Walk #22: The Limestone Way from Matlock to Pomeroy

General Data

Map of the walk

Notes

As I lay in my tent in Pomeroy I feel knackered, yet exhilarated. The walk from the point where I left the Limestone Way (about a mile north of Monyash) to Pomeroy was a real killer. Still, I am pleased that I have got this far.

As for fitness, I have a slight redness where my boxer shorts have rubbed against my thighs. My ankle, however, is fine, and has given no major trouble all day.

I have just had a shower, and have discovered that my thighs are so sore that they were bleeding, so I have strapped them up - one with strips of plaster and the other with moleskin. I will see how they are in the morning before deciding on my plan for the day.

There are some girls camping in two tents next to mine who are on a Duke of Edinburghs Award scheme, and have just walked from Hulme End. Trust my luck for them to be having their teachers staying with them! ;*)

It is darned windy outside, and on this campsite we are fairly high up and exposed. I'm starting to develop a complex that the flysheet is going to be blown away - due to my tent's inherent stability I didn't bother to put any guy ropes out.

A quick question - how far is 12 leagues? I am listening to Radio 4 on my walkman (whilst waiting for the weather forecast) and they're currently playing Orson Welle's version of "Les Miserables", and the main character has just said that he has walked 12 leagues.

The walk today took 1 hour 36 minutes longer than was planned, including only 20 minutes worth of breaks. One mistake I did make was that I did not take enough breaks - the first time I allowed myself to sit down for any significant period was at the end of Bradford Dale, more than halfway into the walk. Really I should factor 5-10 minutes of rest period per hour of walking, and hopefully this will stop me tiring myself out too quickly at the beginning of the walk.

Fortunately tomorrow there is not as much climbing, thank goodness!

  (Sunday morning, 23/05/1999)

I feel much better. I have started packing for todays walk. The night was unsettled - strong winds, both outside and inside the tent!

Directions

For more details of this walk, see the book "Walking the Limestone Way", by R&E Haydock, B&D Allen, Scarthin Books, ISBN 0 907758 92 4. The only exception to this is the very end of the walk, where I walked west from just south of Flagg along roads to the campsite beside the A515 in Pomeroy.

Since 1994, the Limestone Way was extended from it's previous Matlock to Castleton route, to the new Rocester to Castleton alignment. The old route now forms the northern leg of this walk, and is still by far the most frequently walked. In the future I will walk the Rocester to Matlock section that I have yet to do, although knowing the area I actually believe that there are better alignments that can be walked, and that the route they chose for this section was constrained by having to reach Matlock.

Distances

This makes a total distance of 16.9 miles, with 3169 feet of ascent and 2257 feet of descent.

Disclaimer

Please note that I take no responsibility for anything that may happen when following these directions. If you intend to follow this route, then please use the relevant maps and check the route out before you go out. As always when walking, use common sense and you should be fine.

If you find any information on any of these routes that is inaccurate, or you wish to add anything, then please email me.

All images on this site are © of the author. Any reproduction, retransmissions, or republication of all or part of any document found on this site is expressly prohibited, unless the author has explicitly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, retransmit, or republish the material. All other rights reserved.

Although this site includes links providing convenient direct access to other Internet sites, I do not endorse, approve, certify or make warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the information on these sites.

And finally, enjoy your walking!

This walk was mentioned in the following routes:

Nearby walks

Previous walk   Next walk

---