Up the Heights of Abraham

We're very lucky - we're staying in a really nice hotel in the countryside just to the north of Derby, on the outskirts of the Peak District. Breadsall Priory is a modern hotel but parts of the original building date back to the 15th century.

What wasn't around in those days are the two high quality 18 hole golf courses which now surround the hotel and the extensive grounds. Although I won't be playing golf this weekend, we are planning to use the leisure facilities including pool and sauna, and are booked in for a relaxing massage tomorrow.

The plan for today was to head for Matlock, in the southern White Peaks, and nearby Matlock Bath. Matlock Bath sits in a dramatic gorge carved by the river Derwent and the cliffs overlooking the town are known as the Heights of Abraham.

We had a walk in mind up to the top, starting in Matlock where the gradient would be less steep, but looking at the tower at the top, the climb seemed to be a challenge from whichever starting point. Instead we decided to walk down the flat A6 road alongside the river into Matlock Bath and then ride up to the top in the cable car. Despite Carole's doubts, this seemed a better bet than an exhausting climb, but after seeing the price of the cable car ride we started to have second thoughts!

It was too late to change our minds, though Carole wished we had when the car stopped halfway up, just at the point where the drop was the biggest and the breeze was the strongest. Fortunately we were soon on the move and before long we were at the top.

The cable car ticket gives you entry into several other attractions including exhibitions, caverns, and the Victorian prospect tower, a prominent landark on the very top of the hill. We of course headed for the cafe, and after taking in the views, we headed away to start our walk proper.



I'm starting to understand my GPS a little more now, and had programmed a handful of waypoints in before we set off, the first of which was just outside of the Heights facilities so I could identify the right path for us to take. The path led to the village of Bonsall, a proper Derbyshire Dales village and a sharp contrast to the amusement arcades of Matlock Bath.

After lunch, we followed directions to a couple more waypoints over another hillside after which we could see Matlock in the valley below, and the last couple of miles were mainly downhill back to the car.