Limestone Way - Day 4
Today marked the final leg of the Limestone Way, and what a fitting finale it was. Starting in Ballidon, I took a quick selfie with the little church in the background to mark the beginning of Day 4. The sky was leaden, and a determined drizzle was already falling—no sign of it letting up. I’d pre-emptively donned my gaiters and jumper, anticipating soggy socks and a chill in the air.
From the get-go, I was struck by what might be Bronze Age earthworks in the field behind the church—repeating ridges that looked like the result of ancient ploughing. Could be a myth, but I read it online once, so it must be true.
Within minutes, the long grass soaked my boots, and the familiar damp sensation crept into my socks. No use complaining though—I’ve been spoiled with glorious weather for much of this sabbatical. One soggy day is a small price to pay.
The Stile Struggle
The theme of the morning was stiles. So many stiles. Wooden, stone, metal—each one a small puzzle and thus a pause. They were charming at first, then a little comical, and eventually slightly maddening. My pace slowed but I embraced the interruption and made a mission of photographing each one I crossed. I’ll compile them into a collage as a tribute to this uniquely British form of trail furniture. The title of today’s post—50 Shapes of Stile—was well earned.
Despite the pace issues, the miles began to stack up. The path wandered through rolling fields, occasionally marked only by subtle changes in the grass or the ghosts of past footsteps.
I passed through villages like Tissington and Ellastone, where every church seemed more beautiful than the last, standing proud and serene in the (now receding) drizzle.
Walking Beside the River Dove
As I began my descent from the Peak District National Park, the path joined a stretch alongside the River Dove, and my whole mood lifted. There’s something magical about walking beside a river—the rhythm of the water, the soft sound of flow—it makes the steps feel lighter and the mind wander more freely.
With a few miles to go, I realised that if I kept pace, I could reach Rocester by 3pm. Not a big deal, but my walking app predicted it, and that became a mini-goal. I pushed through the final few fields and into the town, and as I reached St Michael’s Church, the bells began to chime 3 o’clock. I smiled. A perfectly timed, poetic applause to mark the end of another long-distance path.
Reflections and What’s Next
The Limestone Way has been a wonderful discovery—rich in history, geology, and personality. The path itself is a bit of a mixture of beautiful dales, scrambles and field walking, with not too much road walking, passing through some beautiful Peak District villages. Walking some of it with family certainly made those days more special and meaningful, and my ever available crew of insertion and extraction specialists made the logistics along the way very easy to manage and I'm very grateful to those who helped!
Next up: The Cotswold Way. Unlike the freedom of this trail, the Cotswold journey is fully booked and scheduled. There’ll be no family taxi service this time—just me, the pack, and a stricter agenda! Wish me luck and see you soon...