While I (impatiently) wait for the first of this year’s global jaunts I thought I’d celebrate the gorgeous place that I live – Derbyshire!

This lovely county is home to one of the most visited national parks in the world – The Peak District.

We’re just outside of the peak park in the tiny tourist town of Matlock. Lots of charity shops and some stunning scenery! Prepare for a selfie overload!!!!

Just minutes away from home are the atmospheric old ruined mills of Lumsdale. Apologies for the rather misty pics they’re taken on the phone!

The Lumsdale Valley is a small wooded gorge of outstanding natural beauty tucked away high above Matlock.

Gradually decaying back into the woods, these old waterpowered bleach and paint mills are a reminder of the town’s industrial history.

The winter sunshine provided some lovely special effects – almost giving the man a halo!

The mills were powered by a series of mill ponds, all filled by Bentley Brook, the local watercourse.

The site is now looked after, and being restored, by the Arkwright Society who also look after Cromford Mill – Sir Richard Arkwright’s water powered masterpiece, often cited as the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

According to the website “Lumsdale is also one of the best examples of a water-powered industrial archaeological site in Great Britain and it is unusual to see such extensive use of water power in such a relatively small area.”

Above you can see one of the impressive manmade waterfalls where stored water from the mill ponds crashes down and would have turned the huge water wheels.

Naturally the mountain goat needed to get perilously close to the water source.

Here’s a couple of arty farty black and white shots (thanks Instagram!)

And the odd couple . .  .

Below is one of the mill ponds that fed the mills, another view of Bentley Brook, the source of the power and an arty shot of knotted ivy!

 

All in all a lovely Sunday stroll with some wonderful winter sun shine. Reminding me that no matter what wonderous things I see across the world, home is pretty special too!