Thursday 30th January 2014
Bitterly cold & blowing a gale but nothing untoward forecast until later in the day so I took the van up to the old Tissington railway line where it crosses Hartington Moor - Les was off visiting Abner & enjoying herself again!
No sooner had I started walking than it began to snow.... quite heavily! The ground, obviously, is very wet & the snow was unlikely to cause a serious walking problem but it quickly began to lay on the road & paths
Wandered for a couple of hours but when a blanket of mist settled around me I decided it was probably time to go home....
If it wasn't for the fact that I still have quite a few 'Catch-Ups' to do there would be a string of references to previous outings along this line!
Its solid surface has proved a blessing for pushchair walks during the wet weather!
An Istrian 'Kazun' - a gift from Croatia to the UK in recognition of their accession to the EU in July 2013
Built by Istrian dry-stone masons using limestone from just up the old railway!
The site was chosen because of the geological similarities & the similarities in both areas' building traditions
Interior of the Kazun's corbelled roof (the sandstone was imported from Huddersfield!)
Most of Croatia's were built in the 18th & 19th centuries to provide shelter for animals & workers alike
Couldn't resist trying out the seat inside.... & sheltering from the wind for a while!
Much more tourist-friendly than similar buildings I've seen, particularly on Orkney, where there's just been a rough earth floor to rest upon!
They'll be installing drinks' machines next!
The Tissington Trail follows the route of the old Ashbourne to Buxton railway line as far as the 'station' at Parsley Hay, where I parked
Built in 1899, it was the last Peak District railway to be constructed
At Parsley Hay it linked with the High Peak line, opened 70 years earlier & much more industrially important as it linked Cromford & its canal with Whaley Bridge & the Peak Forest canal (see Postscript 14 & LeJog Day 43!)
You don't have to stop at Parsley Hay, though, so I didn't!
Ironically, the line was most popular with tourists, especially walkers, as it offered relatively straight-forward access to Dovedale
Its other main use? A daily 'milk' train running all the way to London & picking up supplies from Waterhouses & the Manifold Line
(Postscript 27)
The High Peak Trail is not quite as gentle.... but then it is all downhill to Cromford & rather steep in places!
The point at which the Trails meet - the Pennine Bridleway joining in for good measure!
It can become rather busy up here in fine weather!
Today? A cyclist & a handful of walkers!
New pub No.4! Its address is Hartington but it's beside the main Ashbourne to Buxton road
Passed it lots of times when I've been out walking this way but, invariably, it's been closed!
Slightly disappointing pint of 'Life of Riley', the first Wincle beer I've had that hasn't been spot-on.... perhaps that's why I was the only one in the pub!
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