2026 Lewes to Lewis

The weather's changed - with a decided nip in the air. With blisters on both heels still being a bit of a nuisance I decided to shorten today's walk But first I checked in with Vodafone, across the road in the Springs Shopping centre to see what I could do to slow the draining of my phone battery and met the very helpful Nisha  who immediately spotted where I was going wrong. A short while later I left with the phone ready to go. I'd decided to take the Skyline 199 to Chapel en le Frith and then walk from there the remaining distance to Edale. On leaving the elegance of Buxton, the bus passes through a stunning landscape with long high ridges but also massive Limestone quarries. I was dropped off at the Town Hall and stepped inside to put on some warmer clothes.  While admiring the local art exhibition, I almost walked in to a seated yoga class - I could probably have done with it.   Once outside and by now better attired, my eye was caught by the eye-catchingly na...

  Things I learned today. The healthy life expectancy of the UK has reduced by 2 years and 90% of the population has a heathy age expectation lower than the retirement age. Boots the Chemist is selling AI glasses which have a camera and microphone within the frames - opening up the possibility of using facial recognition to help remember those names you've forgotten. Unfortunately, when you use the camera to do this, a little red light flashes at the top of the frame which probably gives the game away.  A Bakewell Pie can only be called a Bakewell Pie if it's made in Bakewell.  Finally, this good weather can't last forever and this evening it started raining. ....though a clear sky tonight bodes well for the morning. Let's hope !

Bakewell was having a two day Food and Drink fest. I'd decided that I'd have a Bakewell Pie for breakfast. It had lots of melted butter but not really what I needed before a long walk. I even went one better in the market by sampling an 'Old Fashioned' Dandelion whisky cocktail!   Lesson #1 - Always have a proper breakfast. Passing All Souls Church I fell into step with John and his family who were out for a walk celebrating his eldest son's 29th birthday. John is in training for the Coast to Coast in a couple of months so was keen to get in some miles. Apart from his other interest, John is a drummer in a local band and they'd been performing last night. John and his family were going to have a fun day. It was another day of attentive cattle - sometimes below me on the path, sometimes (more concerningly) above me on the path. The route had some significant uphill and down Dale sections throughout the day. After a warm walking day yesterday, I'd developed a ...

With a rucksack full of clean washing and fuelled with a perfect breakfast, I was given a lift by David (in his lovely blue car) the 6 miles through Wirksworth, (very attractive town centre), Cromford (amazing downhill terrace) Matlock Baths (apparently full of chip shops and amusement arcades but very photogenic) and then into Matlock.  My photographs perhaps don't do Matlock sufficient justice but after a coffee to set me up for the day, I set off along the Derwent Valley Heritage Way  which follows the banks of the river but below road level. What!!?!? Another rail preservation Society!!!  This time the Peak Railway. The timetable didn't suit my walk without waiting for an hour so having watched the stoker fire-up "Waleswood" I carried on my way. The route followed the meandering Derwent river and ve ry quickly led into very attractive open countryside.  For most of the time I had the path to myself. The smell of Wild garlic was wonderful on the shady banks of t...