Marple Spice

After a lazy start we cycled up some of the route of the tramway leading to the quarries which were the raison d'etre of the Bugsworth Basins. We had walked it before, but it was much quicker by bike. After about one-and-a-half miles the route crosses a road, the other side of which the route is now lost. But there's a diversion; unfortunately for me and my bike (Jan had turned back by this stage) a narrow gap and a high fence made it impossible for me to explore further by bike. Another time we'll have to walk it properly.

The original stone sleepers remain along much of this part of the route.

When we got back we had a very tasty cold meat salad, then walked the half mile to Tesco for milk. We came back with four bags of shopping!

We slipped our (mostly) peaceful mooring at Bugsworth Basin (the boat next to us started up his engine at 8.20 pm and kept it running until 9.00 pm. Why didn't he SEIZE his chance to do it during THE DAY?) and went to Whaley Bridge. I got my bike out and whizzed up the inclined plane of the Cromford and High Peak Railway, and returned via the town. Just before the railway reached the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge it passed over the River Goyt on this bridge.

The transshipment shed is more impressive from the back, rather than from the canal.

I'd been away from the boat for only 15 minutes; on my return we made our way to Marple. On the way, in occasional torrential rain, I tried for another view shot. Irritatingly, just after I took this photo and shut the camera down, a train came onto the viaduct. By the time I'd switched on the camera again it was too late. The train had gone and so had the gap in the trees.

We tied up in Marple not much before 8.00 pm, then walked into the town in search of food. The Navigation, near Lock 13, had stopped serving food, so we got a takeaway from the Marple Spice Indian restaurant. Very good. (While waiting we popped in to the Navigation across the road where I sampled the Robinson's Unicorn. That was good too.)