Limestone Way day 4. Thorpe - Rocester 17 May 2022

 Hottest day of the year so far. 9 miles planned to finish the trail, but predictably an extra mile added due to a nav error just after Lordspiece.

Really glad of the decision not to have Meg with me on this trek. It was too hot for her and there were several fields with cows and calves in.

On the way out of Thorpe

River Dove near Thorpe

View from Marten Hill

Marten Hill to Elastone leg

These guys wanted to join me for the walk

I met one other walker during the whole walk and he was amazingly on a Lands End to John O Groats epic. Total respect!!

The other notable event was freeing a lamb which had its head stuck in a fence. Really glad I managed that, as the other option would have been to break out from the walk and find a farm to inform them.

Church in Rocester

Bridge at Elastone

Looking down to the JCB works at Rocester

Great walk but sore ankles again!. I made it back home after about two hours of public transport (all free however)

About 10 miles with the nav error.

Limestone Way Day 3 Bonsall - Thorpe May 13th 2022

 After my ankle problems from days 1 and 2 I decided to complete the second half of the trail as two non-consecutive days. So this was day 3 Bonsall to Thorp. Anne kindly gave me a lift to Bonsall and dropped me off at the same pont she picked me up from when I finished day 2.

Conditions were good for walking with gusty winds at times. The going was good and navigation wass fine except for one section between Parwich and Tissington where I went wrong and probably clocked an extra mile.

Using the Derbyshire Dales leaflet the first section was Bonsall to High Peak Trail (4 Miles)

Next leg was High Peak Trail to Tissington (5.5 Miles). There are some lovely old churches along this section at Ballidon, Parwich and Tissington.

Tissington Church

Church near Ballidon

Climbing away from Parwich

Parwich Church

The last leg was Tissington to Thorpe (2 miles). Unfortunately the ankle pain was back which spoiled the pleasure to some degree. Anne picked me up at Thorpe church and the end of the walk.

Thorpe Cloud

Overall a very enjoyable walk. About 12.5 miles (including navigation errors)

Limestone Way May 3 and 4 2022

 Start of a two day trek along te Limestone Way. Castleto to Bonsall. 

This was my first attempt at backpacking a route, so I set off with a 28lbs pack on my back.

Anne gave me a lift to Castleton at the start of the walk. The start of Cave Dale was a short walk from the car park where Anne dropped me off.

This was my first time with a heavy sack(28 lbs) on a long walk. The climb up Cave Dale was a great start to the walk - brilliant scenery and a good climb to the top of the dale. I was using the Derbyshire Dales route leaflet which is an excellent summary of the route (obviously the OS map and GPS support were in my sack if needed). First section was Castleton to Mount Pleasant Farm. After Cave Dale the route was a pleasant grassy track with lovely views. After the farm I crossed the busy A623 and headed on a minor road for a short way before heading right on a rough , stony path down to the start of Hay Dale.

Hay Dale then led to Peters Dale , and the a bit of road walking (uphill) to a footpath along the edge of Monksdale before dropping down to Millers Dale. Apart from the road walking I loved this part of the walk...beautiful and peacful through the dales.

Viaducts below Millers Dale

Millers Dale

Flagg Church

After climbing up from Millers Dale to Flagg there was a straightforward route to Monyash. The Lathkill Dale Campsite at Monyash is brilliant. Great pitches with a picnic bench on each pitch. Pleased to set the Lanshan tent up OK with no drama. After a cup of tea (Maple Fire jetboil type cooker was perfect) I headed to the pub for a pint and meal.

Baby rabbit about 20 ft from my tent with not a care in the world!

Home for the night

Ready to go for day 2

I had a crap night ... couldn't sleep ... too cold, and then at daybreak pissing rain for about 3 hours. when I finally started packing ip my ankles had locked up and I was limping / stumbling about as I packed up. Really dissapointed that everything else was OK - no shoulder ache, no blisters, energy levels great, but my ankles seized up ! First few miles were painful but I soon got into it.

Next Section  May 4th- Monyash - Youlgreave - Winster.

As mentioned, the first few miles were painful, but I soon got into it. The climb down and up Cale Dale was steep - one really steep tricky bit going down and then the up was a muscle burning stairway to heaven!.

On the way out of Monyash

Old Pig Stiles at One Ash Grange Farm

Cale Dale Way Down

Cale Dale

Stairway to Heaven

The tracks across fields from the top of Cale Dale to the edge of Bradford Dale was straightforward.

Top of Bradford Dale

Lovely stone bridge over the River Bradford

Bradford Dale

Looking down the hill to Youlgreave

Looking down to the lake near Youlgreave

Looking back from the to[ of the hill looking back to Youlgreave

Robin Hoods Stride

Lead Ore House on the outskirts of Winster

After the climb up Duddon Lane it was a straightforward walk across Bonsall Moor to Bonsall Upper Town, where Anne kindly picked me up. Ankles shot....need to research how to strengthen them.

Link to a few short clipsLimestone Way vids

Great adventure. 26 miles through the heart of Derbyshire. OS OL24 and the Derbyshire Dales Limestone leaflet.