A May 2012 day in the Peak District at Buxton: the lit chambers of Poole's Cavern, the climb through Grin Low woods, and the view from Solomon's Temple.
On the way home from the Lake District in May 2012 we broke the journey in the Peak District, at Buxton, and packed a full day into one green hill: a show cave underneath it, a folly on top of it, and a lot of limestone in between.
Under the hill: Poole's Cavern
Inside Poole's Cavern, where the flowstone comes pre-painted: iron and minerals streaking the walls pink and orange.Inga among the stalagmites, dressed brighter than the cave. Somebody had to be.
Up through Grin Low
Homework on the way up: the humps of Grin Low are old lime kilns, burning since the 1600s. Ten tons of limestone and ten of coal for three tons of lime, says the board.Solomon's Temple, the little castellated folly that crowns Grin Low. Built to look far older than it is, and doing a fine job.King of the folly. The spiral stairs are dark, brief, and completely worth it.The reward from the top: a stone viaduct striding across the valley, dry stone walls stitching every field to the next.
One hill, four centuries of industry, one folly and a cave. The Peak District does a lot with its geology. We drove home planning the return trip.
