It's always better in my opinion to start a walk by heading upwards, leaving the downhill section for later when you're tired. This plan didn't quite work (actually, not at all). The lower car park was full with folk on the Go Ape course or going into Poole's Cavern, so we headed uphill by car and parked not far from Grin Low Hill and its folly, Solomon's Temple.
There was still a steepish bit of walking before getting to the gentler open moor but it was well worth the leg-stretch.
The views are good from ground level, but a twisting staircase leads up inside the 'temple' and from its battlements they're magnificent - you can see for miles in all directions.
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| Buxton looking hazy in the valley below |
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| Views for miles from the top of Solomon's Temple |
Next came the easy bit - downhill to Poole's Cavern, through flower filled moorland, then following one of several woodland paths that lead across the hillside.
Along the way are carvings of the fossils to be found in the local limestone and of lime-kiln workers once employed here.
The Duke of Devonshire of the time didn't like his view of the quarrying and lime-burning, so planted the hillside with trees to hide it, thus taking the first step towards creating today's country park.
Having walked down, and gathered our energy over a cup of tea, we were faced with 'up'. I thought picking a more circuitous route would mean I'd picked a gentler, more gradual uphill trek - I hadn't!
Steep steps gave way to shallower ones though, open glades filled with flowers gave me an excuse to stop for breath, and occasionally the path even flattened out, which was nice, and soon we were back on the moorland,
The sheep weren't impressed by our adventure though, preferring to continue their eating :)
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