Day three - Tuesday 3rd September - Tutbury to Ilam

Another grey start to the day, but at least it wasn't raining. I headed north out of Tutbury and in less than five minutes entered Derbyshire. An inauspicious entry, to the unedifying sprawl of Hatton, not really a village, more urban spread running up towards the semi-motorway A50, which links Derby and Nottingham with Stoke-on-Trent.

I walked on to Church Broughton, which had promise but rather failed to deliver, then joined a little road which, in another nine miles or so, would take me to Ashbourne. The road rolled up and down over a more interesting landscape than yesterday's flatness, eventually climbing to the hamlet of Alkmonkton. This is another instance of a mediaeval village which was gradually abandoned, the old site is at the foot of the hill on which the few houses and tiny Victorian church now stand.

Onward then to Yeaveley, another place with little architectural interest, except for the fine 19th century brick church,

then to Wyaston, which doesn't even have a church to recommend it. By now the sky was beginning to clear, which made up for the tedium of the route.

The road makes a steep dive under Ashbourne's bypass road before climbing equally steeply to enter the fringes of the town, and in ten minutes more the old centre is reached. The town, population around 9,000, has been a market town since the 13th century, and boasts many old buildings.

Today it also marked the moment when the sun came out to stay.

With just over four miles to go I headed out past the start of the Tissington Trail, a walking and cycling route following the line of a former railway, and Callow Hall, a Victorian hillside country house now an hotel.

Not only had the weather improved, but here beyond Ashbourne the scenery took a turn for the better too - it seemed brighter, tidier, more welcoming.

I reached Mapleton, rather dominated by a large pub, but also featuring an interesting little church apparently designed by a disciple of Christopher Wren. The style is a giveaway.

After Mapleton there's a long steep climb, but rewarded by the first clear views of the hills at the foot of Dovedale, notably the pointy shape of Thorpe Cloud. At the top of the hill the road enters the Peak District National Park, marked by one of its large millstone signs.

I took a narrow lane ("Access only - don't use satnav") to descend to Thorpe village, where finally the Midlands red brick gives way to Peakland limestone, and dry stone walls suddenly appear. 

The road descends past the side of Thorpe Cloud, looking down at the entrance to Dovedale, and curiously re-enters Staffordshire just before the dale's tourist car park.

The dale is for tomorrow, tonight my hotel is just alongside. Let's hope the optimistic weather forecast is accurate.