A Wet Dovedale a Trip To The Farm

There were 5 of us this week, the usual 4 plus Gordon from over the Irish Sea. Gordon was visiting relatives in Blackbrook and he always joins us when he is over here. It was a very damp start and after discussion we plumped for a quick walk around Thorpe Cloud in Dovedale. We parked in a lay by just on the outskirts of Thorpe then walked down the road to find the footpath which actually went through an empty FREE car park (We could have parked here was the cry). We just followed the footpath which took us through Lin Dale and then onto the stepping stones across the River Dove. The stepping stones have recently been capped with limestone and it looks like a nice job, well done to the authorities. Because the fields were so wet we just decided to follow the road back to the car. Coming through Lin Dale there were dozens of rabbits running about, we also spotted a dipper in the river.

Route around Thorpe Cloud

Thorpe Cloud

3 wise men???

This is Lin Dale

Hill sheep

Footpaths everywhere you look

Geoff, Ike, Gordon and Rob at the Stepping Stones in Dovedale

Gordon in the middle of the River Dove

Rob, Gordon, Ike and Geoff

The stepping stones have been capped to save them wearing away

The new surface of the stepping stones, you can clearly see some fossils in the stone.

The small weir above the stepping stones

Dipper bobbing up and down the river

• After we left Dovedale Ike suggested we call in at his daughters in Brailsford where the house is undergoing some major changes at the moment. Rachel has got lots of chickens and pigs to look after as well as tending to the huge amount of land they have. We had our breakfast in one of the lean to's out of the rain.

This is Rachel & Nicks house undergoing some major changes

Ike

Rachel sitting on her throne in the orchard

Rachel is keeping this feature in the house

Rachel & her dad Ike

He rules the roost

Rob, Rachel, Ike and me

One of the lovely puppies from there litter

A nice little walk around Dovedale finished off at Rachel & Nicks in Brailsford with some great company. Loved all the animals and things at Rachels.
See you next week.