23rd july walk (continued)

I am sorry about this, but I have got these posts back to front! This was done before I learned how to use blogger best. You should read the first part (which is beneath this posting) first - thanks.

This is Foolow, an archetypal limestone village that vies for the title of 'prettiest village in Derbyshire', an accolade Tissington likes to assume, but for me, this is the winner as the ducks are more friendly!

I sat on a thoughtfully placed bench seat and had my lunch by the village pond, some of which HAD to go to the ducks (and the cheeky chicken).

This pristine old Jag' looked right in place outside the chocloate-box cottage. It was absolutely spotless, as was the interior, with walnut dash and twin rally clocks. (The only thing that looked wrong was the digital clock on the dashboard???).

This super view was from just outside Great Hucklow. This is my favourite type of sky, with the azure blue complimented by the fluffy white clouds.


I don't know why, but old barns are just SO photogenic, don't you agree? In Yorkshire, there is a scheme to 'do up' the dilapidated ones, and I would like to think this could be done here too.

Along with the stone walls, these ubiquitous buildings are part of the Peak district and I love them.

Sitting on high, looking towards Win Hill (the little bump on the horizon ridge). There was an incredible 360 degree panorama from here.



I hear that we have lost quite a few of our butterflies in this country. Only 76 species remain, half a dozen of which are on the endangered list. It's such a shame, as they are my favourite insect. I have a buddleia
bush to attract and feed them in my garden. You can find out more here;

http://www.butterflygarden.co.uk/plants/buddleia.htm

The last leg of the walk was out of Litton and above Cressbrook dale. The limestone lump you can see in the dale is Peter stone. At the end of the dale is Wardlow Mires, where the Three Stags Heads pub is. If you've never been there, it's a really good experience, JUST like stepping back 100 years. The dog is king, and the food is just like we used to eat, with such delicacies as Rook pie, jugged hare or rabbit, and MUTTON!!!! Mmmmmm - I LOVE Mutton. You CAN get a curry as well, if you want to, but whatever you do - DON'T sit in the chair by the fire - that's ROY'S place, and woebetide anyone who sits there when he is behind the bar, they get short shrift, and a sharp word!

Almost back at the car now, and a look back and down to the Monsal viaduct, part of the old Buxton to Bakewell line. You can find out more about the line and its history here;

http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk/monsaltrail.htm

Walk one, Longstone, Foolow, Hucklow, Tideswell, Cressbrook walk. 23.07.2006

This blog is all about pictures. If you want to see my pictures, well come back and visit often! Here I am, yours truly, Les - enjoying the perfect view on the perfect day. The weather has been VERY hot of late, a Summer at LAST, in fact! Today, I expected to be fried, but a cooling waft of a breeze and a little cloud turned the conditions into ideal for a walk. It was only 13 miles, but it had everything.

I hope you like these walks, this being the first, and I would ask you to please sign the visitors book, that way I'll know if what I'm doing is right.

This next images show you the well dressing at Little Longstone, this custom of dressing up the water sources in the villages is peculiar to Derbyshire. It takes a LOT of work and time to do these creations. They are made of only natural things, mostly petals and seeds. In the first one, you can see the dressing and the water troughs, in the second picture, a close-up of the detail of the 'ingredients' the dressing is made up of. A definative guide to where the well dressings are can be found here; http://sinfin.net/welldressing/welldressing.html

I am now going to do a second post, as I can't suss out how to get several pictures in a blog, with text between them?

The Lord save us from amateurs, eh?