A tangle of 18th-century cottages and a modern estate

Bradwell, Derbyshire I stopped to watch a buzzard hanging off the wind

For years, I'd avoided Brough Lane. The rough track climbs steeply up a ridgeline south of the Hope Valley, but its wild views of Stanage to the northeast and Kinder Scout to the northwest are overwhelmed by the looming presence of Hope's vast cement works, a structure that is undeniably and colossally industrial - the steroidal elephant in the national park's bijou living room.

Yet I felt a little ashamed of my prejudice. For a start, the works are surrounded by woodland and birds are abundant. There is the village of Bradwell, filling its valley with a tangle of 18th-century cottages and a modern estate. Thanks to cement, it's a vibrant working community, and a contrast to neighbours more fully absorbed into Sheffield's commuter belt.