Around Hathersage guided by Mollie

We have a vague plan for a walk and meet at the car park in the centre of Hathersage. It takes a while to sort out the parking, the option to pay by card is great....but the connection considerably less so, meaning digging out all our loose change.
We leave the cars and head out, turn left and down the hill under the railway bridge. Soon we turn onto a footpath on the left.

 The footpath takes us along a lane that is more of a driveway at the side of the river. We pass through a gate and pass a couple of farmers erecting some pens for sheep, then another gate takes us into the edge of the woodland.

We have a rough idea of where we are going, and know that the map isn't going to be a huge amount of help due to the myriad paths here.

We spot the uphill path we need and take it, stooping under a few low branches as we climb.

We follow on in what we hope is the right direction, and eventually cross over the railway line by a high bridge, feeling smug that we have succeeded this far.

We veer off to the right and make our way across rough grazing and through thin copses of trees, Padley chapel the next on our route.

We don't stop at the chapel this time, but continue on to the left hand path that leads up between the lovely houses here, then through the gate at the top into Padley Wood.

Here again we are into the 'vague idea' of where we are going. We walk uphill and find another path that doubles back on the one we are on, still climbing though. We take it and eventually reach a gate at the top. Once through we pause to get our bearings and Mollie is greeted enthusiastically by three children out with their parents for a walk. When they leave the refrain of "can we have a dog, please" continues until we are out of earshot.

The gate has brought us out onto the moor across from the Surprise View and Mother Cap in the distance. We turn left and skirt the woods to a wall then head towards the road.

Clambering over another stile we find a lovely sunny spot to have lunch where we can admire the view as a low flying plane crosses in front of us.

Despite the sun it isn't the warmest of days so we soon pack up and are on our way, making it up as we go along now. We know we are heading in roughly the right direction - sort of towards Hathersage again. The views are glorious and it is almost a shame to have to be walking back.

Yet again it is a mix of paths here, and as we seem to be approaching the road we veer left and Mollie takes over. Admittedly the map isn't a huge amount of use to us, though we know we aren't actually lost, but we carry on with Mollie trotting happily in front.

We pass some farm buildings, then as we start to go down the long drive Mollie pulls us onto a narrow muddy path away from the drive. Well, she is in charge. We follow her and the  steep path widens out into a broad swathe that takes us under the railway line.

Clearly the girl knows exactly where she is heading as trots happily in front, negotiating the criss-cross of paths in this part of the woods. And sure enough, we arrive back at the gate that we orginally came through into the woods in the first place. Mollie gets extra biscuits for being so smart, then it is a steady and short walk retracing our steps back to Hathersage. 

Thanks to Mollie, today's walk has been excellent.

An Amble in Padley Woods

Our plans for a walk have been sent awry by the grim weather this moring. As we sit in our cars in the car park at Surprise View we have a view of sorts, of the rain sweeping across the landscape. Time for a drink and a bun (cream eclair) before we set foot into the murk.

This is PC's birthday walk, so the extra bun is an essential, and comes in quite handy as we wait for the rain to pass, which it does eventually.

We muffle up as, although the rain has stopped it still feels rather cold. And after we have crossed the road and gone onto the narrow track down to the brook we discover that the rain has left the path slick with mud. We just need to be careful.

By the time we have slithered down to the water the sun is making an attempt to shine, and Mollie eagerly awaits a biscuit (one of the few words that guarantees her instant attention!)

The water looks particularly lovely with the sun glinting off it, but it also looks very cold. Wouldn't like to dip a toe in that.

We keep to the right hand side of the water as we amble downhill, and every now and then are rewarded by the bright glow of late autumn leaves.

We have decided against anything that resembles a strenuous walk - we have set off far too late and , to be honest, are feeling too lazy. It has got a little warmer so, encouraged, we find a fallen tree and settle down to lunch, with some apricot wine and our second bun - cheesecake this time.

Once happily sustained we set off again, heading for the bridge across the brook. Alas, it is not merely slippery going down to it, but boot-squelchingly muddy too. Mollie skips through easily enough but we have a job to keep our balance as we teeter on the odd protruding rock or stray branch.

We make it eventually, and from the bridge are rewarded with a lovely view upstream.

We climb up the path at the far side and the sun shining through the trees is particularly lovely here.

The copper colour of the beech trees, and the fallen leaves, are like walking in a golden landscape.

We have an interesting down-up to traverse as we cross a deep stream but we don't give the nearby workman on the road anything to laugh at as we manage with a fair degree of agility!

From here it is a continuing stroll along the high bank of the brook and to where we cross the bridge back to the other side.

We take the path across the moor towards the outcrop where what seems to be a small film crew are following a single young man posing on the rocks. He's there a long time, flinging his arms wide to the elements. We try to ignore him - it is rather surreal after all.

We get back to the car and yes, he is still on his rock, posing, although some of his crew - or maybe just interested onlookers - have returned to their car too. They may have to hurry up though, the light is beginning to fade and there is a fair chance of rain again.

We, however, have to return home and are glad that the weather, eventually, stayed fine.