Of the 24 people hereabouts, 2 were on their way back home some time during the day and 2 went on a walk of their own, so 20 on the walk. Up to mid-afternoon we had very low clouds with only very occasional very short bouts of drizzle or rain, just enough to put on waterproofs and close all zippers to then take them off again. From 4 pm onwards though we had about half an hour of proper rain, low clouds with some rain .

The weather couldn't detract from the beautiful landscape though: lush green pastures, a tight green valley, the odd wood, the odd steep climb. A first stop was made by about half the group at The Barrel Inn, while another group moved on past a landslipped bit of road and down a steep wood, then through a couple of picturesque villages to The Black Bull, where 4 of us had a wonderful lunch at a covered outdoor table. Some picknickers and some of the other groups stopped for a drink. We moved on to Eyam and had coffee and cake in the courtyard of Eyam Hall.

One last steep ascent up to the Edge and across to the sea of purple that is Eyam Moor: heather in full bloom interspersed with blooming gorse, very pretty indeed.

One went off on a tangent (literally) to (successfully) locate the Wet Withens stone circle and a neighbouring large barrow.

After walk drinks at The Plough for some.

Turns out that the 2 who did a walk of their own bumped into one off the main group in Eyam, who had dawdled to have a look at the Museum there, and they got drenched by one of the forecast thunderstorms when crossing Eyam Moor, at around 6 pm.

I am hoping to come on this walk from the West if not raining too hard jfk

3 of yesterday's walkers went on other adventures today, but we had 2 new ones turn up, so 27 in low clouds with some sunny breaks and some drizzle . The route has plenty of ups and downs pre lunch, through tight wooded valleys or over rolling hills of pastoral land. The clouds kept getting lower as we approached the top of the Bretton Clough, to emerge on the edge of the big drop into the Hope Valley, with the Barrel Inn to the left. Half the group turned into the pub for a refresher (tables were all booked, so food was no option).

On along the edge and through a hanging wood to Great Hucklow, with plenty of signs of the old lead mines en route, well info panelled. About a handful had walked the shortcut and had managed to book a table for all lunchers at the third pub, The Bull Inn in Foolow. From there through small fields (lots of stone slab stiles) to Eyam, the plague village.

Lots of interest in Eyam, from plaques explaining the effects of the plague on individual houses' inhabitants to a real ale breweries' tap room to a café in the old buttery of Eyam Hall to preparations for a well dressing at the next weekend. The group had splintered into multiple sub-groups by now, and everyone made their way up to and across Eyam Moor at their pace. Heather, gorse, bracken and bilberries galore. A patchwork of colours with stunning scenery framing it: Higger Tor, Stanage and Froggatt edges, and the oh so green Hope Valley.

A glorious descent and about 15 reassembled at the Plough Inn for drinks and dinner. Most of the others had a train to catch back south...