Today was our last day walking in the Peak District national park, and our quite popular walking route took us up alongside a river once again. We started in Dovedale, and followed the river Dove from the start to very near Hartington where we have been staying. The path had many beautiful points, but it was similar to other walks we have recently completed. The weather was sunny, clear and very warm, which was lucky for us visually.
She Said:
A note – it used
to be that farm tractors lumbered along countryside roads and lanes and blocked
traffic behind them for miles. Well, the
next generation of farmer and tractor have met.
Newer tractors are much more powerful and this generation’s farmer is
quite happy to drive his tractor fast.
No more slowpoke farmers!
Today’s walk
took us through Dovedale, supposedly the most popular walk in all of England
(so we’ve heard from several people, all from this area).
The weather
was fine and we set off with a spring in our step!
It is easy
to see why Dovedale is a popular walk. First of all, the path is flat. It runs alongside the River Dove, so no hill
climbing (outside of a short, small climb up, then down, at the very
beginning). There are huge rock
formations along the dale (valley) walls – pinnacles and sheer rock faces and
caves that, surely, the Neolithic people inhabited.
The River
Dove is full of duck families with loads of duck kids. Also loads of beautiful trout. We passed what looked like an exclusive
fishing lodge (BMWs, Mercedes) and the next few miles along the river were
dotted with fitted out fisherman fly casting from private banks and
footbridges. Hip boots and very
elaborate vests.
We ate 1st
Lunch in Milldale, a dreamy little village (more like a hamlet – maybe 7
houses?) in the shade on a rock near the river.
Serene.
Mr. Scree reared
his ugly head again for a mile or so.
Scree makes for tough walking – very uneven path and sharp rocks
underfoot. But, we made it out onto a
fine, grassy field up a bit and then down to our home in Hartington. We joined, then passed a group of 15-20
walkers who have been walking together for 20 years. Well done, them.
Back in
Hartington, we stopped in the local church – St. Giles (1298). As with all
churches, St. Giles honors the town’s war dead.
They have a very sweet tradition, though, that I had not seen in any
other church. There is a binder for each
local man that died in WWl. The first
pages tell exactly where he was born, what his family was like, what he loved
to do as a boy, what work he did as a man before he went to war. The next pages are copies of his military
papers and tell what he did in the war and where he was stationed. The last few pages tell where he was killed,
and, if known, how. Each binder’s cover
says “Lest We Forget” and has the name of the soldier underneath that. Very powerful.
St. Giles
happens to be having their “Festival of Talents” weekend this weekend (we’ll
miss it as we take the train to the Cotswolds tomorrow). Local people display their talents, along
with beautiful floral arrangements that have been arranged by the Church
Committee. Rag Rugs, Felted Pictures and
Animals, Quilts, Wedding Cakes and Sugar Flowers, Beekeeping everything, Wood
Bowls, Floral Potpourri, A Horse Groomer.
A nice look at what seems like a sleepy village. Industrious and talented villagers!
Miles - 8
Photos:
Dovedale
A Wagtail
Ilam spire
Into Milldale
to the upper dales
Nearing Hartington
Hartington
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