A walk around Bakewell to Rowsley

On Tuesday, we did a very short walk of only 4.5 miles. We'd had a very busy and hot week, and felt we needed to take it a bit easy on our day off this week. Still, that didn't stop me having a go on a rope swing we found!
Not too many pics, but a lovely walk through the local manners woods to Rowsley.
Les

The walk started from our door, and headed up over Bakewell golf course. See the hammer and metal 'bell'? You have to ring this to let golfers know you're crossing.

Safely over the course, this is the view back.
With the zoom, you can just see the church spire.


It was a lovely, hot and sunny day, but we had the trees to shelter us from the hot rays.

This time of year is great for foraging in the woods, as there are lots of small, sweet raspberries to pick and eat. We saw evidence of lots more to come - this time blackberries, we estimated in about three weeks time.

The foxgloves are out too, and make a nice foreground for any picture.

A simple plant, but I like to see it - the fern. This is one of natures BEST examples of a 'fractal' (a snowflake is another). A fractal is a simple shape, repeated over and over. If you look at the fern leaf as a whole, it's a sort of xmas tree shape. Then, if you look at one of the smaller fronds on that leaf, it's the same shape. Look deeper, even the pattern ON the frond is the same!

This is me, just about to launch myself on a rope swing we found in the woods.
I really should grow up, before I hurt myself!

On walks, if you keep your eyes peeled, you can see SO much. This little toad crossed our path.

We emerged from the woods to a beautiful sky. The view back to Bakewell was lovely too.

Rosebay willow herb (I think).
'Only a weed'. some might say.
Not me!

A cheeky horse - no need for that!

One more short section of woods before we emerged to join a minor track, and reach our goal - Rowsley. We went to the local pub for lunch before making our way home.

The Peacock at Rowsley.
A really nice place to look at, but the stone peacock on the roof is the 'piece de resistance'.

After that, we just caught a bus back to Bakewell.
A steady, relaxing day, but we needed it.

Rope swing in the woods above Bakewell

.......we came across this rope swing in the woods above Bakewell, while we were on a walk.
Anyone with any sense would walk by.
The drop, if the rope broke, was about 30 feet down a steep bank.
Also, that tree was solid!
I should be more sensible, I suppose :-)

Short Hartington walk

Today we just did a short walk starting from Hartington, home of the famous Stilton cheese.

We got an early surprise when we set off, as we saw this car....noticed the strange registration, then realised what it was. It was one of a special edition Morris Minor to mark the 1,000,000th Minor sold. They were all done in this (horrible) colour.

A set of steps that has had a LOT of feet up it.

If only they could talk.

Looking over the wall from the track out of Hartington, heading towards Biggin dale.
The meadows are really a joy to behold.

This fine example of a red poppy did not escape my notice (or lens).

Looking down Biggin dale.

At the end of the dale, the path joins with Wolfscote dale.

There's this big rock, which I HAD to climb........

That's me waving, no zoom on this one.

The others were not impressed, and walked off!

A thistle fronts this lovely sky.

A gorgeous bunch of marsh marigolds.

The path walks gently by the river, and this shot shows that there were few people about today.

At the end of Wolfscote, a look back reveals this lovely house set in the woods.

And that was it - as I said, only about 7 miles, and a little overcast, so not as many pictures today. A nice little walk all the same.

Bradford and Lathkill dales.

Again, Tuesday came and we had good weather. We have some really lovely scenery and places right on our doorstep, and the two green and beautiful dales of Bradford and Lathkill are just ten minutes drive from where we live. Lathkill is said to be one of, if not THE, cleanest rivers in Europe. The waters have a very distinctive sparkle, that's for sure. I know there are Kingfishers in Bradford dale, but so far I've never been lucky enough to see one there.

We parked at Alport, simply crossed the road and entered Bradford dale. The river Bradford bubbled at our side as we set off.

Under the trees, and through the gate.

This would be my personal version of a set of pearly gates leading to heaven :-)

At this time of year, green is the colour! These dales are resplendent in their Summer mantle of green, and we never get tired of looking at it.

Sue stands on my favourite bridge at Middleton-by-Youlgreave.
I have an oil painting of this scene that a friend did for me a long time ago. It looks JUST the samed today. The painting originally had a clear, blue sky but I asked for little white clouds to be put in - just like the ones below.

Locals make the most of the July sunshine and swim and splash in the river.

A fine example of a 'clapper bridge'.
You see these bridges a lot in the Peak district.
A clapper bridge is simply a set of stone slabs over a river or stream.

Another one, further up the river.

Ducks too had their share of relaxation and 'fine tuning' of the feathers for maximum waterproofing.

A final flap to make sure all's well.

We were being WATCHED!

A stile in a stone wall.

So easy to say, but such a thing of beauty when bathed in sunshine, reflected off the white limestone.

We heard many a skylark's song today. The terrain was perfect for them, so we lay down in a field and watched as one ascended high, high into the blue sky, before dropping like a stone to the ground. I managed to get a shot of this one before she sneaked off to wherever her nest was.

We crossed a stile at Low Moor and saw this sight of Lathkill dale ahead.

Even the lanes are delight to walk on a day like today.

I love the way the walls are not so high in Derbyshire (like in Wales, for instance) that you can't see over them. There's just so MUCH to see!

Monyash church peeps over the treetops to welcome us into the village.

We were getting a bit pushed for time really, as we were being picked up by friends at 7:30PM, and it was already mid-afternoon and we still had about 5 miles to walk.

We took refreshment in 'The Old Smithy' at Monyash before setting off down Lathkill dale, and the second leg of our 11 mile walk.

I always sigh at the views up and over a ridge on a lovely day. The blue, white and the green are just MADE for each other!

This is a dramatic view ahead of the second half of Lathkill dale. Steep, limestone escarpments abound here.

This waterfall can be spectacular after rains, but today it was in the same mood as us - relaxed.

We always enjoy walking through the excessive vegetation at this time of year (except for nettles!). Here's Sue being almost swallowd by the riverside greenery.

Ever deeper!

Almost at the end of the walk, and it's 6:15PM - good job we don't have far to go to get home!

This is 'Raper lodge', just outside Youlgreave village.

It always look spooky to me. I don't like the place, but it does make for an atmospheric photograph.

And that was it, another one 'in the tin', as the old lead miners used to say.

As you can see, the sky was darkening now, and sure enough, later on it POURED with rain, but by this time, we were looking at it over a nice steak and a good bottle if wine!