Trip to Buxton – Romance of real life, still life, and stirring life – Twilight music in Monsal-Dale – Rock robbers at the Lover’s Leap.

Our way lay through Bakewell, ⁵⁷ where we had tea; and we intended to reach Buxton, ⁵⁸ and put up there at night. We travelled in high spirits, as the evening sun was shining on the rocks and woods that began to skirt the road, and the thrush was making every echo ring with his vesper song. The river Wye, here but a small stream, accompanied us part of the way, and added to the beauty of the scenery of Monsal-Dale, which is the name of this romantic road, or rather defile; for the rocks on each side of us, as we advanced, became steep and lofty, with little more than space between them for the road, and the river, and a few narrow slips of green meadow ground.