First stop -the Peaks...

Well, fed up with all the wintry weather we've been having, I decided it was time for some well-earned R&R in the Peak District.

So I packed my trusty boots into the back of the car (along with some warm thermals and a wooly hat!) and headed for Edale Youth Hostel. Plenty of snow still on the ground on the tops and the boggy bits frozen solid in places made walking an absolute pleasure!

Sunday night in the hostel was really quiet, only a handful of people in so managed to get a really good night's sleep ready for the Monday morning. After an excellent cooked breakfast to set me up for the day whilst keeping an eye on the weather the decision was taken to go low and long as the visibility on the tops was not good and being on my own I didn't want to risk anything!

From the Hostel I headed off to the east, skirting round Nether Moor, crossing Jaggers Clough towards Woodlands Valley. For the first few hours the weather switched between snow, sleet, rain and drizzle (and back again), with very little vis, but at least I could see where I was going(ish)...

I walked along Woodlands Valley for a way heading towards Upper Ashop before crossing the River Ashop and heading up Rowlee pasture, up onto the ridge, turning SE along Cragg Side to Crook Hill. The weather was slightly better on this stretch and I passed the only 2 people I saw all day walking their dogs. The peace and quiet was wonderful!

View across to Kinder Plateau from Open Hagg

It was too cold to stop anywhere for long so snacks were munched on the hoof mostly to keep warm.

The worst bit of the walk was having to walk along a small section of the A57 to join 2 footpaths together - not nice in the wet!

I crossed back over the river at Haglee Ford and headed up thru the woodlands - lovely little climb thru very quiet woodland, could almost be described as spooky!

On the walk back to the Hostel all I could think of was the very big pot of tea I was looking forward to, followed by a hot shower and a snooze! Bliss....