I Walk The Line

LETJOG – Day 24: Thursday 10 June – ASHBOURNE to BUXTON (25 miles)

So my first day in Upland Britain!

I commend the first part of this walk to anyone and everyone who wishes to enjoy this fine hilly landscape of the southern Peak District with reasonably minimal effort. The Tissington Trail out of Ashbourne follows the line of a former railway to Buxton – it has now been restored over its first 16 miles, replete with periodic snack bars, as a walking and cycle route, ever upward but never steep, from Ashbourne to Hurdlow. Alternating between shaded cuttings lined with white-flowering may trees and embankments overlooking Dovedale to the west and Bletch Brook to the east, one can pass the gentle miles without fear of trips, more in the mind of a spectator than as a participant of this awe-inspiring limestone landscape.

After lunch, outside the Royal Oak in Hurdlow, I happened upon friends Rick and Eleanor again, for a scenic afternoon hike via Chelmorton village and the Midshires Way, onward by way of farm tracks and field paths, crossing Deep Dale, and eventually into Buxton for some early refreshment, before finding our Airbnb accommodation in the town centre.

Rick and El, so lovely to have shared your wonderful company for these three days – thank you for all your support for LETJOG, for making all the arrangements from Burton to Buxton, and for all the laughs! See you soon!