Today's walk started at the bus terminus at Lodge Moor. There's a very decent view just a few steps after getting off the bus.
I walked down into Fox Hagg Nature Reserve and then crossed over the dam wall at the bottom of the valley.
I climbed up the other side of the valley passing through woodland; for this short section of the walk I was actually within the boundary of the Peak District National Park. The path veered to the east before reaching the tiny community of Rails. From this point I just used the map to plot a route sticking as near as possible to due north and would see where it intersected with the main Manchester road in the upper Don Valley - so, the walk finished at Wharncliffe Side.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky today, probably not the best conditions for landscape photography, but certainly ideal conditions for regularly stopping and admiring the views.
As is quite often the case I got very muddy today and so when I got home the first I did was to strip off and get out of my dirty clothes. When I caught a glimpse of my legs I was terrified though; I thought I'd get some sort of sepsis in my varicose veins. Fortunately I soon noticed that my hands had the same black stain - it was the dye from my trousers which must not be holding fast...it obviously can't cope with my sweat.
Sorry that the photo isn't very good...I'm much better at landscapes.
