The Peak District

The last Monday in August is a 'bank holiday' in the UK. For all you Americans out there, a bank holiday is the equivalent to our national holidays. A couple from our church, Julian and Marie, invited us to go for a walk in the Peak District that day. The Peak District is in the county just south of ours, Darbyshire, and is known as some of the most beautiful countryside in all of England. I may have mentioned before that the English love to 'walk'; I don't mean little walks around the park or to the store (although they do that as well). Here a walk can range anywhere from a light stroll on a country lane or a rigorous hike in the peaks. The path Julian and Marie picked out for that day was a light hike on a path around a lake in the Peak District and totaled 10 miles. It started out grey and windy, but by lunch time was clear and warm. In August the heather on the moores is in bloom and all you see is this purple haze everywhere. We packed a lunch and sat by a stream as we ate. Afterwards, we headed to an old pub and had a couple of pints. All in all it was a wonderful day with good conversation and beautiful scenery. I've included some pictures here.