The next day had me up early and going for a walk up and down a hill with my friend. It was a very innocuous hill for someone fit, possibly wearing hiking boots and possibly carrying walking poles. It started off alright with need for a rest possibly camouflaged by photography. However, the going got a bit tougher and gentle encouragement became insufficient. My friend ended up becoming my sherpa in addition to providing an occasional steadying hand when it became very steep. For someone with far from robust knees I did well. I was rather envious of the people who had a set of walking poles and have ordered them for any future adventure. My friend could have lept up and down it like a gazelle and in fact had to amend her tour plan due to my lack of speed.
Thorpe Cloud after the descent. The pointy bit at the top is probably in a later photograph.
On the way up. No sun that day although it was still early when the photo was taken.
Some wary locals
Pretty high up. Green fields with stone fences and buildings
Scene from the top. Green fields and hills, very different from anywhere I’ve lived.
Approaching the bottom of the far side of the hill, steeper and more difficult than the ascent
A local on the Dove River at the base of the hill. I particularly liked the iridescence of the feathers on the head
The Dove River when we were returning to the car park.
After our little adventure and a restorative ice cream we repaired to a pub in a nearby village for a pub lunch beside a roaring fire while sitting in antique chairs. Due to my tardiness on the hill we didn’t have time to go anywhere else before we returned to Derby where I was deposited as my friend had another commitment. After a rest I headed for the city center and explored a few more spots we hadn’t had time to see the previous day.