Our drive to Hathersage took us on a roundabout route passed Ladybower Reservoir since we can't walk straight across the moors to the village as the writer Charlotte Bronte used to do during her stay with her friend at the vicarage. The purple heather is in bloom at this time of the year.
Ladybower Reservoir
We drove straight to one of the pubs in the village where we dropped off Mr P before walking up the hill to the church. The pub is an old one often used by travellers who used to cross the moors taking goods by pack saddle ponies to towns in the region. These days there's a restaurant menu and we certainly enjoyed our lunch.
There are views across to the moors and the hills surrounding the village and pretty gardens among the houses.
The climb up the hill was a good workout for me! We stopped by the church entrance gate.
Under this old yew tree in the churchyard is a grave known as "Little John's Grave". Whoever is buried there was a tall person as the grave is very long and well kept by local historians. There are many legends about Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. They supposedly lived in the forests in the next county of Nottinghamshire including one of his followers, Little John. There are many place names associated with Robin Hood, a fictitious character based on a real person. Our own village in the Loxley Valley is one such although far from Nottingham. People wandered far and wide in those days.
In the pub, The Scotsman's Pack, there's a photo of the cottage in which this person lived.
the shaft of a preaching cross in the churchyard
church entrance
War Memorial
the nave
Stained glass windows depicting Fortitude and Hope
Faith and Charity
A prayer stop - reminding us to pray for the people of Ukraine
the children's corner
the font
It's a while since I've visited St Michael and All Angels Parish Church and it was good to show Daughter D around before returning to the pub for some lunch.
Not a very good photo due to the waiter pointing the camera towards the light of the window, but it was a record of a good day out with Mr P and Daughter D before heading back home by way of the Strines Reservoir and the moors.
Thank you for visiting. Have a good week!
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