UK Tourist & Leisure Attractions

Alton Towers is a short drive into Staffordshire and on day 4 we headed there to brave all the scary rides - the first shock was that they charge for parking on top of the entrance!
 

At Alton Towers we made straight for Oblivion - and got our fastpass tickets for our ride time.  The ride plunges vertically into a steamy underground void at great speed!  Eeek!

It was a bit on the cool side for many water rides, but the Ripsaw is a classic at Alton Towers, with jets of water squirting up to meet you strapped in the descending giant swing.

The Corkscrew has been at Alton Towers for many years and has two double inversion loops to ensure you see your lunch again!  Even on a dull mid week day the queues were lengthy.
 

Safely back at the cottage, we ate in the evening when away from those rides, every chance of keeping it down now!  You can see Belinda serving up the Spag Bol. 
 

Here's Belinda outside the pub near Baslow, our starting point for our walk to The Three Ships and Nelson's Monument.  Again today the weather wasn't too clever.

Not far into the walk and it tipped it down!  Still, we should be well used to a drenching after Alton Towers yesterday.  Soon after this the mist came down, just what we didn't need!
 

We both had trouble following the Peak District walk guide book.  Later on we struggled through thick heather in the wrong direction before realising our mistake.  Opps!

Finally we reached The Three Ships and Nelson's Monument on Birchen Edge, and time for a breather!  See our tourist links page for relevant websites to our visits.
 

Of course, just as soon as we got back the sun came out, as it does!  Here's Mike trying to negotiate the stinging nettles after parking at the cottage.  Ouch!

In the evening we ate out at a lovely pub not far from the cottage, both enjoying steak and chips washed down with the local ale.

On our last day of the holiday we stopped off at Bakewell for a look round, this is the River Wye that snakes its way through this Derbyshire town.
 

So our final walk in the Peak District was from Monsal Head along part of the Monsal Trail, here's Belinda admiring the scenic Monsal Dale view at the start.
 

Mike was happy, our route took us along part of the old Midland Railway.  And so was Belinda, we had this fantastic view of Monsal Dale while we ate our picnic.

It's the River Wye again, this time near the old ruins of Litton Mill.  We walked alongside it for a while with simply wonderful scenic views all around.
 

Back on the Monsal Trail on the home leg, we came across this disused station at Cressbrook.  The Monsal Trail opened in the Peak District in 1980.

Would you believe it, iffy weather for the whole week, then warm and sunny on the day of leaving!  If you look carefully Belinda's teaching Mike's teddy to fly!
 

Despite the iffy weather, we enjoyed our week in Derbyshire and got in three days of walking in the beautifully unspoiled Peak District countryside.

If you're planning a visit to Derbyshire you'll no doubt find our Peak District and other UK tourist related website links that we've researched and reviewed handy.