Alstonefield to Millers Dale: LEJoG Day 29

I made a mistake in my plans today, my walk was 10 kilometres longer than I expected, though I was not too upset as it was fine walking along the Derbyshire Dales in sunny weather.

Derbyshire fields separated by dry stone walls.

On returning to the bottom of Milldale from my campsite, I followed the river upstream. Empty of people this morning, a contrast to the crowds in Dovedale yesterday. Clear water fell over multiple small weirs in the river as I walked along the steep sided valley, shaded in places by trees. My next dale, Biggin Dale, was a dry valley, typical of limestone country where the water makes its way underground through cracks, holes and caves that it has etched out of the rock. The path was stoney and uneven. Reaching the village of Biggin in need of a coffee, I saw a sign advertising breakfasts for non-residents at Biggin Hall, a hotel. I succumbed to temptation! After a fine breakfast (muesli, yoghurt, croissant etc.) I inadvertently walked off with one of their biros, I hope they will forgive me!

After some road walking and a stretch of old railway line my next valley was Gratton Dale, along which I admired bluebells and pink campion. Later I followed the River Bradford in a wooded vale. At one point a brook of clear water just appeared out of a rock! Leaving the route suggested in the guidebook I had been using, I climbed up the steep side of the valley on the "Limestone Way". This followed higher ground on tracks and quiet roads between drystone walls with views over surrounding fields. It crossed Lathkill Dale, a steep drop down many steps, immediately followed by a steep climb up the other side beside limestone cliffs. The weather was hot, my digital thermometer claimed up to 40 degrees centigrade in the sun, but I did not wholly trust it. Nevertheless, due to the heat I did not hesitate on seeing a kiosk at the village of Monyash, buying a coke and ice cream and enjoying them by the village green, on which a sizeable group of motor cyclists had gathered.

Various types of stiles and gates were built into the walls separating the fields: the traditional "kissing gates", simple spring loaded wooden gates, slit type stiles, and steps built into the wall.  Slit type stiles are narrow gaps in the wall, too small for a cow or sheep to pass through, but also difficult to squeeze my rucksack through, especially with the complication that they were often combined with a gate. To ensure gates stayed closed, there was sometimes a weight strung on a cable between the gate and the gate post such that it pulled the gate closed. I was intrigued by the variety of discarded pieces of farm machinery used as the weight.

On checking the distance to the campsite I had booked for the night I realised that I had made a serious error in calculating the number of kilometres I had to walk today when preparing my itinerary. I expected 28 kilometres whereas it was nearer 38! So I was tired when I approached the campsite located in Millers Dale. My mood was not helped by the fast cars passing too close to me on the road leading to the site, nor by the sight of a pleasant looking pub by the river which I knew I would not have the energy to return to.