I started the walk at Hurdlow car park and headed along a very foggy High Peak Trail.

I soon reached the end of the High Peak Trail at Dowlow, where I turn left.

I follow the cycle bridleway to the road.

Rather than walk along the road I use the track next to the wall until it turned away from the road.

From the road I get my first view of High Wheeldon and the climb up looks as steep as I remember.

I took it slow going up to the summit, not least because the mist meant the grass and rocks were greasy.

From the top I can just about make out Hitter Hill behind Aldery Cliff.

I take the path towards Crowdecote, which is new to me.

Lack of attention to the curves in the map when I was planning this route meant I hadn't picked up on all the up and downs on this route.

Following the finger posts across the fields I soon reach the road.

As I start along the path towards Pilsbury Castle Hills I get my first real view down the Upper Dove Valley.

Once I had climbed away from the road I could look across the hillside I would be walking across to reach the next summit.

Walking along here was interesting as paths would appear and disappear.

I was following the route in Anna Paxton's book and the one thing she mentioned here was to stay high. As I was to find out later the stile out of the field is behind the tree in the middle of the picture. I picked up a path which took me much further down the slope and earned myself an extra bit of ascent.

Looking along the Dove Valley I got my first view of Pilsbury Castle.

Shortly after taking this shot of Pilsbury Castle I reached the wall at the end of the field and realised I had to head back up the hill. At least the next time I do this route I will know where to head for.

Once I reached the stile it was just a simple stroll across from there to the summit.

As it is the first time I have been here the obligatory shot of the unmarked summit.

The fog is finally starting to clear and behind me I can now make out High Wheeldon.

Across the valley I can also see the quite distinctive Sheen Hill.

My next target is Carder Low and I debate stopping for something to eat here or on Carder Low.

Heading down the slopes of Pilsbury Caste Hills to the road I meet only the second person I have seen so far today. The other person was on the summit of High Wheeldon.

As I cross the road between Pilsbury Castle and Carder Low the number of people I meet increases as I start to meet walkers heading up the valley from Hartington.

Looking back to the road and the lower slopes of Pilsbury Castle Hills after yet another short descent and ascent.

From the footpath to Hartington I can now look across the valley to the ridge of Top o'th Edge.

Having reached my final summit of the day I get the clearest view yet and can now pick out Parkhouse Hill.

Like Pilsbury Castle there is nothing to mark the summit of Carder Low.

From the summit of Carder Low I check out the route I will be taking back to the High Peak Trail and I'm pleased to see no sign of any fields full of cows.

From the summit I can also pick out all the hills on the other side of Hartington.

As there is a very cool edge to the breeze I drop down the slopes of Carder Low to eat an early lunch. As I sit there more of the hills in the Upper Dove Valley emerge from the gloom.

I sit watching people head along the footpath too and from Hartington. Lunch over I drop back down to the footpath, but instead of going through the stile I need to turn left at the wall and take the gate at the top of the field to head up the slopes of Carder Low again.

Having walked up the slopes of Carder Low for a second time I drop down the other side to the road that heads along Long Dale.

Having walked through Vincent House Farm I head uphill again and can look back across the farm to Carder Low.

Before I make the final descent and ascent of the day I can look across Darley Farm and pick out the path to the High Peak Trail. As I head towards the farm I can even see and hear some of the cyclists heading along the trail.

All that remains now is to do the last couple of miles along the High Peak Trail.

Unlike the section I did first thing I do at least have some views to look at as I head along the trail.

Typical of today the last section of the walk, along the trail, is also uphill. Well I did say I wanted to get some ascent into my legs!

 

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