Heading up the road from Market Place in Castleton brings you to a gap in the rocks marking the entrance to Cave Dale, part of the Limestone Way which leads all the way to Rochester in Staffordshire.
Although once thought to have been a collapsed cave system it's also possible that cave Dale is the result of glacial meltwater from the Ice Age. Whatever the cause it makes for a spectacular view.
Atop the hill on the right are the remains of Peveril Castle, built by Henry II to oversee the Royal Forest of the Peak.
Taking a right turn through a gate at the top of the Dale leads past Rowter Farm with Mam Tor directly ahead. Just over the road after the farm there is a small bowl in the land leading to the entrance of Windy Knoll Cave, once an Ice Age den of brown bears, wolves and hyenas who would prey on mammoths and woolly rhinoceros.
After a spot of lunch in the quarry at Windy Knoll my intention was to go up Mam Tor but black clouds gathering from the North were heading my way so I turned down the road to Winnats Pass. As I reached the top of a path taking me above Winnats the heavens opened so I made my way back to the road down to Speedwell Cavern the took a path off to the right which brought me back into Castleton passing Peak Cavern on the way.
Arriving in Castleton a little soggy I sought shelter in The George. A couple of pints and a good feed later I was dried out and ready for home.
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