Feeling Lucky in The Peak District

Will all of my summer adventures start with a rainy morning?  Just like the day trip to Brighton, this one started in the same way!  But with a lot more rain.

You know how they say that you never end up doing the things that are on your doorstep?  Well, that happened.  I lived just over an hour ago from the Peak District for five years… and I went once!  I did the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge and then never went again.

So now that I’ve moved back to London it was time to visit the Peak District, now that’s it’s not on my doorstep 😉  The Peak District is a National Park in Central/Northern England.  Anyway, we had booked our train tickets, made our picnic and got an early night.  When our alarm woke us up on Sunday morning all I could hear was pouring rain.  When I drew back the curtains it was confirmed; it was pouring.  Now, I had been very optimistic when I travelled from London two days prior to Sunday.  Due to weeks on end of sun, I had packed walking shorts and a t-shirt.  So, I managed to borrow a much needed rain coat and a hoodie and we set off.

First stop was Sheffield, where the station was leaking and there was a minor flood in the coffee shop. We talked about just staying in Sheffield for the day… but we’d planned this and so we would go!  We then got the twenty minute train to Hathersage.  The windows of the train were totally steamed up so we couldn’t see a thing.  Upon a arrival we sought for cover in a tea shop.  

After an hour the rain seemed to have calmed a little; it was still raining but it wasn’t torrential anymore.  So, we began the walk.  Hoods up, coats zipped up to our chins.  After about fifteen minutes of walking the rain got less and less.  As we walked on and on, it stopped.  With the odd scattered shower, in which we donned our coats again.

And.  It.  Was.  Stunning.  Look….

Rolling hills, all shades of green, purple fields in the distance, cliff edges.

We walked a bit faster than we usually would have, as we were worried that there would be a downfall at any second.  We even had a chance to eat our picnic before heading back into the village of Hathersage. We popped into a different cafe before catching the train back and within about three minutes of ordering, there was a colossal downpour.  We had been so lucky!

Have you been to The Peak District?

Marcella xx

It’s Travel Tuesday, hosted by Bonnie, Amy, Jessie and Camila.