Castleton

 

At the weekend, we packed our bags and set off for Derbyshire. I'm not certain why I decided it would be a good idea to go away so soon after finishing for the summer, but I keep thinking back to when we were fortunate enough to have visited Sycamore Gap, just a few short weeks before the tree was felled. It has given me a more 'seize the day' attitude. Not that I suspect Mam Tor will be disappearing anytime soon, but you never know.

Having looked at various options, I had booked into the Youth Hostel in Castleton, which is conveniently situated right at the beginning of our walk, and had ample free parking. Better still, there are sheep! Almost as soon as we arrived (it was too early for us to check in), we set off along the track and up the steep slope of Lose Hill. It was perfect weather for walking, mild and with a gentle breeze, and plenty of others clearly felt the same, as it was quite busy up there. After a brief sandwich stop, we then walked right along the ridge to the summit of Mam Tor. There were many more people at this point, because from here Mam Tor can be more easily accessed along a short track, directly up from the road, which is ideal if you want to be able to enjoy the views for a lot less effort.

From here we dropped back down towards the road, passing the Blue John Cavern and on towards Winnats  Pass, which we had driven over on our journey to Castleton. There appears to be  a lot of caverns in this area, Lily's favourite being Peak Cavern, because it is also known as the Devil's Arse!

From here, our route took us through the village, and back to the Youth Hostel, where by this time we were able to check in and go to our room. Tired from our walk, we decided to eat at the hostel that evening, then I had a wander around the grounds and made friends with a goat :)

After a good night's sleep, we enjoyed a delicious cooked breakfast, which set us up for the morning. Our next stop was Chee Dale, and a circular route, which took us a short way along the Monsal Trail, down into a limestone gorge, where we walked across large stepping stones, then back again through some old railway tunnels.

Everywhere was looking especially lush and verdant. The paths were a bit slippery in places, and I got my hands quite muddy, trying to steady myself, while navigating some of the rocks. But thankfully, the stepping stones were quite solid, so at least I didn't need to worry about getting my feet wet.

It was lovely to see all the wildflowers attracting plenty of pollinators, and we even spotted a large heron wading through the water.

J. X