We start a New Year with a visit to an old friend. Yes, back to Derwent to try to ease away a few of the accumulated pounds that Christmas brings. We neither are feeling terribly active, so plump for a familiar walk that will take little effort, mentally or physically. But we will do it in reverse, for a smidge more interest.
Our usual car parking spot is still thankfully free of parking meters, but we wonder how long for as they seem to be creeping alongside the reservoirs at a rate of knots. No doubt by summer there will be no free parking at all.
It's pleasantly mild (ish) for the time of year and there are quite a few people about considering it is mid week. Still, we set off with high hopes and a spring in our step. It is so good to be out.
The dam is overflowing - not too much but enough to make it look rather attractive rather than scary. And it is scary when the water comes thundering over in a white wall of sheer energy and power.
We take the steep path up the side and emerge onto the track, which we follow and give Mollie the chance to be off the lead for a while.
As usual, it is quieter at this side of the reservoirs with all the people clustering around Fairholmes. We carry on until we find the steep path up to our right - did I say we were taking it easy today?
Quite muddy at the bottom, and climbing rapidly it is a bit of a pull (and a paddle with the overflowing stream) but we are getting lovely views behind us.
We reach the 4-way footpath sign and turn right. It's relatively level now - we are quite high up, and as we cross the moor we are alone. This, we remind ourselves, is what it is all about.
Over the stile at the top and we start looking for our lunch spot. It's fairly bleak up here, but there is a stone wall and after a bit of scouting we find a couple of large flat stones and, with our backs to the wall and our faces to the view, we settle down for lunch.
Plans of dieting are thrown to the four winds when PC produces two homemade apple turnovers (made by her daughter) and they are superb. Mollie is hopeful, but unsuccessful. She must satisfy herself with dog biscuits!
It is flat and a little boggy here, and we meet the only two other walkers this high up, two similarly aged women. Great minds, and all that.
The views range as far as Lost Lad and Mam Tor in a 180 degree sweep, and for a brief spell the sun comes out.
The moors are lit up looking golden and inviting, but the photos don't show how cold it has actually become.
The descent down towards the reservoirs gives us more good views.
But once we get close to the trees the views disappear and we are on a slightly muddy track making our way to the narrow road around the side of Ladybower.
By the time we reach the bottom the winter sun is already dropping rapidly, the clouds are amassing and the temperature is starting to fall. We have, however, managed to have a dry and extremely good first walk of the New Year.
