Walk in the Peaks!

Recently, one of my humans moved up north and it was time that we paid them a visit.
Living just a few minutes away from the Peak District, there was no doubt at all that we would be taking advantage of this on our weekend away.
There are many, many walks to be done in the 1,437km2 stretch of beauty that is the Peaks but for our first walk we chose the village of Castleton.

Famous for its Blue John rock, Castleton is situated next to Mam Tor, a 517m hill, and is home to many pubs, restaurants and cafes to, of course, assist your exercise.
After driving through the winding roads of the Peaks (and waiting for a huge pack of beagles and horses to get a move on), we parked our car on the road that heads towards Mam Tor, which seemed to have free parking- bonus!
As it was lunch time, the humans and I fancied a Sunday roast to kick off our stroll. Humum had done some research before getting to Castleton on dog-friendly pubs, and Ye Olde Nags Head seemed like the place to go.

We certainly weren't the only one to think that.
Whilst we did wait, the waitress got us a table as quickly as she could and it wasn't long before the humans were enjoying beef, roast potatoes, veggies and the essential Yorkshire pudding. Delish.
And what was I doing whilst they indulged themselves?
Well, I was getting stroked by every human that walked passed and politely waiting for my serving in between. There was no chance that I was missing out on my portion.

The waitress kindly got me a bowl of water and sat it by my spot under the table, which was very much appreciated. There is simply no better pub than a true dog-friendly one.

Following the Sunday feast, it was time to head out on foot into the Peaks. We decided not to tackle Mam Tor this time but walked through the town and up to the base of the hill to a small cave via a footpath that bordered fields of sheep. On the way back, we took the road route for a circular alternative, which provided a lovely view across Castleton, Hope Valley and beyond. The autumn colours were particularly stunning and the lowering sun shone across the hills. Certainly a walk to bring your camera for!

On return, the humans popped into the village bakery, Peveril Store, for some flapjack and brownies, which were very, very good indeed. A well-deserved treat!

I genuinely had a brilliant time up in the North. At 11-years-old, the humans were worried that the hills would be too much for me but our little trek was perfect. We all highly suggest Castleton as a place to visit if you intend to take to the Peak District at any point! The humans and I stayed overnight at Novotel Sheffield after the walk, which was extremely convenient for visiting the city as well as for accessing the glorious hills with your canine friend.

Talk soon, Jasper x

Two of my humans returned later on to walk up to the top of Mam Tor without me and report that it's a dog-friendly hike and definitely recommend it. They walked from Castleton, up the front of the hill, past a cafe and then took on Mam Tor from behind. On reaching the top, the trekked along the ridge on the hills and covered two more peaks, before heading back down into Castleton, finishing with a pint back at Ye Olde Nags Head. Superb.