Peaks District and Bingham Cup

Looking back down the valley

I am so behind in my posting, I still haven't told you all how I destroyed my last camera.  This particular post is going to be fairly light on with the photos, as this was the last expedition of my camera.  Over the Jubilee long weekend (man how long ago was that!), we headed up to Manchester and the Peaks District.

We spent two days in Manchester, we were watching the Bingham Cup, for Rugby Union, where we had a friend playing.

Following the stream uphill

That was pretty cool, I've never spent a weekend watching amateur Union, or a weekend watching any sport.  Because it was so small you could get to know the teams a bit, some of them had some real
stars, this one team had who I like to call Captain America.  He was the captain, kicker, try-scorer and all-round best player.  Though that team didn't make the finals, I guess you can't build a team around just one player.

We didn't see heaps of Manchester, it felt pretty industrial, a lot of red brick.  I'm not sure as to what the tourist sights really are there, apparently there is a National Football Museum.  Is that enough to re-visit, hmm probably not.

The advantage with Manchester is that it is only 25kms to the Peaks District.  I couldn't get over that, from the centre of this incredibly industrial town it's about a 20 minute drive and you are surrounded

Pretty easy going really

by peaks (or hills really).  I think Manchester may be our new kick off point for the Peaks visits, seeing as how it's only 2 hours on a train.  I guess it's quite like Sydney and the Blue Mountains, it goes to show that people really like their green spaces.

Fauna on the way

The rugby had been pretty wet and miserable, I felt sorry for the people having to play, especially the Aussies, I think summer in Manchester is a lot worse than winter in Oz.  Once we got up to the peaks though it was a beautiful day.  We had an awesome route planned, only 13kms long, but with a height gain of 500m.  It was this great loop from Edale, circling the high peaks.  We started off, but we'd only got maybe 1.5km when disaster struck.

Crossing this little stream I somehow managed to fall in, completely smashing my arm and hand and submerging my camera, no more photos for me.  I was pretty lucky it wasn't worse, I still don't know how it happened, sitting by it, recovering, scores of  little kids were managing to cross with no worries.  Being sopping wet and covered in bruises, that was the end of the walk for me.  Which was definitely disappointing, but we know definitely know where to head for more walking, Edale is the start of the Pennine Way after all.

Bruise - day 1, it got a lot more colourful!

The only good thing out of my tumble is that I could get a new camera, I didn't really upgrade, but I did get a lovely new lens, 18-130mm, no need to carry a separate telephoto for me anymore.