Yesterday I was in Matlock, Derbyshire and the neighbouring settlements of Matlock Bath and Cromford. Largely hidden from view at Cromford, there is a huge limestone pit called Dene Quarry. It dates back to 1942 and ever since then men have been digging away through the layers of geological history filling huge lorries. These laden vehicles drive off with loads that are vital for road building or the manufacture of cement.
On foot, I circumnavigated the quarry and thought about the millions of years in which marine deposits settled there upon what was once an ocean floor - long. long before dinosaurs. What secrets must those lorries be carrying as they drive away?
After my walking and photo taking was done, I had an appetite for fish and chips. Matlock Bath boasts several fish and chip outlets. It was 2.30pm when I ordered mini fish and chips with mushy peas and a mug of tea in The Riverside fish and chips restaurant. What a treat!
And then Clint transported me back to Sheffield - singing "Take It Easy" together as we tootled along from Darley Dale through Chatsworth Park and Baslow all the way back to this great but often overlooked northern city. It had been another grand day out with paths to plod and sights to see but it is the quarry that I will mostly remember and the infinite layers of marine debris.
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/3GNN1KC
