The Derbyshire Peak District

Paul, Denise and Jackie walking over The Torrs near Crich

Denise and Paul arrived bright and early, dressed for the off so after a quick cuppa we set off to Ambergate to walk to Crich and back. A lovely walk, past the national tram museum with steam powered carousel for the bank holiday, up to the Crich Sherwood Foresters World War Memorial for fantastic views, and back along a disused canal with a great variety of water birds. 

The Tramway Museum at Crich. Even Dr. Who's Tardis was there!

The weather was perfect walking weather, clear with the sun appearing briefly every now and then but not staying for long to make us horribly hot and we made really good time. The plan had been to eat in the pub whose carpark we had taken advantage of, but as it was not quite 5.00pm we thought we’d have a pint before returning to the house and walking back to the Hollybrook, where we went with Mum, so we could all have a drink. This we duly did, returning to the house for pudding of bubbly supplied by D&P and a huge birthday cake cooked by Steph, their daughter. Yummy, but ridiculous, three layers, full of nuts and covered with cream cheese icing. No calories there then!

Denise, Jackie and Brian with the Sherwood Foresters Memorial behind

The weather forecast for Sunday wasn’t as good, but actually was equally as perfect, so off we headed to the Peak district proper to walk along Baslow and Curbar Edges, across moorland and with fantastic views. D&P found the whole moorland very evocative of their favourite BBC film series of Pride and Prejudice with the result Denise was forced to climb on as many rocky outcrops as possible to point in the direction of Pemberly (or Chatsworth House, or anywhere really) so they could put a picture and quote on Facebook. This presented us with much merriment, though what others thought who can tell?

View from the top of the memorial

Time for tea and cake at the memorial

Two spots of rain and we came upon the short route so we thought we’d take it through some lovely woodland, which was the right decision, not that it rained but we’d all probably had enough, and meant we could get home for tea and cake before I cooked paella, followed by cake….. getting the picture?

The tram stop at the far end of the old quarry

We woke to much rain so after a leisurely breakfast D&P headed off, so we are snuggling with TC as we promised him. Every time we went out we got a look, abandoned again, so today we have the perfect excuse to make it up to him, a movie on a rainy Bank Holiday afternoon!

We found this old abandoned quarry with lots of interesting looking climbing lines, but it doesn't look as though its ever been climbed. First climbing ascents anyone? Thats Jackie hiding in the tree, Denise, Paul and Brian

 

Mum and dad swan with 4 very fluffy adolescent signets, all on the disused Cromford Canal, now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

 

No walk is complete without a pint of real ale at the end. This one at the Hurt Arms in Ambergate and the beer was the Reverend James - fabulous!

 

The fabulous cake that Steph baked for Brians birthday, but look at that huge firework on the top. We decided it wasn't safe to light it indoors, so....

 

We went outdoors in the dark wearing sunglasses to guard against the glare from it. Unfortunately I missed it burning, but believe me, it was fiery and bright - glad we were outside!

 

More birthday celebrations and its not possible to forget my age! '60' candles on the cake, '60' on all birthday cards and, from my daughter, socks, a mug and a place mat all with '60'on them!

 

Geared up and ready for Sundays walk over the gritstone edges of The Peak. There was an ice cream shop, so we started the walk with one

 

Those two green rectangles spell 'E' and 'R' a nice tribute to HM the Queen

 

Brian, Jackie and Denise at the Wellington memorial near the top of Baslow Edge

 

Paul, Jackie and Denise at Eagle Rock, a prominent landmark at Baslow Edge

 

Walking along the edge at Baslow

 

The edges give lots of opportunities for the adventurous to get good photos. Here's one of Jackie

 

And Paul...

 

And lots of Denise pointing.....

 

Yes, lots! Here she is actually pointing to Chatsworth House. Its actually just to the left of those white marquees you can just make out on the left

 

But I also managed to the preparation for the photo!

 

And here she is posting it on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo

 

This is Curbar Edge, a popular gritstone climbing area. You can just see a climber above 'The Peapod' a classic climb HVS 5b

 

Kissing Gate! Denise and Paul on the walk out with Curbar Edge in the background

 

Jackie and Denise on the path alongside the Derwent River

 

On the old bridge over the Derwent back into Baslow

 

Anyone for cricket? The bowler on the right just about to release the ball at the Baslow Cricket Club

Home via Chesterfield and its twisted spire