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Autumn Walk October 2018 Hartington Deybyshire,
11/10/2018 - 15/10/2018
Thursday 11th October.
Travel day
Travel day Dick, Paul and Ian went in one car, Andy, Pat and John another meeting at the Old Dog public house at Thorpe for lunch and light refreshment before a warm up walk. Pete Thompson also joined the others for lunch.
The walk was down to the river Dove via Lin Dale up to Ilam Rock and back, though Andy, Paul and John also took in Thorpe Cloud on the way out and crossed the Dove at Ilam Rock to return via Air Cottage and Bunster Hill (very steep climb up from the river) re-crossing the Dove at the stepping stones before returning to the cars to drive on to the Hostel at Hartington.
At the hostel we met Roland and Phil who had come up by train and bus. Their journey was not without incident however. At Leicester Phil got up and started to put his coat on Roland (the font of all knowledge regarding trains) said it was ok sit down, so he took his coat of and sat down. As the train left the station an announcement came over the train stating the next stops. Roland said ***!! Realizing they should have changed at Leicester however all was not lost, they got off at Nottingham getting on a train about to depart to Derby to get back on their original travel plan. The delay did not have much impact as there were later connections and could finish the journey ok. The only thing that suffered was food as the Chippy that they went to was closing and had no chips just the food that was on display.
Once washed and changed it was out for dinner, which was taken in The Devonshire Arms. Here John Stopani joined us as he had driven up after work. He ordered a meal (pie) but found it hard to eat as it had come in its own dish on his plate and when emptying out of the dish had left a serviette under it.
It had been a very windy and overcast day but we managed to stay dry throughout. The rain did not come until we were eating and had stopped by the time we returned to the Hostel which was very lucky.
Friday 12th October.
Steve Bousted and Ben joined us in time for breakfast after an early start.
The weather for the day did not look good as again it was very windy and overcast with the threat of very heavy showers. Though it had been wet at times we had managed to miss the heaviest downpours.
Pete and Phil went to visit Lyme park House but when they got there found it closed due to the weather they then went somewhere else.
All the others set off from the Hostel down Highfield Lane, Biggin Dale to the river Dove. Once at the river Dick returned to the Hostel (his knees were playing him up) walking up the Dove through Wolfscote Dale, Beresford Dale, into Hartington and back to the hostel picking up his car to meet the others at the lunch time stop. The others carried on down the Dove to Milldale, getting a tea at the hole in the wall café before walking up to The George Inn at Alstonefield for lunch. Ian went back with Dick the others walked back via How Narrowdale, Beresford Dale, into Hartington and back to the hostel.
Once back at the Hostel we met Ray Moore and Will (his son-in-law) a surprise addition to the group for the weekend. It was arranged to go to The Devonshire Arms again for dinner as The Charles Cotton was fully booked by The Freaks of The Peaks, a group of Morris people) though some took advantage of the chip van on the green.
Saturday 13th October.
We woke up to another day of winds with the threat of heavy rain at times. We managed to avoid the rain but were windswept by the end of the day.
Roland and Pat went train spotting at a model railway show. Dick went to see his cousin as his knees were still playing him up. Pete went to Hardwick Hall.
The rest walked north of Hartington by the river Dove to Crowdicote, Longnor and The Old Cheshire Cheese for lunch (very good food and ale). After refreshment it was back down the River Manifold as far as Brund then across to Sheen, Hartington to return to the Hostel.
Whilst Roland and Pat were at their show Roland had arranged to go to an AGM of a society he was in and Pat went for a train ride. Earlier Dick had dropped Roland and Pat at Ashbourne as it was on his way. He called them later to say he could pick them up, this was fortunate as Pat had been delayed on his train ride, there were too many leaves on the line, a tree had been blown down across the line. After picking them up at Wirksworth they returned to the hostel.
Once all were washed and changed it was down to the Charles Cotton for dinner it was good but we preferred the Devonshire Arms.
Sunday 14th October.
The rain finally caught up with us it was very persistent and looked in for the day. After breakfast Dick and Pete went to Buxton the rest walked from the hostel along Highfield Lane, Heathcote to the Tissington Trail turning north on it as far as the Hartington signal box. Here they came off to walk a short distance on the road before taking a path across to the High Peak Trail past Leanlow Farm. At the High Peak trail they turned south staying on the trail until Upperhouse Farm where they took a path to Biggin to reach The Waterloo Inn for lunch and a chance to dry out as the rain had been persistent all morning. Pete and Dick joined the others for lunch and were just as wet. There was not a lot of room in the inn as the “Freaks from the Peaks“ were already in there, but this turned out to be most entertaining with music, singing and dancing accompanying our refreshments which were very good. The publican was very helpful fitting in all our orders despite being run off his feet.
After lunch we made our way back to the hostel, luckily it had stopped raining so the trip back was more pleasant. Steve and John took their leave as they had work on Monday. Once all were washed and dried out we had dinner in the hostel before wandering down to the village for an after dinner drink.
Monday 14th October.
We woke up to another wet morning so it was decided that after breakfast we would go straight home, there is nothing worse than sitting in a car on the way home in wet gear.
It had been another great weekend with many memories for all.
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