Millers Dale

LINKS
Tideswell in the Peak District
National Trust
Railway history

Work in progress - have mislaid some photos. Some pics can be enlarged by clicking.

	Miller's Dale connects with several other dales and walks are possible from Buxton and Bakewell. Plenty of decent pubs in the area. There are several nature reserves. Millers Dale station itself is of interest by for its history and for the plants that now grow along the disused railway. To the east is a Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve in an old quarry (a very steep walk and probably quite dangerous in wet weather) where limestone flowers proliferate.
	Amongst the the flowers are at least four species of orchid. Knapweed is not yet in flower. Many Tragopogon pratensis but no open flowers: just the distinctive buds or the seed heads. Presumably why it gets its name of Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon.
	Only a few butterflies or day-flying moth species seen this day (but including a fast flying fritillary) and several blues amongst the meadow browns. Plenty of other interesting, if fairly common, species. The earwig (left) waiting expectantly for what? Prey or mate? The larvae of a tortoise beetle (Cassida sp, Chrysomelidae) typically shelters under a parasol of faeces ....
	Returning to the river and walking east (passing another nature reserve on an old lead-mining site) one reaches Litton Mill: now converted to luxury residences apparently. Many mayflies (left) active around the river (to the delight of the fish).  While attempting to photograph these on a sycamore leaf, an orange ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata walks over (right).  This species, which eats mildew, is most common on sycamores in northern England.
	Wild strawberries are numerous along the pathways, but not quite ripe yet.

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CREATED 19.9.05