On day one we visited the Headstone viaduct in Monsal Dale, near Buxton, where the river Wye flows beneath a disused railway line. A short walk down the side of the valley from the car park at the top takes you over the river via a narrow footbridge, from where you can walk under the 50-foot span arches of the viaduct before climbing the steep valley sides to walk along the top.

In the evening we headed for two reservoirs, the other side of Buxton. Dams in the Goyt valley have formed the Fernilee and Errwood reservoirs, and to the northeast edge of the latter an overflow has been built to prevent the reservoir bursting its banks. The water cascades own several concentric circular steps, forming abstract geometric patterns that we took great pleasure in photographing.

 

After a very early start on the wilds of White Edge Moor, much of day two was spend near Castleton, where the ruined Peveril Castle overlooks the valleys to the north. Behind the castle, Cave Dale ascends sharply towards the high moorland to the south, and today was so wet that the path up the dale was a minor torrent of muddy water. Despite the atrocious conditions we persevered, and were rewarded with some spectacular afternoon light as the sun eventually broke out from behind the clouds and painted the landscape with light and shade contrasts.

Towards sunset we went to Stanage Edge, near Hathersage, a millstone grit outcrop that used to provide the raw materials for the hand-carved circular millstones that one can find lying around the Peak District. Despite failing to find any such discarded artefacts, we ere able to clamber up to the top of the cliffs with a fine view of the sunset.

 

Day three was also rather wet, though the rain was more persistent drizzle than occasional heavy shower. We headed north to the Ladybower Reservoir where a wooded path takes you along the edge of the water. Rainwater had left its mark everywhere and was a focal point for much of our photography here.

Later in the afternoon we drove down to Sheldon and Priestcliffe, villages near the Wy valley, where the late, low sun brought out the textures in the rolling hills and rocky outcrops. Then in the evening, we experimented with some night time photography in the town centre of Buxton, where wet pavements and Georgian façades provided ample photographic opportunities.

 

On our final day we headed further south to the Heights of Abraham, stopping on the way to try some famous Bakewell Tart in the town that gives it its name. A short walk over the railway line at Matlock Bath and up a hill took us to the cable car that transports visitors across the valley and up to the spectacular views towards Matlock and Riber Castle.

We then headed south to Stanton Moor and the Andle Stone, an ancient boulder standing alone in a field, where after a few final shotes we parted company and headed back to the comparative banality of everyday life.