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Autumn 1996 - Peak District (Hartington, Meerbrook, Gradbatch, Ilam)
Those walking Barry Clen-Murphy, Wayne Clen-Murphy, Norman Hart, Dick Grundy, Dick McKay, Graham Busch, Dave Worsley, Paul Keech and John Creasey (Friday to Sunday).
Thursday 3rd October
Dick, Barry, Wayne and Norman travelled together to Hartington stopping off at Youlgrave for a circular walk round Youlgrave, up Lath kill Dale and back to the car at Youlgrave, Graham and Dick McKay met the others at Hartington hostel before going for sustenance at the Devonshire Arms. Dave went on the train and walked to Hartington from Cromford also meeting us at the hostel. Paul met us in the pub later as he had worked all day. It had been a miserable day with showers very heavy towards the end.
Friday 4th October
Everybody was in shock this morning, as Dave did not snore at all during the night.
The weather was fine to start with although visibility was good a misty haze always hung around with showers later.
The cars were left behind and we started our walk to Meerbrook our route took us via Sheen, Brund, Shawfield, and across to the Mermaid for lunch. After lunch we went across to Upper Hulme along the underside of The Roaches and down to Meerbrook. On the way down walking through a farm as one often does on these walks Paul got bitten by a dog the only one of about 8 that was not tied up.
The weather had been mostly fine with the odd shower but again very hazy spoiling the views.
John joined us that evening having to come up after work. The hostel was only a hundred yards from the pub but as it poured with rain you still got wet. Roland and Alison visited, as they were at a wedding in the region and not walking. We were the only group in the hostel so took advantage and put Dave in a room by himself, just as well even the part time wardens complained about the floorboards groaning in sympathy with Dave's snoring.
Saturday 5th October
Breakfast was taken at the pub, as the hostel did not provide a one. The weather was better; today the route was over The Roaches to Hangingstone Farm to Danebridge for lunch at the Ship. A pub well able to cope with all users of the countryside but despite having a separate bar for walkers with a stone floor you still had to take your boots off to get a drink. The beer was ok but the landlord made it hard work to make money with his attitude to customers. After lunch we walked to the hostel at Gradbatch.
After a wash and brush up we walked to the pub. No mean feat as the path out of the hostel went straight up on a grassy slope, not too bad on the way out, the pub was great the landlord had come from Leighton Buzzard and could not do enough for us even opening up early as we did not realise that it did not open until 19:00. The walk back was ok until we got to the dreaded hill were most people slipped over at least once apart from Norman who got a lift. Dave was nearly strangled during the night by a stranger- now he believes us when we say he snores!
Sunday 6th October
A miserable day John wanted to get his car to Ilam so he could get away that night so Dave and Dick Grundy went with him arranging to meet the others at the Devonshire Arms in Hartington. We walked up the Dove not so nice on a dreary day but saw plenty of Dippers, Trout, Grayling? and a Kingfisher.
Dick McKay and Graham went off for a walk then straight home.
The others made good time on their walk from Gradbach and met us in the pub before driving back to Ilam. John and Dave went home after a wash.
Arrival at the hostel caused some problems as there was a marathon walk based at the hostel and all catering and organisational needs for the walkers were in the throws of being completed. This had tied up the staff of the hostel causing us some delay in getting checked in; eventually we were allocated a room and given directions to get there. Now the fun started half way along we had to pass throuh a fire door that was locked, the staff were informed and we were given a key, the key did not work again the staff were informed and assistance arrived, they also could not undo the lock. After some discussion by the staff they tried an alternate route and arrived at the other side of the door, but still the key did not work. Technical support was called for and arrived in the form of a pair of Molegrips, which proved to be the undoing of the lock; we then got to our room. Later we found the lock mechanism had been removed. After a wash and change we went looking for refreshment.
The Isaac Walton Hotel did not serve food on Sunday so we tried the Dog and Partridge at Thorpe. That didn't serve food either so we went to Ashbourne were we ate and found some interesting pubs.
Wayne was found sleeping difficult during the night saying that Norman in particular had been snoring, so he had gone to sleep in the corridor, nobody else had any trouble though.
Monday 7th October
After breakfast we drove to the bottom of Dovedale, parked the car and walked up to Milldale for a Coffee and then back to the car to come back home a non eventful day.
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