Day 120 - April 30th

April embroidery journal is complete.

Day 119 - April 29th

The flowers on the Bridal Bush (Spirea) in our back garden are so pretty.

Day 118 - April 28th

Just Tux.

Day 117 - April 27th

Another early start today, as we were heading to the very popular Dovedale National Nature Reserve. We parked in the National Trust car park at Dovedale and followed the trail to the pretty little village of Milldale.

Arriving early allowed us to cross the stepping stones quickly, without any queues or having to navigate past people coming the other way.

It was so pretty walking alongside the River Dove with so much to see.

The majority of todays walk was relatively flat, with the exception of a central section that involved a steep climb up a set of steps followed by a steep descent.

Ilam Rock

The Dove Holes (Caves)

Part of the walk reminded me of our holidays in Wales, when round the corned came a flock of sheep.

Reaching Milldale we were able to enjoy an ice cream sat beside the river.

After finishing our ice creams, we walked back along the river to Dovedale.

Can you spot the mans head in this rock?

White Throated Dipper

Day 116 - April 26th

Waking early this morning, we drove to Gradbach Mill, the starting point for our first walk of the weekend.

Our walk from Gradbach took us along a woodland track towards the intriguingly named Lud's Church.

Very soon we reached Lud's Church, a deep chasm covered in moss and ferns.

Walking through Lud's Church felt truly unique, unlike anywhere I'd been before – like stepping into a magical, hidden world.

Lud’s Church is widely accepted as being the setting of The Green Chapel in the 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Lud’s Church was also a secret location of worship by the 'Lollards' (a late medieval religious movement) around the same time.

Leaving Lud's Church we walked on along boarded sections of footpath and then uphill towards The Roaches.

We continued climbing higher towards the trig point.

After a brief stop at the trig point, we turned back and followed the ridge path towards Gradbach.

Back at Gradbach Mill we were pleased to find the Coffee Cabin open where we were able to enjoy a drink and bite to eat before returning to Buxton.