We arranged to meet around 10:45am for an 11am start outside the Ashbourne Travelodge where the majority of us were staying and where I had managed to negotiate Free parking because we were staying there!!
Another photo of the group with me in it this time.
After leading the group from the Travelodge, past Homebase, M&S and towards Sainsbury’s – Radder was chuntering, worried as he was starting to think we were going shopping instead – we carried on past Ashbourne Leisure Centre and passed through the old railway tunnel beneath Ashbourne to the start of the Tissington Trail. Here’s Abi and Emma leading the way up the Trail. Two women on a mission!
My girlfriend Lynne has a thing about trees, so I have to take a lot of photos of them as you will see…
I quite like this shot, something mystical about it.
Here Radder made the command decision to keep on the trail to the old station and head to the Dog & Partridge pub because he was starving and wanted a drink and said he wanted to talk to a parrot! Despite the fact we thought he’d lost his marbles we duly followed and very pleasant it was too.
Here’s Batfink and girlfriend Elsbeth heading towards the pub!
Here we all are in the cosy warm Dog and Partridge pub. Me and Lynne had brought flasks of soup and tea, along with cheese and ham baps, crisps, chocolate etc, but we still managed to end up ordering burger and chips with our drinks!
Jack the parrot. Who’s a pretty boy then! Abs tried her best to get him to swear but he was having none of it!
The group outside the pub. Don’t we look cold?
Thorpe cloud in the distance covered in snow.
This was the moment the 2 groups met, the social group, which was ours, and the anti-social group, which was Joester’s. In the photo is Mr Joester himself, Sgt Pepper and Radder. This was just after the man with the van incident, and who can forget that!
Thorpe church.
The group trudging through the village of Thorpe towards the path that leads down to Coldwell Bridge and the delightful River Dove…
A white vista!
Another white vista from a different angle.
Some more trees for Lynne.
The River Dove from Coldwell Bridge
River Dove from another angle.
Lynne trudging through the snow beside the river. By this point I think she was thinking about finishing with me! Lol
The white river path.
Here comes The Batfink!
A Big Tree for Lynne and some more snow.
Arenig doing it in stile! Like the hat Robbo!
By now we just wanted to find the other pub, The Oakover Arms in Mapleton.
And here it is in the distance where we found a real fire and where me and Lynne stood outside, she had her soup and we shared our flask of tea before venturing into the pub to find the rest of the group engaged in raucous banter! It was hard work getting them to leave here I can tell you! Some people, who will remain nameless, even started talking about getting a ‘Taxi’ back into Asbourne!
From here I decided it was best not to climb over the fields from Mapleton as it was getting dark, no one seemed to have a torch and it was safer and quicker to head back to Ashbourne via the road, and besides none of us wanted to be late for the pub crawl planned later! When we got to the Cycle Hire Centre we once again ventured through the impressive Ashbourne tunnel and made our way back to the Travelodge to check in, shower, freshen up and head out for the evenings festivities which turned into a cracking night.
Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come on the walk despite the weather, and everybody seemed to enjoy it. I know me and Lynne did!
Steve