Martin's Mag.

Trying out the bikes from Yatton to Sandford. (Verdict: bikes OK, riders need attention).

Gym practice can’t be missed just because you’re on the ferry to France! (Thanks goodness for toughened glass).

We stayed in a hotel, previously a mill, in Glossop. Various attractions include the Millenium Walkway, many old mills, the river (Glossop Brook) and the Market Hall, where we had supper on the night of the England v Croatia match in the world cup. A huge screen relayed the action and, due to an over-complicated electronic ordering system, we were awarded two free pints. Plus, England won 4 – 2.

The next day to Hebden Bridge in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, eight miles west of Halifax. Slightly “hippie” with many small quirky shops, it is at the confluence of the River Calder and Hebden Water and also has the Rochdale canal.

Then, what turned out to be a rather long walk, uphill to the north-west, to Heptonstall an attractive, mostly 18th century, village, the last resting place of poet Sylvia Plath and a filming location for hit BBC dramas like Happy Valley.

Matlock Bath, on the river Derwent is between Cromford and Matlock and was famous for its warm springs in Victorian times. It is still a tourist town with, we counted, at least eight fish and chip shops within about 250 yards on the main street.

We then drove, via Matlock, to Miller’s Dale on the Monsal Trail which runs along the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell. this is a nice east cycle ride, but, as we hadn’t brought our bikes we just walked a few miles of it.

We were in the Peak District National Park for a few days, during which time we walked around this lake. Actually a reservoir created in the 1980s.

We like a bit of post-industrial archaeology and, as Sal couldn’t remember having visited this canal before, we had to check it out.

Time to get the bikes out for a test run along the Pier to Pier Way (Clevedon to Weston Super Mare). This enterprising farm has seen a refreshment opportunity which we had to sample.

We’re fast approaching that time of year when work in the garden changes from encouragement to suppression.

Another of https://mikesbristolwalks.com/, this time in South Bristol. Novers Hill and Knowle West are thought of as sprawling housing estates, but there are plenty of redeeming features.