Bradwell, Leadmill and Hathersage.

After getting lost among the ginnels and snickets of Bradwell I eventually found the lane which leads up to Bradwell Edge. It soon petered out into a muddy well-churned bridleway which was steep, slippery and hard work. Within a few minutes my trousers were caked with mud, my fleece well splashed and my hair even caught some.

When I reached the top it was much easier going; walking along a fairly level track. By this time the weather was beginning to improve, and half an hour later when I was walking across Shatton Moor the views of the Hope Valley were magnificent; the autumn colours were perfectly illuminated by a low sun. From this location I could see Mam Tor and the Great Ridge and even as far north as the Ladybower Reservoir, with a boat on it. Much closer, in the valley below, I could see Hope Cement Works, from this angle looking like a fairytale castle. In the photograph the cement works is on the far left of the image.

Here are a couple of pictures taken as I approached Leadmill, only about a twenty walk from Hathersage, where I decided I'd better not pop into the tea rooms because of the state I was in.