2 valleys....Hope and Edale.

07/07/2018.

Me and my wife have been walking for pleasure for many years now,mainly on our own, occasionally with a small group of friends..However, this year we decided to join the Ramblers to see what it is like to walk as part of a larger group of like minded people. We are thoroughly enjoying it, and have been made very welcome meeting a friendly bunch of folk...We have been on half a dozen walks so far and they seem to get better week by week...Todays walk started from the busy little village of Hope in the Derbyshire Peak district. Only a small group of 8 Ramblers set out today...I understand that there is a certain England world cup quarter final football match being played today which probably accounts for the low turn out..Football or walking? No question...Walking for me anyday...We set off at a cracking pace in sweltering heat along the Hope valley...I find that it often takes a mile or two to get into a walk, but once accustomed to the terrain and the heat all was tickerty boo....it felt good to be out again.

We arrived in Castleton, where our numbers were swelled for 8 to 11 as three more Ramblers that were running late joined us..The streets of Castleton were busy as they always are, but we soon left the village behind heading up towards Hollins cross and the Great ridge..in this heat we stopped a couple of times for a quick breather and a gulp of water, the camera clicking away merrily.

Hollins cross is the lowest point along the great ridge and a popular route for walkers crossing from the Hope valley down into the Vale of Edale. This was once  a coffin route as bodies were carried over the ridge from Edale to be buried in either Castleton or Hope in the days before the church in Edale was built...many years ago a stone cross stood here but it had disappeared by the early 1900s.We stood a while to take in the views,and take photographs. Do we stop for elevenses here or drop down to Edale to visit the Penny pot café...a show of hands voted for the café...Downhill it was.

Coffee and Flapjack at the café or a pint in the Rambler..I went for coffee, I could have a pint later when we returned to Hope I thought...Suitably refreshed we set of along the Edale valley heading south towards Hope cross.

What a great place for walking the Vale of Edale is..surrounded by hills, terrific views in every direction..So hot today as the heatwave continues, the local residents seemed uncomfortable in the heat seeking shade wherever possible...I felt quite sorry for them, but I suppose they are tough hardy critters.

I looked up to the Great ridge...there would be a breeze up there...not such luxuries down here, fortunately i had several bottles of water in my rucksack, we had come prepared...I cant remember the last time we drank so much water on a walk.

Lunch was enjoyed near Jaggers clough...Cheese and chutney bread filled with Cheese and coleslaw, washed down with strong sweet coffee..

A final push now down alongside Lose hill and back to Hope.

It had been a cracking walk...11 lovely miles...each step a joy, but now for that quiet pint I had promised myself in the Woodroffe arms..No chance... bloody football on..oh well I can wait while I get home.