For those with strong nerves there's a little add on to the walk here. Keep your eyes peeled for a narrow walkway called 'Giddy Ledge' which winds around a section of the cliff and even though this is not the highest buttress of the tor, the situation is impressive.
We took a walk through time on Otober 16th. Take a look at thepictures.
Take extreme care if you choose to explore Giddy Ledge, there's a handrail but the ground is quite uneven.  | | Giddy Ledge |
After your Giddy Ledge adventure it might be an idea to chill out and enjoy some of the botanic delights of the area. Depending what time of year you visit you may be lucky to see a selection of plants that are peculiar to the area because of the toxicity of the ground. Look out for Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis). It's an elegant little plant, two to eight inches high. Eyebright flowers from July to September, with deeply-cut leaves and numerous, small, white or purplish flowers variegated with yellow.
 | | Harebells | There's also the beautiful little Harebells (Campanula Rotundifolia) or Scottish Bluebells as they're sometimes known. Fairy stories insist that Harebells are collected by imps and nymphs to wear as hats on midsummer nights. A little fun fact to delight the kids with! Derbyshire has its own orchid too and you'll see it in July and August on this walk. The Broadleaf Hellebore is quite unusual to the area. It's another one that thrives on the lead content. Unlike its tropical counterpart, the flower's possibly a bit insignificant but none the less a special plant for this area. Discover more... Local Geology expert Robin Jeffcoats tells us more about the plants that thrive in Matlock's toxic soils Listen as Robin talks the talk as we walk the walk
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At this point you'll also see a classic example of Victorian folly. The little lovers nook and bench is a perfect place to shelter if it rains or just to catch your breath. Make a bit of time here to look for little fossels in the limestone and chert before the climb up onto High Tor. |