As it’s fathers day today, Joe got to choose the itinerary, and it was a run-out with the bikes. A route recommended by our neighbours would pick up the White Peak Loop trail – it is an ambition in these parts to join the main off-road cycle trails into a single loop, connecting seamlessly the towns of Cromford, Matlock, Bakewell, Buxton and Ashbourne. Once complete this will be an amazing place for off-road cycling.

Our neighbour had already made a witty comment about how steep this track is (for our hybrid bikes) as it heads upwards from beside the Parks Inn car park at Harpur Hill. He wasn’t wrong and our bikes struggled to gain traction up the steep hill – wrong kind of bike, tyres and electric motor spring to mind. Clearly his mountain bike didn’t have a street legal motor on it, judging by the size of the rear wheel hub!

Anyhow, we made it to the top of the peak where we would join very quiet country lanes. Perfect for cycling but the one thing about this part of the Peak District is that the terrain is very rugged and mountainous in sharp contrast to the the usual area we stay – Carsington Water.

Our return would encompass a stop at the Parks Inn for a couple of pints of draft Bass. Not a common ale these days but was always one of my favourites.

An apt Fathers Day card from my daughter Sue.

Before any wise cracks that we could have walked the route quicker, I hadn’t turned the tracking off for our picnic nor the ale stop!

The once-magnificent country house of Errwood Hall, enjoying wonderful views over the picturesque Goyt Valley, is now just a sad pile of stones. It survived for less than 100 years. It was built around 1843, and demolished in 1934.

The ruins are accessible from the same car park we used for our circular walk of Errwood Reservoir. The walk was some 5 miles and classed as moderate. It certainly wasn’t an easy trek around a flat body of water.

Part way around is the Packhorse Bridge – this has seen better days and has been flagged as having a structural weakness and, had we been able to read the notices, we would have had to turn around. Having failed to produce our reading glasses until after the bridge, our walk continued un-abated and the bridge didn’t collapse under our combined weight.

Here are a selection of photographs from the walk, including a spectacular show of Rhodedrums, which had been planted along the river towards the derelict hall.

Back at the caravan, it’s now time to watch the Exeter v Sale semi-final and then a BBQ for dinner.

Thursday was a short journey from High Onn heading north east through Stoke-On-Trent, Leek and arriving at the Buxton Caravan and Motorhome Club site just after noon.

The only thing notable about the journey was that the A53 from Stoke To Buxton was an absolute shambles for pot holes and poor maintenance – won’t be long before the caravan needs screwing back together yet again!

The site is extremely peaceful, situated on the floor of a dis-used quarry – judging by the road names, presumably this was Grin Low quarry. Given we are almost at mid-summers day and the daily high temperature was a cool 13 degrees, maybe this should be called “Grim” Low!

The views over the campsite are pleasing enough.

Facilities here look all recently refurbished and we have a nice spot tucked away in one corner of the campsite, complete with a fully serviced pitch.

Spent much of today (Friday) sussing out access to the various off-road cycle trails – there are three well-known ones in the area:

• Monsal Trail
• Tissington Trail
• High Peak Trail

We have cycled these routes before on a number of occasions but never from the Buxton end and access from Buxton is challenging. The roads are in poor condition and the traffic is heavy, Buxton being a major crossroads for many routes criss-crossing the Peak District.

In addition to this there are direct routes to Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield. We really don’t intend cycling on any of these routes to access the cycle trails!

We stopped briefly in Buxton, and one can fully appreciate the communications hub it is / once was. There are railway lines, a number appear to be for freight / quarry materials heading in all directions and a plethora of viaducts overlook this small market town. Pictures just don’t seem to do justice.

It’s market day in Buxton tomorrow so perhaps we will head into town on foot.

Arriving at High Onn after a 3.5 hour event free journey from Devon, it felt like we had travelled back in time. High Onn is only maybe a 30 minute journey from the hussle and bussle of Birmingham and the M5 / M6 interchange, yet High Onn and its campsite could be a 1000 miles away.

There is not a single sound of traffic, save for the occasional caravan rolling in and it’s a fantastic day weather wise. Hot and sunny with temperatures in the mid 20s.

This Caravan Club site consists of 65 pitches but no toilet blocks – this going some way perhaps to explain why the site isn’t fully booked and why we were able to secure a last minute change of dates.

Our pitch at High Onn:

The wardens were helpful pointing out a variety of local pubs, all of which were either allegedly closed or not serving food. A couple of phone calls revealed that the Hartley Arms in Wheaton Aston was indeed open and serving food (must update the wardens) so it is time to don our walking shoes and head off on a 3.5 mile walk, much of which is alongside the Shropshire Union canal. The Hartley Arms will be beside bridge 19.

A quick Google search revealed the “bio” of the owners of the Hartley Arms: “Having studied at Birmingham College of Food Phil has worked in a variety of restaurants from a beach side bistro in Fuerteventura to a 2 rosette restaurant in South Wales and Le Caprice in London’s West End. He is excited to bring his knowledge and passion back to the pub where it all began, his first real job was behind the bar at the Hartley.”

The walk from our campsite passed the old RAF Chapel and Cinema and a little further on we passed 2 old green wartime storage buildings.

The entrance to the old RAF Wheaton Aston airfield was shortly after on the right. Further one we would pass a beautiful black and white building which was originally the South Lodge of Little Onn Hall.

We would then join the Shropshire Union canal at bridge 23. Just four bridges until number 19, the site of the Hartley Arms.

And finally, bridge 19!

We sat at a table overlooking the canal and ordered Salmon Fishcakes – Moe and mixed Kebabs – Joe.

The food, despite being reasonably priced was just excellent. The Kebabs cooked and flavoured to perfection. The fishcakes full of flaky salmon chunks.

We returned to the campsite via country lanes, which shortened the journey a little as opposed to the canal route. Nevertheless, a decent 7 mile walk for a couple of pints and some very nice food.