Cromford to Matlock and back

Hello and Good morning. I'm catching up slowly. These photo's are of the last days walk, on Thursday. It was drizzling as I looked out of the window at breakfast, but once I got underway it stopped. It turned into quite a nice day weatherwise. The front of the hotel looking splendid. There is a lodge with a swimming pool, and another building with extra rooms, up a path behind the main hotel. 

 This is the view of the hotel from the other side of the river. Shame the tree blocks a lot of it out

There is a path alongside the river which cuts the corner and bypasses Cromford Mills. It comes out on the A6 close to the village. Here is the Community Centre. The roads through Cromford are very busy with mainly tipper trucks which are making their way to and from the nearby quarries.

I walked up a narrow street next to the pond and found the footpath to take me high up towards Matlock Bath. The object being to gain height today and get some nice pics looking down. Quirky log seats next to the pond.

There are quite a lot of stiles to pass through. This one, like many others, is very narrow, and the gate can't be opened. I ended up climbing over it. I don't know how hefty blokes go on. 

Not so much mist today, so the view looking down on the town of Matlock Bath is quite good.

 The tarmac roads only allow for cars to pass through. I stopped to chat to a chappie in his garden, and a delivery driver walked up with his parcel, having abandoned his transit van further down.

The Heights of Abraham is not open today. Have a look at the web site, it looks quite exciting.

At this point the path goes up those wooden steps and across a bridge over a private road. 

Most of the walk is through the woods. Here we are passing underneath the cable car wires.

From a distance if you look up from the road below you can see a large white building. This is it.

You might recognize this view from the previous post. I joined up with the Limestone Way footpath to come into Matlock. Much better view today, the wind has blown away the mist.

No need to linger in Matlock, I'm at the halfway point and need to make my way back. From the Church I followed the signs to High Tor, it goes high up and gives wonderful views of the river and road below. 

It started to get windy, and drizzly, which masked some of the views across to the other side. Good views looking down if you don't mind heights. I tend to take a quick snap then back off.  There are several vantage points, with signs everywhere advising not to get too close to the edge. When I got up there I remembered I had walked this path before several years ago.

Across there among the trees is the white house where I was walking earlier.

The sun tried to shine through the mizzly rain and made the wet rocks underfoot glisten. I love this atmospheric picture.

A bit further along the A6 road goes into the distance, and the rain has stopped. 

The cable car station is under renovation, looks like they are extending it by adding a new section to the side.

Almost down now, that's the main street in Matlock Bath down there.

The Grand Pavilion. It's an Edwardian building, built in 1910, and is now run as a charity by the local community. More info here.

I decided to follow the road back to Cromford, as time was getting on and I didn't want to be late back. This is the weir near Massom Mills. I did go inside and have a look round the shopping complex, masquerading as a customer so I could use the lavvies. The prices were well above what I would pay. Lots of very expensive clothes, a bit like a posh department store.

I was back at the car, still parked in the hotel car park, by 4pm. Traffic through Clay Cross, and on the motorway, was a bit heavy on the way home. Pussies all fine and snuggled up in their beds.

That's the three days walking all written up. 7 miles done today, 24 in total. I have some pictures of the hotel which I will post tomorrow. Until then I'll say, have a nice weekend, and we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip