cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/17352758

We are appalled to hear that the badger cull will once again go ahead in Derbyshire.

We understand the devastation that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes to affected farmers and the wider farming community, but we need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease. However, badgers are not the primary cause of the spread of bTB in cattle.

On 30th August, the Government launched its strategy to use a scientific approach to end the badger cull and accelerate the development of a cattle vaccine. Despite this encouraging news the Government’s strategy is not urgent enough. Thousands of badgers will be needlessly killed whilst the cull is allowed to continue until new measures are rolled out and take effect.

Visitors to a Peak District beauty spot left behind graffiti tags which had to be cleaned.

Paint and etchings, including two names - Shal and Noah - were left scrawled on the walls and floor of Robin’s Hood Cave on Stanage Edge, near Hope Valley.

On Saturday, a team of five volunteers and Peak District National Park rangers had to visit the site to remove the damage.

The park shared the hard work of volunteers on social media in good humour, and said they all deserved “an extra flagon of Sherwood ale”.

A post-war nuclear bunker buried under a hillside in Derbyshire is set to go under the hammer.

The 1950s bunker, described as a "piece of history", is located 14ft (4m) under a field near Buxton.

The facility was one of about 1,500 listening posts built by the Royal Observer Corps nationwide in case of a nuclear attack.

It is set to be auctioned off on 26 September for a guide price of between £15,000 and £20,000.

SDL Auctions said three people would have occupied the space with enough food and water for a fortnight, to report on the fallout from any attack.

While thankfully the site - off Waterswallows Road - was never used in anger, the sale does include some original items in situ.

This includes a red communications hotline phone, vintage binoculars and an asbestos fire blanket case attached to the bunker's walls.

There are also newer additions including velvet curtains, a log burner and a chemical toilet.

The Peak District is brimming with natural beauty, playing host to charming villages nestled in its lush, rolling hills. One such village boasts distinctive features like multiple caves and even a castle.

Situated at the foot of the towering Mam Tor, Castleton is rich in quaint stone cottages and significant caves, in the Hope Valley in the heart of the Peak District. The village made the perfect backdrop for HBO's House of the Dragon, which led to celebrity sightings in the area.

Famed for his role as The Doctor, Matt Smith was spotted in Castleton and nearby Cave Dale in 2021 on set of the highly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel. Residents recall a certain "buzz" about the town during the production.

Beyond its moments of fame and Hollywood intrigue, Castleton offers ample opportunities for memorable days out in the Peaks. For those who revel in scaling hills for breath-taking views, Castleton offers a dream-like experience.

Whether you prefer to clamber up neighbouring dales or brave the steep, gruelling sides of Winnats Pass, there are plenty of reasons why Castleton has earned its reputation as a walker's paradise. One of the top spots near the village for sweeping views of the Peak District is the trek to the commanding ruins of Peveril Castle.

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For those who enjoy delving into historical ruins or hillside hikes, consider exploring beneath the Peak District in one of Castleton's numerous show caverns. Peak Cavern, with its impressive exterior featuring Britain's largest cave entrance at 60 ft high, is often the venue for special events and concerts.

A charming path from the village, following the river, leads up to the cave. Until 1915, Peak Cavern was home to the last remaining cave dwellers in Britain.

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Treak Cliff Caverns is renowned not only for its large and unique veins of the semi-precious mineral Blue John Stone but also for some of the UK's most stunning cave formations. Visitors can get a close look at the remarkable veins of Blue John Stone, which continues to be mined and sold in Castleton today.

In addition to the striking minerals, a quick upward glance reveals perfectly preserved Polo-mint-shaped fossils. Speedwell Cavern, a former lead mine that has since been flooded, offers visitors a slightly different experience.

Within the cave, an underground boat ride along a canal leads to a vast cathedral-like space housing the Bottomless Pit, a spectacular subterranean lake.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/16907616

A pub has been closed after inspectors found multiple food hygiene problems, including a food handler who was observed repeatedly scratching his bottom.

The Bulls Head in Denby, Derbyshire, was told to improve its procedures following the inspection, including an instruction that food handlers "must not repeatedly touch/scratch their backsides".

The pub group which owns the public house said it had since closed the premises and removed the former landlady, who reportedly ordered an inspector to leave the premises.

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The inspection report, addressed to the former landlady, states: "Your food handler [redacted name] scratched his backside through his shorts several times, touched his face and dirty equipment, but failed to wash his hands after touching those items.

"This may lead to contamination of food."

Under a heading stating "action required", the report states: "Food handlers must not repeatedly touch/scratch their backsides then prepare food. Wash hands after such behaviour."

It also says: "If there is an issue that causes repeated bottom scratching, that food handler must not work in the kitchen until the problem is resolved so they do not repeatedly scratch/touch their bottom."