had to wait ten minutes for the bus...and it was on time. It got delayed at Fox House as thirty five students boarded; I think they'd been on a course at Parson House Outdoor Centre and then had a meal at the pub...they certainly hadn't been hiking, yet they weren't dressed as if they'd just been for a meal and a drink.

The Cleethorpes train arrived at, and departed from, Sheffield Station on time...and arrived on time at Doncaster. Just as I was about to get up as the train was approaching Doncaster, a fat, middle-aged man walked past me with his trousers, and his red underpants around his legs, just above his knees, and getting lower. He was obviously struggling to walk, yet made no attempts to hold up his trousers with his hands. Two teenage girls standing next to me burst into fits of laughter and one tried to take a photo. I tried so hard not to join them in their giggling, I really did - and I wasn't quite as loud. I made no effort to reach for my phone though, it was difficult to get at...and anyway it's only an inexpensive one, and the camera is rubbish. 

By this time my camera was in a rucksack.

Fox House, Upper Padley, Leadmill, and Hathersage.

I chose today's walk for a couple of specific reasons. First; my bowels were a bit delicate when I woke up this morning and so I didn't want to be too far from some toilets, and there are public toilets at both Fox House and Longshaw Lodge - and I'd be able to use the facilities at the café at Grindleford Station later. The second reason for today's location was that after all the recent rainfall I was hoping that Padley Gorge would be spectacular; and I wasn't disappointed - the waterfalls and cascades were well worth the visit.

I had planned to get off the bus at the Surprise View Car Park, but the bus overheated and broke down at Fox House. There was an obvious burning smell all the way up the hill from Sheffield; and even as the vehicle was idling whilst I scanned my pass into the ticket machine as I was boarding, I could hear a loose panel rattling somewhere.

As he was waiting for the engine to cool down the driver mentioned that it's now the responsibility of the cleaners to make sure that a vehicle is roadworthy before it leaves the garage. I think this is silly, expecting unqualified staff to be so flexible and knowledgeable...it's probably dangerous too. Later on, a much more flexible use of staff occurred at the café though, when one of the waitresses was required to put a couple of logs on the fire.

My intended stop was only half a mile down the road so I got off the bus at Fox House, walked along the path that goes at the side of the road to Toad's Mouth and  then took a path which goes along the bank of the Burbage Brook for a few hundred yards. I have never seen so much water in the brook and therefore knew that further downstream, in Padley Gorge, it would be spectacular.

I then walked across the moor to Surprise View. The view westwards up the Hope Valley was lovely, with the low on the horizon sun perfectly illuminating the scene before my eyes.

I then rather aimlessly wandered around the site of Bole Hill Quarry, which after a hundred years since its closure has now well and truly been returned to nature. There are some lovely views, both in the distance and close up of the quarry faces, many interesting remains of buildings and the industrial landscape...and a lot of silver birch trees.

After having fun climbing down and then scrambling back up the various quarry faces and spoil heaps I then followed a path which took me half way down Padley Gorge; I knew I wouldn't get lost - I could hear the roar of the water in the distance.

I continued down to Upper Padley and had a cooked breakfast at the station café as usual and then walked down to Leadmill where there seemed to be even more water in the fields than there was on my previous visit a couple of weeks earlier.

It was then only a short walk into Hathersage where I had enough time to pop into the garage shop and buy a flapjack.

Fox House, Longshaw Estate, Upper Padley and Hathersage.

I chose today's walk specifically for a couple of reasons; I wanted to experience the heather at its best and to try one of the large breakfasts for which the Station Café at Grindleford is famous.

I wasn't disappointed with either.

I got off the bus at Fox House and within seconds was walking across the heather moorland at the back of the pub.

I wandered around for a few minutes, then crossed over into the Longshaw Estate; lingering for an hour or so in Padley Gorge and the area of Bolehill Quarry. Whilst  here I experimented with taking some close-up photographs of objects that interested me because of their shape, texture or the  lighting conditions - here are a couple.

I was soon at the café, and ordered a breakfast; indeed it was large - I needed both hands to carry the plate. I then walked over the railway bridge and took a photo of Grindleford Station, complete with old-style semaphore signal...I'm surprised they're still used on this stretch of track; after all it's the main railway line between Sheffield and Manchester and is very busy.

A fairly straightforward walk along a track to Hathersage Booths then followed, then along the road to Hathersage, but soon taking a footpath across a field and along the back of some gardens to arrive at a part of the village I hadn't seen before.

I passed by the bakery and couldn't resist popping in. Something called an 'Australian Slice' took my fancy; it was nothing more exotic than dark chocolate and coconut, but was delicious.