12/04/19 - Day 5 - Inn Way to Peak District - Castleton to Hayfield

Start - Castleton
Finish - Hayfield
Distance -  12 Miles
Key Features - Cave Dale, Peveril Castle, Mam Tor, Great Ridge, Jacobs Ladder
Geocaches - 6
Pubs - 5 Visited, 6 Available
Previous Days - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4



Final 2 days on the Inn Way and I know the walking starts to get serious.  Today, I am aware that I have to climb Mam Tor and Jacobs Ladder.   Both have been previously completed but on separate hikes.   Tomorrow, it's an 18 mile finale.

It's a wonderful start (as always).   A last look at Castleton, a place I kind of fell in love with, and find the correct path to Cave Dale and get up close to Peveril Castle.

How was your Friday Morning?

The rear of Peveril Castle

Peveril Castle on the Limestone Way

The Limestone Way is left behind on Bradwell Moor, as I head North West on an arrow straight road.   The obvious prize in the far distance is Mam Tor.   The is a short pull up and I'm on the Great Ridge, following it all the way to Hollins Cross.   Photo opportunities are endless on a clear day.  I have been so lucky with the weather.

Put the GPS Away and head for the lump ahead

The Great Ridge - Views in all direction.

2 pub Edale is the downhill prize and out of the two, I'll take the Old Nags Head.   Hiker's Bar and the official start of the Pennine Way seems more suited to my needs.

I could lie and say I'm off to Kirk Yetholm

Surprisingly quiet at midday, with a family who had already started lunch.   I'll remember it as being cold.   The room was freezing, but the judging by the Black Sheep, the cellar must be an ice room.

Still, I'm fortified to do the first couple of miles on the Pennine Way and prepare for Jacobs Ladder.

All Uphill for a bit

It was nothing to worry about.   And what goes up, must come down.   A long, gentle descent into Hayfield over Oaken Clough.

Looking back over Oaken Clough 

The first pub in Hayfield is the Sportsman - a stiff climb up some steps.   I check with the local exercising their dog in the stream that it will be open at 4pm, before a potentially fruitless ascent.

Adding Thwaites to my list of breweries on the Inn Way

Into town proper to find my digs for tonight.   Another joy of these Inn Ways is staying at coaching houses with centuries of history.   You cannot help but wonder about the lives of other guests that have staying their during a 450 year history.

And their mode of transport more aesthetically pleasing than a red trannie

This is a Marstons pub and I have a road to Damascus experience.   Pedigree Bitter, if kept well, is an absolute joy of a pint.   I was amazed, I always thought it smelled of eggs.

Plenty of time for a rest and put on whatever glad rags I can find in the Osprey before investigating the final three.

The Kinder Lodge is the wrong side of A624 Tracks.   The last time I was in here was when Andy Murray won Wimbledon for the first time.  They were serving strawberries and cream and it was all so civil.

Tonight, there's a handful of colorful locals getting down to Digital Gold, playing 60s music far too loud.   The most refreshed announces its time to leave and puts on his rucksack.   Inquiries from the others as to what was contained within are met with "my escort".   We failed to determine if this was his partner, a car or a magazine before he fessed up and said 6 cans of Stella Artois.

That's breakfast sorted.

A change of Modus Operandi since Andy Murrays Success

The great thing about the British Pub is how they are open to all walks of life and can be wildly different.  I'm off to the Pack Horse now, a pub that I had read was full of wannabie nouveau riche.

I'm not going to argue with their pub furniture though.   I sank that deep into a blood red chesterfield sofa that its a wonder I am not there still.

Bad Early Evening Photo of a Gastropub - Contains Theakstons

From this vantage point, I can do nothing but over hear the conversation of 5 yuppies (does Derbyshire have yuppies) with 3 dogs, none on leads.   The loudest is moaning about the problems he is having with his new BMW 5 Series syncing with Spotify running on Android and how he has taken it back to the dealers.

I would have inwardly groaned, muttered an obscenity about first world problems but I needed to know the answer. 

I have exactly the same problem.

Alas, I will forever be pulling into laybys wishing I had an iPhone.  Just as a potential solution was being revealed, the big chocolate labrador got excited by an incoming collie, swished his tail and sent their pints flying.   His owner went to get mops and replacement pints and the dog escaped into the dining room, to attempt to steal food from the diners' plates.

He was told to put his dog on a lead in the most politest of fashions.

To complete the set, I pop into the Royal Hotel on my way home.   No such dramas in here, but the collies owner has followed me in, saying he was after some peace and quiet.

Another old coaching house with many original features and more Stancill Brewery wares to test, this time a Jaxon Brew number 1.

Royal Hotel by Night