Eighteen adults of sound mind, decided they had had enough of sitting in, looking out at the raindrops sliding down their windows and came out in a goodly number to experience it at first hand. Wise? Well at least it blew the cobwebs away and increased the oxygen in their vascular systems. A good test for our wet wear gear too, some needing an upgrade, others, who were still dry underneath, happy with their lot. With heads down there wasn’t a great deal to look at, but with the added incentive of walking paths, most had not set foot on until this day. I had planned the walk sometime ago, with the idea of avoiding mud, for the most part I think it was a success, later, being able to walk into the Quarry Café, at the end of the walk and not leaving a trail of mud behind me.

The route is fairly simple to explain. We set out from the National Stone Centre car park, to walk east along the High Peak Trail for one and a half miles, leaving it to join Intake Lane for a short way up to Birch Wood, walking its southern edge for a half a mile, turning right to walk parallel to it along the Midshires Way, to the woods a half mile distant. Here we stopped, with Fir trees for shelter, for our morning break. After which, we made our way over Cromford Moor, through Big Plantation, along paths, previously described as a Wibley Wobbley Woodland Way, eventually to find ourselves at the foot of the Trig point atop Bole Hill. After a brief stop and a photo, we made our way steeply downhill, passing to the west of Black Rocks to rejoin the High Peak Trail. Soon leaving this to cross over Cromford Hill road and so by the shortest route possible making our way back to the car park. Most of us making our way down to the Quarry Café to pay our parking fees, that facility not being available when we started the walk at ten o’clock. More than half staying on for a cuppa and a warm, before making our way home. Thanks to all for making this a pleasant experience, weather excepted.