11 intrepid ramblers, met in the Peak Village car park, despite the poor weather forecast – which was correct at the start, with light rain!

We left the car park, walking past The Grouse and Claret pub onto Dale Road North, over the river and turned into Church Lane just past the Peacock Hotel. Taking the very muddy start of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way up to Calton Lees carpark, where we all found seats, under the trees helping to shelter us from the rain.

Upon leaving Calton Lees, the sky began to brighten, but still light rain, as we crossed the river via the traffic light controlled bridge and turning left onto Beeley Hill Top – after fighting our way through farmers parked vehicles, which were being used to make a track for the sheep, which were about to be moved into another field.

Continuing to climb up the lane, with the sky brightening all the time and very soon the rain stopped altogether, well before we reached Hell Bank. Turning sharp right here and going down the road (still closed because of the land slip) until we picked up the track on the left towards Fallinge, stopping for lunch at the highest point on that track, at 258 metres. No sun, but more importantly, NO RAIN.

After the lunch stop, it was only a short distance to Fallinge where we took a sharp right, going downhill and into the woods. Basically, following a twisting path over a very wet and slippy wooden bridge, all the way back to Rowsley, here joining the Chatsworth Road about 100 yards away from our car park. As usual with our walks, some of our group finished the day with a cuppa. Dave

9 Pictures by Dave