Newcomers to London take the Tube everywhere. When I first moved here, you could catch me getting on at Embankment to reach Charing Cross, at least doubling what is a five-minute walk above ground. But when, God bless 'em, the TFL workers went on strike, I found a route to the office via Hyde Park, put my A to Z in my pocket and never looked back.

From the window of our holiday cottage, I can see the whole route. Across the fields to Lose Hill; along the ridge via Hollins Cross; up and over Mam Tor; then a steep descent from Winnats Head into Castleton, followed by a well-earned visit to one of its many teashops.

Decide on rough location; convince someone else to come along; find cheap train ticket; buy map (or dig out from collection). The finer details of exactly where to walk, eat, drink and sleep could be decided upon on the train journey up, sometimes on arrival at the station.