The curious incident.....

Last weekend's camping trip to Hope will be remembered for more than it's fair share of incidents! Friday we arrived and with the tent half up found ourselves being battered by a hailstorm. After a quick retreat to the car, we managed to stay fairly dry getting the rest of it up. Then the sun came out, so we were able to have an early evening tipple before walking into the village for dinner.

The next day dawned bright and sunny, with more than the sun shining for one of our party, who had a very fetching shiner of her own following the curious incident of the iPad in the night-time. So, after a communal breakfast we set off on our walk, through some lovely lanes with hedgerows covered in wild flowers,

through Aston and Thornhill,  past an interesting sign

then back to the Rising Sun in Bamford for lunch.

 In the afternoon we walked through Shatton (you'd be amazed how many jokes you can get out of that....), past the ford,

 and got back to the campsite late afternoon, in time for a BBQ.

Although it had been warm during the day, the skies were clear and it was very cold in the evening, so we had to wrap up well in the awning. All of our wonderful slankets came out!

Another sunny morning, another communal breakfast (we all cook something and then share it out), and we had our airbed out on the grass trying to find the leak that meant we were constantly sinking in the night. Applied a patch to the hole and we thought the job was done.....  Then we set off to walk to Castleton - a route we've taken many times along the bottom of Lose Hill, with stunning views over to Pevril Castle and Winnats Pass.

 There's even a playground along the way, and a farm shop with animals to feed.

Lunch was in the Bulls Head, where we witnessed a medical emergency as a man collapsed at the next table. Two of our friends are very experienced nurses and leapt into action to throw chairs out of the way and get him on the floor. I was very impressed with the emergency services, as a volunteer first responder was there within minutes, closely followed by a doctor, then a paramedic. It  was like being on the set of Casualty. I'm pleased to say the man was conscious and seemed OK.

A mooch round Castleton and the shops followed, and I managed to buy some jewellery, and we had an excellent Bradwells Ice Cream, and then some left for the campsite, but some of us were staying to see a concert - The Everley Pregnant Brothers playing in The Devil's Arse.
We had a nice early dinner, and wandered up about 7 for the concert

Amazing venue for a concert, but slightly underwhelmed by the two portaloos for the hundreds of people there!

We got reasonable seats, and as usual, the Brothers were amazing. So funny.
All the old favourites - No Oven No Pie, Hendos, and a new one written to the tune of Elbow's One Day Like This, called One Day on't Piss" - a charming A-Z of Sheffield Pubs in song format. Fagan's got the biggest cheer!

Thinking we'd be able to get the last bus back to the campsite, we hadn't thought about booking a cab, but we missed it as the concert finished later than we expected, so we ran to the pub, got there just in time for a drink and contemplated how to get back. Couldn't get a cab as all were booked, so set off to walk, but then hijacked a taxi heading to pick someone else up on the road. We were only going a few miles so didn't detain it long :-)  Got back for a nightcap in Andrea and Donald's van, and in the night there was a frost. And a flat airbed!

Monday was another glorious day (was it really a bank holiday weekend?), so we got the bus to Fox House, and walked through Longshaw,where we saw deer

 and then down Padley Gorge

where we passed the Money Tree which I'd not seen before, despite having walked that route many times.

Got to Grindleford station cafe for a coffee and a read of the notices, which seem to be a bit tamer than they used to be.  Then along the river where we passed some lovely bluebells

to Hathersage for lunch. After a look round the shops, and another drink we caught the bus back, where three of our party got involved in a heated argument with some very obnoxious people who got on the bus and argued with the driver, who turned his engine off. As they were clearly in the wrong, this was pointed out to them, but they didn't appreciate it. Almost a fight, but not quite.

Another BBQ, which had to be in our friends awning as it had started to rain

 and a night in the van as it was cold again, and then an early rise on Tuesday as some of us were back at work. Unfortunately it had rained all night so we took down a very wet tent and stuffed it in the car. The airbed went in the bin.

Another great weekend!