Day 45 Pomeroy to Ashbourne Monday 27 June

Distance 19.65 miles, cumulative 783.06 miles, time 9 hrs, walking time 6 hrs, pace 3.3 mph, Camped – Peak Gateway Leisure Park.
Bliss – a breakfast with sunshine, no rain and no midges. 

Our route followed the Tissington and High Peak Trail which is a cycle and bridleway which has been laid on the old Buxton to Ashbourne railway line. So a flat days walking and good underfoot. The sun had got it’s hat on and a good breeze made for perfect walking weather. 

The railway opened in 1899 and closed in 1963. The Peak District National Park later converted it into the trail. It is a lovely trail to walk or cycle and well worth a visit with parking areas, tea stops, pubs and campsites on the route. It connects some pretty Peak District villages and towns. 

We found a fine example of the benefits of being in the EU when beside the trail we found a dry stone hut described as:

‘A Kazun – an Istrian stone shelter is a gift from the Croatia to the UK to mark the accession of Croatia to the EU on 1 July 2013 in celebration and recognition of a shared heritage and tradition of vernacular dry stone buildings across Europe’. If the remain campaign had made more of benefits like this they may have clinched the vote. 

Lynn found some replacement boots at the second walking shop we tried in Ashbourne. They are pretty similar to her old ones but a different make (Solomon) but she is happy with the fit, materials and sole, so fingers crossed her feet like them too – and they were in the sale.