17 East Herts Ramblers descended on the Peak District for an enjoyable 4-day, 3-night walking trip. Most members of the group stayed at the Palace Hotel & Spa, located in the town centre and close to restaurants, pubs and shops. The group enjoyed a convivial dinner at a Thai restaurant in Buxton.

Our first walk, led by Hilary Pullen, was an 8.5 mile circular walk starting and finishing in Edale. The route passed through Grindslow Knoll and Woolpacks before joining the Pennine Way. The group descended along Jacob's Ladder, across the Packhorse Bridge, and walked alongside the River Noe before returning to Edale. That evening, the group enjoyed a good meal at the Tap House in Buxton.

Our second walk was led by Rona Grace and comprised a 10.5 mile circular hike around Combs Moss. Conditions were classic upland May, with a mixture of bright spells and showers, temperatures around 16°C, and a brisk south-westerly wind to keep things lively on the exposed plateau. Walkers were rewarded by dramatic views of the gritstone scarps of Black Edge and Combs Edge, before reaching the Iron Age promontory hillfort at Castle Naze, where we enjoyed panoramic views over the green valleys towards Dove Holes, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge. The finale — the panorama over Buxton from Corbar Hill before the final descent — was a lovely way to round things off. Our final evening meal was taken at St. Moritz, an Italian restaurant, again located in the town centre.

Our third walk, again led by Hilary, was a circular 6 mile route around the Chatsworth Estate and locality, including a visit to the Hunting Tower, where we enjoyed panoramic views of the countryside, Emperor Lake and the River Derwent.

Overall, this was a very successful trip, and the group agreed to develop new ideas for future walking adventures in 2027.