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Always eager to please visitors to this blog, I managed to track Red's friends down yesterday afternoon. See above. It's surprising that no maple leaves were visible. Red also put a request in for a country walk with pictures.
It was a lovely afternoon and Clint drove me the short distance to Hathersage in Derbyshire. He parked near Leadmill Bridge that crosses over the babbling River Derwent.
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| Garner House Farm and The Hope Valley |
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| Glover Barn - now in a ruinous state |
My plan was to walk by the river for a couple of miles and then head up the valley side to plod along Glover Bank before descending in a loop and returning to the riverside path.
It took two and a half hours. There were no unexpected problems. I was not savaged by a dead sheep or butted by an angry bull with a brass ring through its nose. I did not fall into the river from the stepping stones and I was not chased by screaming girl guides seeking my autograph. I did not encounter any axe murderers, fishermen or nudist sunbathers. Best of all both of my knees felt strong - with not a ghost of historical pain.
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| Above and below - images of the river stepping stones near Hathersage |
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| At the door of Kentney Barn |
It was a lovely day at the very end of summer. Already I could see leaves subtly changing their colours. Gnarled hawthorn bushes were heavily laden with scarlet berries and blooming heather cloaked the moortops. Being a Tuesday there were hardly any other ramblers about and I only said two words all afternoon - "Thank you" - to another walker who had kindly waited for me on a particularly narrow section of the riverside path.
Sweet, sweet September.
How very lovely to be alive...
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| The Odour of Death |
Hope Valley looks gorgeous and just what I need as I sit here nursing a poorly tum. Hope I don't end up like that sheep though. Euuugh!
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Sorry to hear you have a tummy ache. Get your skipping rope out and play in the garden. Then come in for jam sandwiches and orange squash. You will soon feel better dear.
DeleteA good day for a walk. Poor sheep though.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how that sheep died. Usually such deaths are connected with dogs off their leads.
DeleteYou certainly do live in the most picturesque place imaginable. That shot of the river from above is stunning. Thanks for sharing these with us.
ReplyDeleteOh good. I am pleased that you appreciated that particular picture Mer.
DeleteI was particularly attracted to the second of the stepping stones pictures. I, too, noticed a change in the leaves in the Castle Grounds this morning compared with the day when I went away just over a week ago.
ReplyDeleteSoon the leaves will be falling and Mother Nature will slumber for a while.
DeleteYikes! A beautiful post until that last shot -- quite an abrupt mood change, Mr. P!
ReplyDeleteThe smell from that dead sheep was vile and bluebottles were making the most of the opportunity to feed and breed. That is of course also Nature.
DeleteYou know, Mr. Pudding, how much I delight in a walk somewhere around the Hope Valley within sight of the Derwent River. With you. Long distance, as it were. Beautiful pictures. Except for the final one but that one just shows a final fact of life for some.
ReplyDeleteHere in Colorado, our leaf peeping season is about two plus weeks late. Owing to our ninety degree temperatures during the day, no rain to speak of and even warm temps at night. But the greens in the garden keep supplying Big Bear and I with magnificent salads for dinner.
I didn't realise that bears like salad. I thought they ate berries, salmon or honey like Winnie the Pooh. Sounds like you are settling in nicely now you have left your mountain refuge. Thanks for coming to The Hope Valley again.
DeleteLovely pictures except for that last one. That one may be a fact of life but it is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteIt was something I saw on the walk Bonnie. You should be grateful I didn't do a close-up!
DeleteHey, my friends Jerry and Florence got very old since they left home. Yes, I do like seeing the English countryside. My wife's from Yorkshire and my maternal grandparents were from southern England.
ReplyDeleteSouthern England? I knew there was something fishy about you Red!
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