Great English Walk Day 17 - 4 April 2018

Hathersage to top of Derwent Reservoir
Walking 11am to 5.30pm
Distance walked today 13 miles
Distance walked so far 266 miles
Distance left 310 miles

A leisurely start to what was forecast to be a wet day but it couldn't be put off. My planned route was to climb up to Stanage Edge and then continue along Derwent Edge, high level walking before dropping down to Derwent Reservoir but I thought a lower level walk might be preferable in view of the weather.

Therefore, I took the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail just south of Hathersage. It was easy field walking for a while but then, when the path entered woodland it narrowed and was extremely wet and muddy. I thought now and then that I'd made the wrong decision but a couple I met this afternoon had been up on Derwent Edge and said they had walked through hail storms. At least I only had April showers and a few spells of continuous rain, possibly not quite as bad as forecast.

New shoes after an hour's use!

Once I reached Thornhill, I followed a cycle way and from then for the rest of the day I was on good surfaces alongside first Ladybower and then Derwent Reservoirs. 

I finished at 5.30. I would have gone further but I was about to strike out across Howden Moors for a few miles and I had no idea about camping possibilities whereas, where I am by Cranberry Clough Brook, is reasonable ground and I'll make an early start in the morning.