Saturday January 24th
Tideswell to Cressbrook After a week of windy weather, Sunday looked calmer and we opted to go to Tideswell to do a new walk. The first section seemed to be a little complicated, but we made our way to the head of Tideswell Dale. Stoical sheep on the way to Tideswell Dale From there the route heads towards the Field Study Centre and after negotiating some cottages, emerges at Litton Mill, notorious in the 19th century for its use of pauper child labour. The mill is in an isolated spot and was never very profitable in comparison with other textile mills nearby. Entering Miller's Dale, the route passes through the Cramside Wood Nature Reserve, with a pleasant meander along the river Wye. We decided to stop for lunch here, next to a small, derelict water wheel. The remains of a water wheel with a good perch for lunch This lunch break was good preparation as it turned out for the flooded sections of the trail which followed. It was passable, but very wet and muddy, especially to...