Cromford Mill and strange lights in the sky, 1 June 2014

Look - blue skies!

After a week of rain, the walking group arrived in Cromford under a dazzling blue sky.  Dazed by the sunshine, we gathered in the courtyard of the old mill complex and admired the early industrial architecture... until someone pointed-out that we were in the wrong place and needed to get down to the canal.

Huffa-puffa-huffa-puffa-chuff-chuff-chooooo (etc.)

With the full posse assembled, we coasted along the towpath and then, lulled into such a false sense of security, started up the old railway incline.  

Ramblers may not be as fast as trains, but from the look of the track-bed perhaps we have a little more endurance!

That endurance was needed soon enough, as we trekked through idyllic flower-strewn meadows and started to be lightly steamed by the suddenly oven-like conditions, slowing down to navigate heaving pools of cow dung (thankfully neither of the usual topplers fell in), and taking rather a lot of pictures of Highland cattle.

The scenery, in the gaps between sweat and sneezes, was magnificent – worth the trek in any weather.

New LRWG recruit no.1

Up the apples and pears...

Relief from the heat came in Bonsall, site of many reported UFO sightings which are nothing to do with the pub’s fine range of real ales, supposedly.  We didn't have any Close Encounters, even if a few of us were still baffled by a bright light in the sky (it really had been a long time since the sun shone).

LRWG new recruit no.2

We made it back to the mill just in time to top up fluids at the café and raise a teacup to toast Rob for leading us on this classic route once more!