Explorers UK Group walking weekend 

This was my first trip away with the walking group organised by Meet Up Group, Explorers UK. Tom organises group walking; from a day trip to Stonehenge, as well as the occasional weekend away. They are based in the UK.

EXPLORING THE UK ON FOOT 

It’s a good way to explore the countryside in the UK. Tom the leader of this Meet Up group is an experienced hill walker. See the link below for further details.

Anyone can join, it is amazing how much beautiful countryside we do have, explore now before it’s too late.!

https://www.meetup.com/Explorer—UK/events/256034175/

 

Getting ready for my walking Weekend  holiday with the Uk Explorers Group

 

 St Pancras International. A GRAND OLD  STATION.

I hadn’t realised you could take a train to the UK from St Pancras International. I have only ever used this station to go to Paris on the Eurostar. Above the ground floor lays The East Midlands line. It’s beautifully designed with some really smart-looking restaurants, Including the Champagne and Oyster Bar.

I think I could happily spend the day there! This was my starting point for my weekend.

Purchasing tickets on a budget 

I had to purchase various single tickets from different companies: Northern Tickets, Virgin, and East Midlands.  I had bought well in advance, and I now realised you can print most tickets from any station, despite having to select a specific station.

 was off to a place called Hope just outside Sheffield then took a small bus journey to Castleton where I was booked to staying in a Hostel for a walking weekend with the Meet Up  Group Explorers UK 

This group are an independent group.They organise the accommodation and take you out on two led walks.  I was keen to try the night walk in the Peak District and spend a couple of days in a new area.

THE LAMBING SEASON

 

My first impression was of a grand tree-lined drive

This led up to an old type Manor house but before I had reached that point, I stuck my head in the door of one of two small attached houses, thinking this must be the place, but it was somebody’s house.!

It was a laugh and they pointed me in the right direction. I rarely check too many facts before travelling. As long as I know the train times then I’m off.  I hadn’t googled the accommodation, I prefer to be surprised.

On either side of the drive were grass pastures and the sight of very young lambs leaping about or huddling together under the tree. Lambs do truly leap and always make me feel happy. Shortly to feel depressed thinking about their short lives.

Talking the talk Doing the Walk

It can be quite nerve-wracking doing something new but still getting out of the comfort zone never done anyone any harm.. (well it probably did but that’s another story!!)

I had only met a couple of members of the group before, so I was a bit apprehensive about who might be attending. It is a good way to get to know areas if your keen on getting out into places to walk at the weekends.

We were a group of about 30 and had an annexe to ourselves, it was a busy old place, with hikers, groups of cyclists and other random groups out for the weekend. I have to say the hostel was magnificent but sharing a room with 3 other bunkers, is not my style, if I did this sort of weekend walk again, I would opt for a shared room with one other person or a single. It might be worth joining the YHA that is the ‘ YOUTH’ Hostel Organisation, if you fancied walking independently.

https://www.yha.org.uk

We started off on Friday night with a night walk. Torches in hand.

 

 

 

There are plenty of Ups and Downs in this area, or Peaks and troughs as they are named.

 

 

 

The caves are a big tourist attraction in this area.

I and another walker had both got a bit impatient hanging about waiting for everybody on Sunday morning and decided to just go off and see the caves. It had been mentioned on the programme as an alternative to going on a 6-mile walk on Sunday.

Having walked 11 miles the day before , or should I say climbed! as well as the night walk on Friday I felt a shorter walk to the Caves was a better option.

It would be a shame not too. I can’t say I have ever been in a cave like this before we had a guided tour explaining the history and foundations of the caves in the area.

Treak Cliff Cavern is a show cave near Castleton in Derbyshire, England. It is part of the Castleton Site of Special Scientific Interest and one of only two sites where the ornamental mineral Blue John is still excavated.

 

 

 

Caves are fascinating places to visit. I would recommend this area for a couple of nights, where you could have a day walking great pubs to choose from followed by a day exploring the various caves. We only had time to visit one and then sadly a train back to London and the rat race!

I need to get a couple of coastal walks done in May before leading my Seven Sisters Walk in June. Look out for details on my up and coming walks page.

 

Until then Keep on keeping on

 

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