Derbyshire Weekend, 15th & 16th August 2015 - the Ben Nevis Challenge

It's rumoured that these walks were chosen because together the ascents (600m on Saturday, 760m on Sunday) exceed the height of Ben Nevis - just.  There is no truth in this - it's just coincidence.  Anyway, thanks for coming and especially to Glen for his guiding on both the recces and the walks themselves.

 Saturday's walk  started in Eyam village ...
  and took us past Eyam Hall ...
... and reminders of the plague, including Riley's Graves on the outskirts of Eyam.
Looking back at the quarries in Middleton Dale
Then it was a descent to the Derwent at Froggatt Bridge and a walk in the woods to Nether Padley and then on to Greasy Joe's cafe at Grindelford Station at the entrance to the Totley Tunnel.  Completed in 1893 on the Sheffield to Manchester line, at 6,230 yards long it is the second longest railway tunnel in the UK

Then along past Padley Manor ...
... and down to the river near Kettle House.

 Crossing the river at Leadmill Bridge we walked above Highlow Brook with views of Burbage Edge ...
... and Stanage Edge above Hathersage.

We skirted the northern edge of Eyam Moor through Highlow Wood up to the junction of the remote Abney and Bretton Cloughs ...
... before climbing up over the moor and back to Eyam.



Sunday's walk was in the limestone area to the west of Matlock, an area infrequently visited by walkers if any  evidence of paths is anything to go by.  Leadmining was common in this area and remains of mines and spoil heaps abound.

 Starting near the Derwent ...
 
... at Darley Bridge we followed field paths, tracks and green lanes up to the highest point of the walk (330m) near Bottom Leys Farm ...
... before descending to Bonsall for a late lunch.

Kings Head, Bonsall - the breakaways
T'owd man of Bonsall (one of many on our walk)
Then it was back to Darley Bridge, up and over (again) past the well-hidden Jug Holes.  These are both natural caverns and mine workings and the site is recognised for its special scientific interest which embraces many disciplines, including speleology, geology, mining history and industrial archaeology.
Brian reconsiders his back flip into the Jug Hole