{"id":21726,"date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&#038;p=21726"},"modified":"2022-12-15T09:53:01","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T08:53:01","slug":"the-reclaimed-peak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/12\/14\/the-reclaimed-peak\/","title":{"rendered":"The Reclaimed Peak"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image alignfull size-large article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-1024x644.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-1024x644.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-768x483.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-1536x965.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Magpie-mine-Stephen-Elliott-2048x1287.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Magpie Mines, an abandoned mine near Sheldon in Derbyshire, produced lead for more than 250 years and is now a protected Scheduled Monument with a mysterious reputation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-standfirst\">The Reclaimed Peak<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif intro\">Explore the beautiful Peak District in winter, where strange and thrillingly atmospheric ruins rise from a landscape carved by the area\u2019s industrial past, and charming mining villages offer hearty welcomes, writes <strong>Ed Douglas <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2048\" height=\"609\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-21716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261-300x89.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261-1024x305.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261-768x228.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/75363e4f-aa24-431a-acdb-8771554d5261-1536x457.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><figcaption>The landscape near Bonsall in the Peak District is pockmarked and pitted with the remnants of lead-mining machinery, covered shafts and rakes, as nature reclaims this former industrial terrain <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap article-full-body sans-serif dropcap\">Only in late autumn and winter do you get such mornings, a thin cold mist hugging the ground, spiders\u2019 webs smothered in dew, and a low sun straining to burn it off. I was walking a section of the Limestone Way, a way-marked path that winds north from Ashbourne through the White Peak to Castleton. The day would be beautiful, but, for now, the stately ash trees common in this corner of Derbyshire loomed out of the grey like spectral giants. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Just outside the village of <strong>Bonsall, <\/strong>I passed through a narrow gate into what looked like a battlefield. Everywhere I turned, there were eruptions in the earth, like shell-holes, an apparently blasted landscape disappearing into the fog at the field\u2019s edge. There was a narrow fissure too, thick with shrubs and a hawthorn heavy with fruit, extending into the distance. Every so often, walking through the wet grass, I came across old concrete railway sleepers laid across a hole to save the unwary from falling in. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">All this scarring evidenced Derbyshire\u2019s lead-mining industry, not so very long defunct given that people have been smelting lead here since the late Bronze Age. The Romans, with their passion for lead, mined for it as well; an ingot of Derbyshire lead was unearthed in Normandy. When they left, monks from Repton took control of the industry until the Vikings arrived, and when Danelaw collapsed, it passed to the Crown. By the 17th century, lead was Britain\u2019s second-biggest industry after wool, boosted by demand for musket shot in the Civil War, and employing 20,000 people. Sir Christopher Wren made a point of asking for Derbyshire lead for the dome of St Paul\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/E6725_preview-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>A stone barn near Bonsall, with Masson Hill in the distance. The landscape here was shaped by mining and farming; many local farmers mined part-time for extra income, and in hope of striking lucky <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<h5 class=\"sans-serif article-subhead\"><strong>DEEP HISTORY <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Bonsall is no longer a hive of industry, the scars have healed nicely and the village is justly proud of its heritage. Bonsall\u2019s Alamy <span>Town is less than a mile from the mine workings, past a pretty tangle of cottages pinned to the south-facing slope of Bonsall Dale. In the bottom of the valley is the Barley Mow, one of the better-known White Peak pubs, quirky and welcoming, with a warm fire and regular live music. Bonsall captures the very specific and deep-rooted appeal of this corner of England, an appeal that rests not just on its stunning limestone landscapes but also the idiosyncratic culture that grew up around lead mining.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-style-large\"><p><strong><em>\u201cLathkill recovered and became one of the prettiest Derbyshire dales\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The landscape is the hook that drags you in. The limestone of the Peak is from the Carboniferous era, formed more than 325 million years ago in a warm, shallow tropical sea. Later buried in sediment kilometres deep, mineral-rich solutions, hot and under pressure, permeated the cracks in the rock, leaving veins \u2013 known as rakes \u2013 of the Peak\u2019s most common minerals: galena, or lead ore, barytes, fluorspar and calcite. Over time, that sediment eroded away, exposing <span>the soluble limestone. Rivers carved the White Peak\u2019s deep dales and burrowed through the rock, creating a honeycomb of underground channels and chambers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"sans-serif article-subhead\"><strong>LONG VIEWS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Above Bonsall, as I crested the northern limit of Bonsall Moor, the country opened out in front of me, offering one of the best views in the Peak District. You look straight up the Derwent valley, which drains the distant gritstone moors of Bleaklow and Kinder Scout. But to the west lies high limestone country seamed with deep dales. The plateau is a patchwork of sheep pasture, cropped close for centuries, white drystone walls set against the emerald fields. The steep-sided dales, often hidden from view, are reservoirs of lush woodland and flowers in spring and summer. The crowded shopping streets of Nottingham and Derby are less than 30 miles away; they might as well be 300. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/DSC6558_preview-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption> All Saints Church towers above the misty outline of Youlgrave, one of the largest villages in the Peak District and a former mining settlement<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The combination of long views and secret places makes the White Peak formidable walking country, the perfect place to walk off festive excess before finishing near a cosy pub in a pretty village. Some of the best are associated with lead mining: Bonsall, <strong>Winster <\/strong><span>and <\/span><strong>Youlgreave, <\/strong><span>and <\/span><strong>Monyash, <\/strong><span>sitting at the head of stunning Lathkill Dale, a national nature reserve with a gin-clear stream full of wild trout. Hidden in Lathkill\u2019s thick ash woods are the ruins of Bateman\u2019s House, a remnant of the dale\u2019s lead-mining industry. Horizontal drainage channels, or soughs, were driven into the hillsides of dales so miners could reach flooded veins of lead ore. Bateman\u2019s was built to house a pumping engine but, <\/span><span>despite huge expense, it never ran and was replaced with a water wheel; the mine was abandoned soon after.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">What\u2019s remarkable is how Lathkill has recovered and become one of the prettiest Derbyshire dales. Given half a chance, nature quickly reasserts herself. Farmers, anxious to keep their livestock off toxic grass, walled-off abandoned lead rakes. Left undisturbed, wildflowers took over, particularly \u2018metallophytes\u2019, which thrived on spoil heaps laced with heavy metals, such as leadwort \u2013 acushion-forming species with a profusion of white flowers in the summer \u2013 and alpine penny-cress. Both species are almost absent elsewhere. Abandoned rakes are a haven for all sorts of species: moonwort, autumn gentians, kidney vetch and several rare orchids. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">By the time Thomas Bateman was working as the mine agent in Lathkill, lead mining in the Peak was in decline; competitors got cheaper while the Peak\u2019s untapped veins became harder to reach. The industry\u2019s real social impact had come earlier and is best <span>understood in the fields outside Bonsall, in that moonscape of craters. Here, the lead ore was close to the surface and easily extracted by a man using simple hand tools. The Crown owned most of the mineral rights but anyone had the right to stake a claim \u2013 whoever owned the land \u2013 as long as the Barmote Court, set up in 1288 to regulate the industry for the Duchy of Lancaster, gave its approval.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1351\" height=\"790\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1896c16e-d1ad-4ffe-b0dd-2a61b7b2cf4c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-21722\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1896c16e-d1ad-4ffe-b0dd-2a61b7b2cf4c.jpg 1351w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1896c16e-d1ad-4ffe-b0dd-2a61b7b2cf4c-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1896c16e-d1ad-4ffe-b0dd-2a61b7b2cf4c-1024x599.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1896c16e-d1ad-4ffe-b0dd-2a61b7b2cf4c-768x449.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1351px) 100vw, 1351px\" \/><figcaption>The River Lathkill runs through Lathkill Dale National Nature Reserve. In The Compleat Angler, Charles Cotton called it \u201cthe purest and most transparent stream that I ever saw\u201d <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Parsons-Tor-Lathkill-Dale-Peak-District-Photography_preview-2048x1367.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>The spectacular limestone landscape of Lathkill Dale was once a hotbed of industry. Its eponymous river often vanishes underground via old mining shafts <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<h5 class=\"sans-serif article-subhead\"><strong>RISKY BUSINESS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Local people, often mired in poverty, thus had a licence to dig for buried treasure. Many were farmers, too; the fields around Bonsall are full of beautiful barns, some now restored, others sadly dilapidated. These part-timers made a little extra cash but the rewards of finding a rich new vein were motivation enough to keep looking, captured in the names locals gave their mines: Get It and Make It; Ready Money; Fill Pocket; Luckin-a-Bag; Golden Purse. The risks could be high; Daniel Defoe wrote of seeing a miner <span>emerge from underground, his face pale, black bags under his eyes, classic symptoms of what was known in Derbyshire as \u2018bellanding\u2019, or lead poisoning. There was the threat of floods, or falls, or loose blocks crushing heads. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2A97224_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22322\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2A97224_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2A97224_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2A97224_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2A97224_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption> Set in the wall of St Mary\u2019s Church Wirksworth, this 800-year-old stone carving of a miner carrying a pick and \u2018kibble\u2019 is known as T\u2019Owd Man (the Old Man) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The wealth lead generated is on display in nearby <strong>Wirksworth, <\/strong>a market town full of character. The parish church, St Mary\u2019s, is one of Britain\u2019s oldest Christian centres. Set in a wall in the south transept is a simple Saxon carving of a miner with his pick and \u2018kibble\u2019, the basket used to carry ore. The carving, originating in Bonsall, is dubbed the \u2018t\u2019owd man\u2019, a term that can mean a miner, or the industry \u2013 or the ancient underground spirits that had to be placated with offerings of food. Across the nave is the ornate tomb of Sir Anthony Gell, who died in 1583 having founded a local grammar school, and whose family made a fortune from lead. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Wirksworth is also home to the 700-year-old Barmote Court, which adjudicates on lead-mining issues. The court meets once a year at Moot Hall on Chapel Lane, these days for ceremonial purposes, although in 2014, Vicky Turner, owner of Treak Cliff Cavern, applied to the court to claim the lead-mining rights, to prevent anyone else interfering <span>with her business of showing tourists around. The court sat in session before the \u2018freeing dish\u2019, a wooden bowl two foot (61cm) long and six inches (15cm) deep, a standard set during Henry VIII\u2019s reign, filled with lead ore. Then the applicants received, as custom dictates, bread, cheese, ale \u2013 and a miner\u2019s clay pipe with tobacco. Moot Hall was packed to the rafters; it\u2019s clear there\u2019s life in \u2018t\u2019owd man\u2019 yet.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The survival of the Moot Hall is just one more reminder that while visitors might consider this countryside to be prime walking country, the industrial past not only shapes the landscape, but also the culture of the Peak District \u2013 and the place is all the richer for it. <\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/EdDouglas-5_preview-889x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22321\" width=\"80\" height=\"93\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/EdDouglas-5_preview-889x1024.jpg 889w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/EdDouglas-5_preview-260x300.jpg 260w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/EdDouglas-5_preview-768x885.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/EdDouglas-5_preview.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p>Ed Douglas writes a Peak District country diary for The Guardian and his book Kinder Scout: The People\u2019s Mountain was published in 2018. <\/p>\n\n<p>A keen climber and walker, he lives in Sheffield with his wife Kate, a science journalist.<\/p>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-984670f0-8e93-4aa8-98f7-09211003f376 article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead\">THE HAUNTED MINE <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1210\" height=\"724\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/df560698-c0a2-415f-98d2-5720e4523e81.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-21717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/df560698-c0a2-415f-98d2-5720e4523e81.jpg 1210w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/df560698-c0a2-415f-98d2-5720e4523e81-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/df560698-c0a2-415f-98d2-5720e4523e81-1024x613.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/df560698-c0a2-415f-98d2-5720e4523e81-768x460.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1210px) 100vw, 1210px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The chimney and engine-house of Magpie Mine stand like sentinels on the skyline 320m above sea level and a few hundred metres from the village of Sheldon. The last lead mine in the Peak District, Magpie closed in 1958 and its buildings and workings are the best preserved site in Derbyshire. The mine cottage is now a field centre for the Peak District Mines Historical Society (<a href=\"http:\/\/pdmhs.com\/\">pdmhs.com\/<\/a>). You are free to wander round the site, but at weekends there is often someone there to provide visitors with information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Many locals considered Magpie to be cursed, even haunted, largely thanks to a nasty feud in the 1830s. Miners from Magpie were in dispute with those from their neighbours at Maypitts and Redsoil and, in 1833, lit a fire underground to smoke them out. Three Redsoil miners died from smoke inhalation and six Magpie men were arrested but found not guilty under a technicality. The three Redsoil widows cursed the mine, which suffered a sequence of floods and fires. Since then, restless spirits have been reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead\">A PEAK LIFE <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/IMG_0773GJRwith-rockdrill2013_preview-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/IMG_0773GJRwith-rockdrill2013_preview-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/IMG_0773GJRwith-rockdrill2013_preview-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/IMG_0773GJRwith-rockdrill2013_preview-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/IMG_0773GJRwith-rockdrill2013_preview.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Gary Ridley has worked at Treak Cliff Cavern, a show cave above Castleton, for 16 years and is looking forward to the festive season, but not for the usual reasons. \u201cIt\u2019s very quiet over the Christmas period,\u201d he tells me, \u201cso we shut the cave to visitors and explore for new veins.\u201d Gary is after the valuable mineral known as Blue John, a corruption of the French \u2018bleu jaune\u2019, a delicate and pretty fluorite. The stone is graded on site, with some going to jewellers and some made into bowls and jewellery in the cave\u2019s small workshop, with stunning views down the Hope Valley. But before he goes treasure-hunting, Gary welcome the carol singers who gather each winter for a series of concerts by candlelight inside the cavern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Layer-40-494x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22325\" width=\"184\" height=\"381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Layer-40-494x1024.png 494w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Layer-40-145x300.png 145w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Layer-40.png 672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 184px) 100vw, 184px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\">NOW GO TO THE PEAK DISTRICT<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Where to stay, eat and drink by <strong>Ed Douglas <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"828\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-828x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-828x1024.jpg 828w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-243x300.jpg 243w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-768x950.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-1242x1536.jpg 1242w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6-1656x2048.jpg 1656w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/1-6.jpg 1740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>STAY <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/host_ilam_060218_ext_008_preview-1024x655.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22329\" width=\"256\" height=\"164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/host_ilam_060218_ext_008_preview-1024x655.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/host_ilam_060218_ext_008_preview-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/host_ilam_060218_ext_008_preview-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/host_ilam_060218_ext_008_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Ilam Youth Hostel <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">There can\u2019t be many ways to stay in a 17th-century Gothic manor for peanuts, especially one so close to beautiful Dovedale, but Ilam Youth Hostel lets you do just that. The grounds are stunning and there are private and family rooms as well as dormitories. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/yha.org.uk\/hostel\/ilam-hall\">yha.org.uk\/hostel\/ilam-hall<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/UK34091-W06_preview-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22330\" width=\"256\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/UK34091-W06_preview-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/UK34091-W06_preview-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/UK34091-W06_preview-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/UK34091-W06_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>T\u2019owd Man\u2019s Cottage <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Paying homage to the area\u2019s mining heritage in its title, this one-bedroom, mid-terrace stone cottage in Bonsall makes a cosy getaway for one or two people keen to explore the Peak District and the nearby High Peak trail. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/cottages.com\/cottages\/towdmans-cottage-uk34091\">cottages.com\/cottages\/towdmans-cottage-uk34091<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/stone_preview-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22331\" width=\"256\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/stone_preview-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/stone_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/stone_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/stone_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>The Stone Estate <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Close to Ilam is the lovely village of Alstonefield, a great base to explore Lathkill Dale. The Stone Estate has 10 self-catering cottages in the area, ranging from beautiful barn conversions to charming cottages, all built from the limestone of the White Peak. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/thestoneestate.co.uk\">thestoneestate.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>CAF\u00c9 <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22332\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/VG-SQ-HR_52_preview.jpg 1772w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Village Green caf\u00e9 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The village of Eyam was once a lead-mining centre, although its popularity now rests on the legend of its self-imposed quarantine during the plague outbreak of 1665. The sunny Village Green caf\u00e9 has a mouth-watering afternoon tea menu, with a cup of spiced citrus tea to warm you up, and a beautifully presented selection of sandwiches, all-butter scones with strawberry and Champagne jam and a selection of treats. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/cafevillagegreen.com\">cafevillagegreen.com<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>QUIRKY MUSEUMS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/BRF0DW_preview-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22334\" width=\"173\" height=\"130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/BRF0DW_preview-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/BRF0DW_preview-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/BRF0DW_preview-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/BRF0DW_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 173px) 100vw, 173px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Now a World Heritage Site, Derwent Valley was a cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Richard Arkwright opened the first water-powered cotton mill at Cromford in the 1770s. In Matlock Bath, Arkwright\u2019s showpiece <strong>Masson Mills <\/strong>is the grandest example of his entrepreneurial zeal and has a textile museum. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/massonmills.co.uk\">massonmills.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Nearby is the <strong>Peak District Lead Mining Museum, <\/strong>which boasts a real lead mine and a beautiful mineral collection. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/peakdistrictleadminingmuseum.co.uk\">peakdistrictleadminingmuseum.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>MUST-TRY <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_1_preview-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22333\" width=\"159\" height=\"119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_1_preview-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_1_preview-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_1_preview-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_1_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Bakewell Puddings <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">As everyone knows, it\u2019s not a tart, it\u2019s a pudding, but don\u2019t ask Bloomers of Bakewell for their recipe. The caf\u00e9 dates to the 1600s but the recipe originates, according to legend, in the 1820s when the landlady of the nearby White Horse Inn \u2013 now the Rutland Arms \u2013 asked the cook to make a jam tart and instead of stirring in eggs and pasted almond into the pastry, she smeared them on top, under the jam. Thus was heaven chanced upon. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bloomersofbakewell.co.uk\">bloomersofbakewell.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>PERFECT PINT <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/geograph-2565198-by-Jonathan-Clitheroe_preview-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22335\" width=\"256\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/geograph-2565198-by-Jonathan-Clitheroe_preview-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/geograph-2565198-by-Jonathan-Clitheroe_preview-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/geograph-2565198-by-Jonathan-Clitheroe_preview-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/geograph-2565198-by-Jonathan-Clitheroe_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Run by earthenware potter Geoff Fuller and his wife Pat, the <strong>Three <\/strong><strong>Stags <\/strong><strong>Head <\/strong>in Wardlow Mires holds a special place in Derbyshire\u2019s affections. It\u2019s basic: open fires, flagstone floors, whitewashed walls, impromptu folk music, great cooking involving game and excellent beer from Abbeydale. Dogs are welcome and you might see a hawk, too. Look out for the stuffed, and armed, fox in the window. Open weekends only. <strong>01298 <\/strong><strong>872 <\/strong><strong>268 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><strong>SHOPPING <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">There\u2019s a vibrant mix of shopping in the Peak, from family-owned locally sourced butchers and bakeries, to farmer\u2019s markets and specialist shops. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2BNB961_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22336\" width=\"256\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2BNB961_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2BNB961_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2BNB961_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/2BNB961_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Wirksworth Farmer\u2019s Market <\/strong><br>Held on the first Saturday of the month, this market offers wonderful fare from producers all based less than 20 miles from Wirksworth. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wirksworthfarmersmarket.com\">wirksworthfarmersmarket.com<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>David Mellor Country Shop <\/strong><br>This dog-friendly shop in Hathersage stocks the finest British rural crafts plus designs from international manufacturers. <a href=\"http:\/\/davidmellordesign.com\/shops\/hathersage\">davidmellordesign.com\/shops\/hathersage<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop <\/strong><br>Find fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious pastries, meat, fish and tempting cheeses at this well-stocked shop on the estate (above). <a href=\"http:\/\/chatsworth.org\/visit-chatsworth\/shop-dine\/farm-shop\">chatsworth.org\/visit-chatsworth\/shop-dine\/farm-shop<\/a><\/p>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-5fff74b5-07bc-4c28-8303-81bce45e8f99 article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-primary-light-color has-ccp-primary-dark-background-color has-text-color has-background\">THREE GREAT WALKS <\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_preview-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_preview-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_preview-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_preview-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/Unknown_preview.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Walks around Bonsall <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Bonsall\u2019s local history group has produced six leaflets featuring walks around the village, varying in length from 1.3 miles to five miles, which explain the local lead-mining landscape. The leaflet sets are available for \u00a35 from local pubs, B&amp;Bs or Bonsall History Group. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/bonsallhistory.org.uk\">bonsallhistory.org.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_553923197_preview-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_553923197_preview-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_553923197_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_553923197_preview-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_553923197_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Chelmorton, Taddington and Flagg loop <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The five-mile triangle that joins the villages of Chelmorton, Taddington and Flagg offers great walking in the high limestone country of the White Peak. Admire Chelmorton\u2019s medieval field systems and a golden locust on the church steeple. There\u2019s also a short detour to a Neolithic tomb at Five Wells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_541516559_preview-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-22337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_541516559_preview-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_541516559_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_541516559_preview-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/GettyImages_541516559_preview.jpg 1417w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Lathkill Dale loop<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This epic 10-mile, five-hour walk follows Lathkill Dale from Alport towards Monyash, turning left up Fern Dale and then back across the fields, crossing Cales Dale on the Limestone Way before dropping down to equally beautiful Bradford Dale to Youlgreave and back to Alport, where the two rivers meet. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<p class=\"footer\">Photos: Stephen Elliot, Ian Daisle, Michael Cummins, Alamy, James Grant, Alex Hyde, Map: Liz Pepperell\/www.illustrationx.com, Helen Rowan Village green cafe, Andrew Ogilvie, Geograph\/Jonathan-Clitheroe, Getty<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore the beautiful Peak District in winter, where strange and thrillingly atmospheric ruins rise from a landscape carved by the area\u2019s industrial past, and charming mining villages offer hearty welcomes, writes Ed Douglas 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the beautiful Peak District in winter, where strange and thrillingly atmospheric ruins rise from a landscape carved by the area\u2019s industrial past, and charming mining villages offer hearty welcomes, writes Ed 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