Days 388 to 392 Another week of cool fine weather.

Day 388, 22/4/21, Parsley Hay Refreshment Area.

My last blog hinted at a very slight intention of attempting to walk almost a third of a million steps during the 31 days of May, in aid of Christian Aid. And, if I had maintained the amount of walking I carried out over a seven day period last week, in theory, I would be well ahead of schedule, only taking one day off during that period. Today, after “four days off”, I am enjoying the cool spring sunshine savouring a decaf latte and a sausage bap having walked to Parsley Hay from Hurdlow, a little over two miles. The plan is to continue to Newhaven Tunnel before walking back to Hurdlow…lunch now having been taken care of.

On Sunday, the plan to walk to church didn’t materialise after “over-sleeping” after not the best of nights. Bishop Jack took the morning Eucharist in his usual elegant and meaningful manner, with an appropriate and thoughtful tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh. Coffee in the Pavilion Gardens afterwards made for a most pleasant Sunday, but the desire to maintain my walking schedule evaded me! Annoyingly, I had left the phone at home and thus couldn’t maintain any record of my efforts.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I remained at or very near home, enjoying the sunshine in my garden or from the newly cleared out back bedroom.

Today, Thursday, while asleep and dreaming of bidding for Ken Dodd’s credit card sized I.D. on eBay, such a preposterous subject of my shallow slumber was disturbed by the very real sound of my nearby phone, waking me up at 9 am. I wasn’t pleased! However, I may well now trawl the internet for some real Doddy memorabilia! Outside, the sky was azure blue, the distant countryside inviting. I read a chapter from the Old Testament before getting up, and after breakfast, being now able to do more or less as I like, dropped the roof of my red car for the brief drive out to Hurdlow. The two mile + walk south to Parsley Hay was accomplished in around forty minutes, against a slight cool breeze from the south. Temptation got the better of me at Parsley Hay where I enjoyed a snack and coffee. Refreshed, I shall now head towards Newhaven Tunnel before turning around and walking to Hurdlow with the breeze behind me. (13.30hrs)

14.40 hrs Parsley Hay

The “logo” of the Cromford and High Peak Railway carved into the Cromford end of Newhaven Tunnel shows up well with the sunlight reflecting therefrom.

Looking from the “Buxton end” of Newhaven Tunnel.

Time for another break. The Tissington and High Peak Trails are busy today. It seems that the world, his wife and kids all had the same idea as me. Throughout, I have been passed by numerous cyclists, not surprising as this is a cycle trail. The long since deceased directors of the London and North Western Railway must be turning in their graves at the enormous number of people walking and cycling along what was once their business, which with three inconveniently timed passenger trains each way between Buxton and Ashbourne was probably never going to be a gold mine. However, as a freight route, I understand that the amount of traffic was prolific, both minerals and agricultural. The small amount of original publicity material in my collection does suggest the high hopes the L.N.W.R. had for the railway prior to its introduction.