We're in Derbyshire for a Big '0' birthday weekend for my daughter. All the family is there, apart from those overseas at present, so we're 22 at our holiday accommodation.

Our accommodation was at Manor House Farm Cottages on the top of the Derbyshire Moors above the village of Sheldon and the town of Bakewell.

The outbuildings of the farm have been converted to sleep twelve in the Hayloft, four in the old Farmhouse, four in The Cow Shed and two in the Milking Parlour.

The Hayloft also has a large communal kitchen and lounge and another barn a Games Room, which will suit us down to the ground this weekend.

On the first full day, before everyone had arrived, a smaller group of us took a walk out to local historic mine site to shake off the lethargy after our drive the previous night

and to walk the dogs . . . if you want a walk then wrap up in boots and waterproofs, its muddy underfoot and wet above them.

The smaller party the first day, Andy and Gill, Molly and grandson Alex, Birthday girl Cathy, Mark and of course myself behind the camera.

The farm had electrically operated gates 50 yards from the house, which would prove a challenge when everyone was arriving without a key and at different times of the evening.

especially when the whether was as bad as it was here . . . but that's what grandsons are for isn't it. They love to go and 'do' the gate !

On with the walk . . .

Ahead was the remains of a Cornish Beam Engine House and chimney, which we could make out in the distance, through the sleet !

More stiles took us ever closer . . . must get some new gloves that can work the camera without taking them off each time !

The Engine House would have been home to a Beam Engine powered by steam and geared to wind cable, used to lift the men or the ore up and down within the mine.

Read all about it . . . including the drama and the curse on the mine.

A short distance away was a reconstruction of a Horse Gin which raised ore to the surface before the days of steam and latterly diesel.

A second chimney and the Mine Manager's House and office completed the site . . . and an excellent set of signboards were found over there.

[ As you gather, the weather was playing havoc with the quality of photography as I look back from the horse-gin to the main site.]

With the Magpie Mine away to the right we continued our walk, circling around the local roads,

till our Manor Farm Cottages re-appeared once again next to the high trees on the hillside ahead.

Back to the gate which was opened by our key fob . . . posh !

The square blockhouse on the right turned out to be the stout base of the Sheldon Water Tank that at one time provided a head of drinking water for the village.