Arbor Low, Nine Ladies, Wind, Sun and Heather

Blustery weather didn't prevent us venturing into darkest Derbyshire. First stop was Arbor Low stone circle. We only had an AA road map which meant - we got lost. Yes, it is possible because there are so many small roads which are not on the map, which you have to use. We tried the satnav in the car - no good unless you want to end up in a farmyard - which eventually did! We were convinced we were within a couple of miles of the stone circle and, fortunately, spotted someone and asked the way. "Just go down the road, about a mile, over the hill and you'll see a brown sign on your left. Can't miss it!" We'd just turned around, on the same road, so that we could ask the chap!

About a mile down the road, we turned off into a farmyard which also acts are the National Trust car park. The sun shone on the best of the scenery you could expect in the White Peak - limestone, rolling hills covered in grazed, grass covered fields bounded by dry stone walls. The views from Arbor Low and the adjacent barrow are magnificent. The stone circle and henge is impressive in extent and the location obviously geographically important. No doubt in the Bronze age the views would have been totally different given that mixed forest would have been the dominant vegetation.

We returned to getting lost with the intention of finding the Nine Ladies, another stone circle. By cunning use of common sense - spotting a load of cars and a bus parked along the side of the road next to a public footpath - we found the circle which is on Stanton Moor. The moor was covered in a dense carpet of bonny, blooming heather, with interspersed the odd bright yellow gorse, so that the walk to the circle was worth the effort alone; fantastic views and amazing colours. The circle is a bit disappointing.

The drive back to Sheffield took us down some spectacular, winding and often steep, hilly minor roads. Sometimes getting lost has great benefits ...