Day Trips in the Winter

Winter 2018

Castleton

Being back in Sheffield didn't mean an end to the adventures, though they were sidelined under a pile of work as we entered into semester two and the looming prospect of a thesis. However I always took at least one weekend day off for fun, starting with lovely little Castleton. 

Keeping in mind not only is February the coldest month, but winter in the UK is both wet and cold, so the fact that we managed any trips at all was a source of pride! 

Not having a car is always a trial, so we simply picked a village in the Peak District which had easy bus access - Castleton it is!

On a chilly winter morning we wound our way through the Peak District, admiring the snowy landscape and eventually reaching our destination of little Castleton. Set amidst the peaks and mountains, it has incredibly beautiful views and is full of poetic names to match, from the ruined castle on the hill (hence the name Castleton) to the famous mountain Mam Tor all the way to Hope Valley. Doesn't it sound like something from a fairytale?

Mentioned in the Domesday book and once the site of William Peverel's castle (I love an unexpected Harry Potter reference) the village has a long and interesting history, including once housing a leper hospital! Although one should take that with a pinch of salt, as I ended up down the rabbit of hole of an osteological report to try ascertain if there was any physical evidence of leprosy. 

No surprise, no evidence of leprosy has been found on the few individuals excavated from the cemetery, and it is more defined as a leprosarium due to timeline - early medieval hospitals in England were usually classified as leprosaria, and then later become more generalized hospitals, caring for the poor and sick (you can read all about this in my thesis - shameless plug!)

The town itself is well known as a starting point for many walks, including to the nearby caverns so common to the district (many of them once lead mines). My favourite, politely referred to online as the Peak Cavern, is not only enormous and used to sometimes used to perform concerts, but is locally known as the Devil's Arse. A much better name! 

Another cool fact about this cavern is not only is this one entirely natural, up until the early 1900s, it housed troglodytes (people who lived in the cave itself, building their houses within) and was once known to be the hold of bandits deeper in the cave. 

All very exciting, but after a wander to the cavern and around the village, we were freezing, so retired from the chill to the village pub for a nice cold beer (I never said we were logical!)

Chester
Our next day trip took us to the border of Wales, to the pretty medieval town of Chester. Starting by the river Dee, we walked alongside for a time, before heading into the main town.

Founded as a Roman Fort, and known as one of the last cities in England to fall to the Normans, it is one of the best preserved walled cities in Britain (Yannick, you should probably visit ASAP). It's a lovely place for a day trip, especially to check out the cosy pubs!

It was always hard returning to Sheffield after a day of adventuring - unless there was snow of course! But more on that next time...