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.

I flop onto the shingle of Lyme Regis beach, an extra large portion of chips in hand. I’m exhausted, and more than a little surprised. When I headed east from Exmouth, I’d been expecting two days of gentle walking among rolling coastal hills.