Explorers UK Group walking weekend 

This was my first trip away with the walking Meet Up Group, Explorers UK. Tom is the leader, and arranges, weekends away as well as day trips. Meet Up Group Explorers UK are based in the UK.

There is much to explore in the UK. Tom the leader of this Meet Up group is an experienced hill walker. 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 

After purchasing various single tickets from different companies: Northern Tickets, Virgin, and East Midlands, well in advance, I now realised all of them  can be printed  from any station. I was off to a place called Hope just outside Sheffield, from where then took a bus can be caught to Castleton right outside the Hostel.

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

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

I had only met a couple of members of the group before, so I was a bit apprehensive about who might be attending.  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 congregating for the Sunday morning walk. We agreed to go and see the caves. It had been mentioned in the programme as an alternative last day  activity.  

Having climbed 11 miles the day before, and the night walk on Friday; a shorter walk to the Caves seemed a better option.

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 or two walking. There are numerous great pubs to choose from, it is a busy town so book lunch /accommodation well ahead.

 

 

Until then Keep on keeping on

 

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