Walking in Derbyshire

 

Cowslips by the path leading to a tunnel

 

 

Gorse on the hillsides

 

Cold afternoon in the Goyt Valley!

It is a wonderful thing to be able to enjoy the blessings of the countryside in spite of old age. Of course, it is not essential to be able to walk but you can get to far more places if a few miles can be managed in reasonable comfort.

 

 

We have just returned from a break-away in the Derbyshire Peal District. In places there is little to be seen other than wild moorland, only broken by limestone walling. Other areas, sheep and cows graze on

Mum calls from the top but babies can't make it!

rich grass watered by many streams flowing down from rocky peaks. And, out of sight of both traffic on roads and roaming walkers are the magnificent deep dales flowing with sparkling water. Out of sight that is until the spot is reached where these glorious glimpses of heaven suddenly come into view. To add to the blessings of nature are the old railway tracks, now devoid of rails, that once carried passengers and goods to the remote areas where mills stood by rushing streams, country houses and villages nestled in valleys, mines and quarries worked by strong men with muscles earned by toil. These railways were cut through rock and hillsides and sometimes built on raised ground. Other footpaths follow the edge of rivers and mount hillsides, but wherever the walker wanders there are views to make the heart sing, wild flowers to enhance the senses and wild life to gladden the eye.

Monseldale

 

 

 

Here I am putting a few photographs of Goyt Valley, Monseldale, Milldale and Wolfscotedale. All taken in May 2009 when an abundance of wild flowers lifted colourful petals to golden sunlight filtering through trees with young leafy growth – sweetly green as only seen in spring. Here we saw ducks with their young swimming on rivers, and laughed at the mother duck calling to her little ones to follow her up the steep weir — they couldn’t fly up so swam around looking for a way to follow. No use mum quacking, she had to turn back and take them in the opposite direction. And what magnificent engineering we saw — railway tunnels and bridges spanning the deep valleys.

The old mills are now lovely apartments!

 

Typical Derbyshire houses and bridge

Tags: Derbyshire, landscape, mills, old railways, rivers, wild flowers, wildlife