Fox House, Longshaw Estate, White Edge and Baslow.

I started off feeling a bit unwell this morning on the train going to Sheffield; my knees were tightly wedged under a table and were becoming quite painful and stiff, my throat was a bit dry and tickly but I couldn't move to reach into my pocket for a cough lozenge...and I was sweating profusely. As soon as I was in the fresh air (walking towards the bus station) I felt fine.

I got off the bus at Fox House and crossed the road to enter the Longshaw Estate

The rhododendron bushes were only just showing a bit of colour, but the gorse/furze/whin bushes were blooming at their best.

I then walked across a stretch of open moorland and climbed onto White Edge, following the path all the way to Curbar Gap, and then down into Baslow.

Positioned along the route I noticed a couple of recently-sited companion stones.

Today I tried a little experiment; I navigated the entire length of the six mile walk without looking at the map once, or using my GPS to take bearings. It wasn't too difficult, I know the route very well...nonetheless I was quite pleased with myself.

Bradwell and Castleton

The walk began at Bradwell with me taking a path from the village up to the cement works; which are surprisingly well screened. I then climbed up Pin Dale where there is a very attractive old quarry face in a wooded setting, then walked along the road for about a mile.

I then took a path across fields, then a track, before turning right to briefly join the Limestone Way: along this section of the walk it was very windy and dusty.

The final section of the walk was a difficult, and painful on the knees and soles of the feet, descent down the scenic Cave Dale, which brings you right down to Castleton Market Place - and I have never seen Castleton busier.

Moscar Moor, Stanage Edge, Burbage Valley and Fox House.

I've done this walk before, as part of a longer walk I did last year...but I haven't blogged about this section so far.

I got off the bus at the county boundary and joined the waymarked Sheffield Country Walk leading southwards towards Stanage Edge. The entire route is easy going, being fairly flat, although at a high altitude, and on a clear day the views are spectacular. Today wasn't a clear day though, it was misty and quite chilly compared to Doncaster, which was considerably warmer when I arrived home.

About half way along the journey I noticed some vehicles in the distance which were not parked on a road; as I got closer I saw that it was a convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles that had been driven across the moors and was now struggling to descend a steep, narrow and dangerous section of track. People were out of their vehicles removing boulders which were blocking the way...and the embankment was crumbling because of the combined weight of eight or nine cars.

Two motorcyclists were struggling to get by as I took the photograph.

About half a mile further on I stopped to eat my sandwiches and enjoyed watching groups of students rock climbing, bouldering and weaseling between the gaps between the larger rocks.

Later on I stopped for an orange lolly from the ice cream van that usually parks at the Upper Burbage car park and then had a leisurely stroll back to Fox House.

Litton, Wardlow, Great Longstone, Rowland and Calver.

The day began with a pleasant walk across fields from Litton to Tansley Dale, a beautiful little valley which I hadn't visited before. I then walked along the bottom of Cressbrook Dale and then climbed up towards Wardlow; this being the most difficult climb of the walk.

More fields were traversed before reaching Longstone Moor. This expansive high moorland covered in heather seems somewhat out of place so far south in the White Peak.

I then walked down the road to Great Longstone, a village new to me. Both of the shops in the village were closed - maybe it was half day closing - but there was a lovely smell of roast beef wafting from one of the pubs; I wasn't tempted though, I had to make up for lost time spent lingering on the moor.

Rowland is another half a mile or so to the east across fields; there were pleasant views to the north of Longstone Edge before I descended through woodland to the Hassop to Calver road. By this time I had given up on my effort to reach Calver in time for the next bus, so when I reached the village I had fifty minutes to spare.

Since I was feeling very hungry and a little weak I popped into the Outdoors Café and enjoyed a pint a tea and a toasted currant teacake with jam.

I walked across the road to the bus stop. Three buses were due in a short period of time. The second one arrived first - five minutes late.

Bamford, Yorkshire Bridge, Aston, Hope and Castleton.

I got off the bus at the bus-stop for Bamford railway station - this is as far as this service goes into the village. I had intended to walk a few hundred yards further into the village and take a path which leads past the old mill and across a footbridge and weir. I had to make other arrangements though; part of the footbridge had been washed away, last month it seems.

Fortunately, I only had to retrace my steps for a couple of minutes; but checking the map I realised I would have to walk right through the village and nearly a mile further until I'd be able to cross the River Derwent at Yorkshire Bridge.

Yorkshire Bridge has an interesting history and is unique in the Peak District. It was constructed as a planned village in the early decades of the twentieth century to house residents when the villages of Derwent and Ashopton were evacuated so that the Upper Derwent Valley could be flooded to form the Howden, Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs.

I then climbed and subsequently descended the path which leads to Aston, the last few hundred yards being along a sunken lane with many wildflowers blooming on the steep verges. The next stage of the walk was across fields and along a short stretch of the River Noe to reach Hope, where I stopped for a cup of tea at one of the tea rooms located next to a pub.

It was then a short easy stroll to Castleton, with pleasing views of Lose Hill and the Great Ridge.