I drove through paradise on Sunday, 12th October, simply the route from Bradwell to Edale. The mist was lifting and blue sky hung up in the heavens. Lots of others had the same thought because the car park was full. We carried on towards Barber Booth and paid a farmer £5 to park in his field. Ann wanted to repeat a run we did in 2023. That was to Barber Booth and then a footpath to the Chapel Gate track and then up that onto Rushup Edge. What a day it was, 4.5C in the morning and 15C on the summits. It was glorious, the perfect relaxation, slow motion through the ultimate landscape. Not quite so good when the two abandoned cars appeared on the pathside.

Hill Climbers

I looked up those two cars on facebook and reddit. It appears a couple of joyriders stole them and drove them up from the Chapel-en-le-Frith road during snow. Then missed the left turn for Chapel Gate and continued up the footpath. In a mad skidding spell both fell into hollows and there was no way out. Now they lie, battered, many parts stolen. One is clearly a Range Rover, the other said to be a Porsche. Police stickers are attached but they say neither were reported as stolen! We ran on, a careful descent to Mam Tor, which looked more like Piccadilly Circus. We ran under Mam and across to Hollins Cross, and back down to Edale.

Rushup Edge

This is the Peak District, scenes changing at every turn or stile. On the descent, a herd of cows, well, calves mostly. Then wet spots, all requiring we pensioners to leap across. That is an exercise we are very poor at doing. Then, into lush woodland at Greenlands farm. In the past, with no house numbers, they named places to fit their landscape. This is well named. We were back home for lunch, very pleased at our morning out. Unlike the joyriders, we hit the fells and, then, nothing remains. Perhaps footprints but no damage, just memories in the grey matter.