Sat. 20th July 2013
We've now been motorhoming for around 10 years and I can say without doubt that it's been the sunniest, warmest 12 days since we started. Along with most areas of the UK it's been a joy to set off every day without coats or clobber that are an inconvenience that slows you down in more normal conditions.
The areas of Derbyshire (both the White Peak and the Dark Peak) are only around 60 miles from home and it's an area we're not that familiar with, but what a beautiful area it is for walking,cycling and of coarse finding our wild orchids.
Here is just a cameo of some of the areas that we explored both on foot and by bike.
The White Peak an area of limestone hills valleys and pastures
Four Nights at Blackwell Hall Farm
Cycling on the Monsal Trail, an old railway track, 9 miles of easy cycling and walking
Millers Dale station before the closure in 1967
A walk through Chee Dale on two separate days
Twayblade
Matlock Bath
Twelve miles away.... the Dark Peak an area of Sandstone and Millstone Grit an area lacking the flora of the White Peak but more dramatic and wilder.
Castleton
Lose Hill above Castleton the start of the ridge walk over Mam Tor
Backtor Nook with Edale to the right
The popular summit of Mam Tor
Mam Tor triangulation point
The ridge from Lord's Seat
The railway line between Manchester and Sheffield
Ashort return back into Limestone down Winnats pass down into Castleton at the end of the walk
Edale a lovely valley and the start of the Pennine Way
The welcome shade on a very hot day
One of the many attractive cottages in the dale
The official starting point of the Pennine Way
The train back to the village of Hope this shortened the walk by 5 miles
The final 9 miles walk along Stanage Edge on another sweltering hot day
Cotton Grass on the boggy moor behind the edge
Some of the many Mill Stones abandoned on the Moor
We've now been motorhoming for around 10 years and I can say without doubt that it's been the sunniest, warmest 12 days since we started. Along with most areas of the UK it's been a joy to set off every day without coats or clobber that are an inconvenience that slows you down in more normal conditions.
The areas of Derbyshire (both the White Peak and the Dark Peak) are only around 60 miles from home and it's an area we're not that familiar with, but what a beautiful area it is for walking,cycling and of coarse finding our wild orchids.
Here is just a cameo of some of the areas that we explored both on foot and by bike.
The White Peak an area of limestone hills valleys and pastures
Cycling on the Monsal Trail, an old railway track, 9 miles of easy cycling and walking
The station today
Monsal Dale view from the viaduct near Monsal Head
The viaduct from the river
The clear waters of the limestone dales rivers with both Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout
Bakewell
Monster Trout at Bakewell
The bridge at Ashford in the Water
Just a few of the thousands of Orchids that grow on or around the Monsal trail
Fragrant Orchids
Bee Orchids
Common Spotted Orchids
A walk along the Cromford Canal south of Matlock Bath
Cromford Wharf
The Heights of Abraham above Matlock Bath , here we found many Twayblade Orchids
Twelve miles away.... the Dark Peak an area of Sandstone and Millstone Grit an area lacking the flora of the White Peak but more dramatic and wilder.
Edale a lovely valley and the start of the Pennine Way
The final 9 miles walk along Stanage Edge on another sweltering hot day
Finally the welcome shade down this old lane leading down into the valley near Bamford
