A drive across the moors to Bamford

Recently we took a drive down to Ladybower Reservoir going over our local moor so that we could see the heather which is in flower at the moment. 

a view across the village of Bamford roof tops to the hills
 overlooking Hope Valley

We had planned to go further into the Peak District National Park, but instead decided to return home for lunch.  However, we did stop off in the village of Bamford and had a coffee in what has become to be known as the Angler's Rest Community Hub.  This former pub was another one of the amenities in this village threatened with closure. Then a group of villagers had the idea of buying it from the company that owned it for use as a community facility. After much negotiation this happened in 2013 and with further improvements to the building the venture proved to be so successful that there is now The Rest Café, The Rest Bistro and a post office. The usual stationery items can be bought there and it's also an outlet for local artisans' work. Once a month a farmers' market is held in the car park. 

a seating area in front of The Angler's Rest Hub

The Methodist Church, one of three churches in the village,
 the others being Anglican and Roman Catholic.

Bamford is one of the highest villages in the Upper River Derwent Valley. The surrounding area is  popular with walkers and climbers as it's located on the slopes of the gritstone escarpment of Bamford Edge. 

An evening stroll

       One evening recently we went over to Castleton in the Hope Valley

       and had a walk around the quiet streets as there were few people around.

We parked by St. Edmund's Church near the Market Place

    where there's a view of the ruins of Peveril Castle high up on a hill. 

We walked along the path by the millstream towards Peak Cavern

before returning to the main street, Castle Street.
Most of the shops were closed, but there were window displays
to look at including the jewellery and other ornamental items crafted from the Blue John
(bleu et jaune) stone, the beautiful dark purple/'blue' and yellow veined and banded
 fluorspar mineral that has been mined in the Castleton caverns since the C18th.
  

There are eating places in old buildings all with an interesting history.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn was one of the earliest ale houses in Castleton.
It was a regular stopping place for horses and riders transporting salt
from the county of Cheshire and the payment for a stay would be in the form
of Cheshire Cheeses. 

We sat for a while before driving back home, 

stopping by Lady bower Reservoir where it was very peaceful by the water....

.....although looking over the stone wall by the dam a bell mouth overflow,
one of two, looked very strange in the growing twilight. 

When we've been here before it has looked very different.

There are several Open Garden events this weekend in our locality where villages are opening gardens to the public. The one at Castleton is called 'Castleton's Secret Gardens'. There's a similar event nearer to where we live so I might go along.

Beside still waters

Upper Derwent Water, Ladybower Reservoir

Woodland walks beside the Upper Derwent Reservoir

The wooden seat has a snail (with a very flat shell) or maybe it's a slug or beetle (?!)
 carved on the oak leaf.
There are huge eyeballs for support legs!

Good walking countryside in the Peak District

National Parkland.  Our picnic spot was 

 in the meadow by the reservoir

and woods (marked by an x).

We're enjoying the bird visitors coming into our garden.