2 Apr 25 Goyt Valley Leader: Marie, Length of walk: 11 miles, Driving Distance: 23 miles, Number walking: 16
The walk starts at the free Derbyshire Bridge car park . Postcode SK17 6TT What3words /// spins.hardening.spin
This is just on the slip road off the A537 by the Cat and Fiddle on Macclesfield-Buxton road.
Click here to see the route
On a glorious sunny but cool day the walkers assembled in the car park and noted that the toilets were still out of action. They climbed up the road to the Cat and Fiddle and then went down the path to Errwood reservoir. With benches providing the seating, the leader supplied parkin to sustain the walkers for the climbs to come. There were no complaints about walking along the side of the reservoir except for one unfortunate incident when a frog was spotted walking by the side of the road. Most people would find that slightly interesting, but if Christopher Hughes had put a frog down your back on your 8th birthday, you would have a bad reaction to amphibians. Christopher, if you are reading this you need to deliver a fulsome and sincere apology.
After crossing the dam wall, the group started to climb what is now a tarmac road but was built as the Bunsal incline on the Cromford and High Peak railway. Wagons were hauled up the steep incline by a stationary steam engine. The walkers had no such assistance but varied the struggle by leaving the road and followed a path over fields to add to the distance. When the path returned to a road at the top of a hill, the route returned to the track of the railway, which follows the contours of the hillside as if it were a canal; it was a very early railway, and engineers knew how to build canals.
When the path of the old railway ran into a bricked-up tunnel, it was time for lunch and the walkers recharged their batteries for the climb over Burbage Edge.
Buxton lay on the far side, but the walkers only touched the edge of the town before climbing for the return to the car park. The leader offered a choice: take the challenging full route of 11 miles across rough vegetation or stay on the Buxton old road, which is shorter but has a surface composed of large lumps of rubble. Several ladies chose the rubble route and the back marker joined them as the token man in case of further frog-related incidents. Well, you never know.
The rubble group sat smugly in the sunshine at the car park waiting for the rest of the walkers to arrive.
16 Apr 25 Ilam Leader: Peter, Length of walk: 9.5 miles, Driving Distance: 32 miles, Number walking: 17
The walk starts at Ilam Hall car park DE6 2AZ (National Trust bring your membership cards for free parking), What 3 Words jaws.silently.melts, Grid Reference SK13055 50889
Click here to see the route
The previous few days had been warm and sunny, but this day was bitterly cold and wet. Nevertheless, one walker did turn out in shorts and received lots of sympathy and probably secret admiration. He claimed not to be suffering from the cold on his legs, but his fingers felt it.
After the usual mass visit to the toilet at Ilam Hall, the walkers set out for the River Manifold passing large numbers of sheep and new-born lambs and trying to avoid collecting too much sheep muck on their boots.
After leaving the riverside, the leader called a coffee stop and issued lemon cake to the walkers, who needed calories to keep them going in the cold. The rain had stopped by this stage.
By comparison with the 2024 walk over the same route, there was much less mud and no standing water. In fact, large parts of the ground showed cracks where the soil had dried out. This made walking easier.
The route down to the River Dove at Mapleton passes Okeover Hall, which has been occupied by the Okeover family since the time of William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror. This leaves plenty of time for the family to forget that they have a cottage on the hill above the hall. The building is now derelict but is the regular stop for lunch when the group passes. On this occasion the walkers forced an entry to the building to find shelter from the wind and rain but left it in impeccable condition afterwards.
On the return leg along the side of the River Dove, the resident photographer prepared to take a bridge picture when a passing stranger insisted on including him in the shot to ensure that his shorts were recorded.
