Monday 20th July (Day 10)
Time to move off. All 30 or so units were in various stages of packing. Some left before us others after. We strolled around saying our goodbyes and by about 10.30am were off to the Peak District. A pleasant easy drive with a brief stop at Sainsbury’s at Ashbourne to ensure we had all we needed as where we are staying for the next four nights had two farms, two cottages, a couple of houses and nothing else. We arrived at 2.30pm at Green Farm, King Sterndale (a certified location) - not to be confused with Sterndale Green Farm a certified site and only 100m away. We were soon set up and had lunch. Some exercise was needed so off we went. A 1 in 1 footpath down the hillside, across the main road and into the dales. It was about a six mile walk. Lovely views and a great walk. The last part of the footpath was closed to the public due to major works. The return would have been about 5 miles all the way back the way we had come as we were near the end of the route. What to do? Ignore it and continue on squeezing past diggers and vehicles to the annoyance of a workman or two. Then a steep climb back to the site. Still a sunny evening but it looks like it will cool quite quickly. After dinner we remained in the van listening to music before bed.
Tuesday 21st July (Day 11)
A sunny, if cool, start to the day. After breakfast we consulted the map and Buxton was our target with a walk along the ‘Midshires Way’. We just got to the footpath when I realised I had left my money at the motorhome (schoolboy error). Fortunately it was not too far back and then off again. A walk of about four (ish) miles over fields to Buxton. On the approach we passed a large viaduct and then a slow climb into Buxton. Buxton at 1000 feet, or around 300m in new language, is the highest town in England. We thought we had been here before but were wrong. The approach to the main High Street had so many pubs - over six just walking into it. A walk around a small market and the streets with old buildings. Then a cup of tea and something to eat at a ‘vintage tea shop’. Buxton was once a market and spa town with pale blue water that bubbles up in the spa baths. The baths thgeselves go back to AD 80 and the Romans occupation it. (“What have the Romans ever done for us?”) The pump room was 'new' built in 1894 and still stands although the spa stopped in 1981. The public can still try the waters still at St Annes Well next door to the pump room. It is also known for ‘The Crescent’ built in the 18th century by the 5th Earl of Devonshire, very much like the crescent on the city of Bath. We walked the main shopping area and then back via a park, picking up the Midshires Way again. A brief stop at the King Sterndale church (closed) and then on and arriving back we had tea. A few spots of rain fell but soon stopped. By 4.00pm it had cooled down so we sat in the motorhome listening to the radio. Later after dinner a dvd took us to sleep time.
Wednesday 22nd July (Day 12)
Today we planned walk to the start of the Monsal Trail - The Monsal Trail is a 9 mile cycle route part of which we have previously cycled. To the start of it was about two plus miles. This area is not called the High Peak District for no reason. Leaving our site it was down a 1 in 1 route until we crossed the A6 and walked up the other side (again 1 in 1). Then along the top of the ridge where we lost the path for a short while. Upon getting back on track walked the steep downward path towards the start of the Monsal Trail. Here we found a cafe so had a bite to eat and a cup of tea. We then discussed our return options. We decided to extend the walk to Chelmerston and the Church Inn, a pub. It added a few miles but was the only pub within 3+ miles. It was a pleasant, if demanding, walk and then a lovely pub stop. After a while we undertook the final 3 mile walk home. This involved walking down and up Dove Dale - a cleft in the landscape that was extremely steep and with a cave in its side that went quite a way into the earth. Back home, after about ten miles in all of walking and we sat for a while outside enjoying the peace and quiet. (Having just sat down in the gazebo we had a small shower so were fortunate not to be caught on the return walk). Then a curry for tea and lazy evening.
Thursday 23rd July (Day 13)
So today is a load of bullocks. (More about that later.) After a simple breakfast we tidied up and put some of the gear away for our leave tomorrow. Then we decided to keep the outside ‘house’ up. By about 11.30am we left for our fourth walk. This would finish off the north / south / east / west of walks from the our current position. While not covering all the area it is a good effort, with about 28 miles walked by the end of the day. The forecast was a bit ‘iffy’ but we left in warm overcast weather. A very enjoyable walk it was. However, at one point about 250m across a field of 500m we saw twenty or so bullocks on the hillside to our right. Not to be put off we strolled on minding our own business. Two of the animals walked down and blocked our path just staring us down (!). The rest then walked towards us and formed a 120 degree arc by us only about six foot away. What to do? I do not know the difference between a look of ‘we are interested in you’, ‘hi we like you’ or ‘I want to stamp on you’. We opted for the last being the best way to proceed. While making soothing noises, Chris walked slowly up the hill away from them until one of the animals left the group and approached her from the side, sneaky bugger. I joined her and she walked off again while I offered the bullock some grass (which it accepted). The others still followed us pace for pace. How did it end? Eventually, we reached a style and crossed it into the next field. Hearts pounding and happy that, tonight, one of their brethren was to be eaten by us in retribution of the trauma they put us through! (A check on a website suggested we should have waved our arms and shouted at them - still not convinced`.) It shook us a bit and we only thought of a photo of them whenever 100m away. The walk continued and, although not planned, we passed close to the only pub within three miles of our site, the Church Inn that we visited yesterday. We needed a drink! (Well any excuse.) Chatting to the owner we found that each time the pub closed they had a system to spray sanitising solution over everything to ensure the safety of all. Not only a pint (or two) was had but also some black pudding fritters, unusual but really nice. The walk back was in light rain making the steep Deep Dale footpath ‘interesting’ to say the least. A short sit out before the weather forced us in. While sitting and just chilling we were joined by another motorhome, not just any motorhome but a Chausson 630. That said after a short chat the weather decided to properly rain so we bade goodnight with a move to York tomorrow.
