Photos taken on the walks at Bakewell

We had a great day for our walks - warm and sunny, enabling us to have some great views and relaxed walking and to enjoy the last hour in and around the delightful town of Bakewell, taking 'photos' and visiting the numerous places of refreshment.

B Party resting on the hill outside Bakewell

On Alport bridge looking at the old mill, now converted to generate electricity for the village

B Party lunch break

A Walk along the Monsal Trail;

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August Walk from Bakewell

Our Walk this month will be from Bakewell in Derbyshire and the Peak District on

Saturday 8th August

The coach will leave the car park at the back of Iceland at 8.00am. Visitors are welcome to join us by contacting a member or Holy Trinity Church Office (878913).

We last visited Bakewell in November 2007 and many of us have happy memories of 3 very enjoyable and varied walks.

There will be three walks;

1. A Walk led by Beverley Kelly
2. B Walk led by Les Gibson
3. C walk led by Marion Young

details of each walk are below (click on the relevant walk)

Bakewell in Derbyshire and the Peak District , is a beautiful, small, market town situated on the River Wye which is crossed by a 13th century 5 arched bridge still open to traffic. The bridge had been widened in the 19th century.

Bakewell was mentioned in the Domesday book as having a church and 2 priests signifying its importance even then. In 1502 Bakewell was owned by the Vernon family and passed on to the Manners family in 1567 when Dorothy Vernon married John Manners. Their son, Sir George Manners married Grace Pierrepont who in 1637 founded the grammer school, Lady Manners School. Monuments to the Vernon family can be found in the All Saints Parish Church which stands in a commanding position on the hillside where the town started.

The Rutland Arms Hotel in the centre of Bakewell replaced the White Horse Inn, which together with some other buildings was demolished in 1805 to form Rutland Square. It was built to cater for coach travellers and in 1818 as many as 600 travellers passed through the town. The Hotel has a literary connection in that Jane Austin is reputed to have stayed at the hotel whilst writing Pride and Predudice. Bakewell has been identified as Lambton.

The famous Bakewell pudding was also invented accidentally at the Hotel, when a cook misinterpreted instructions and poured egg mixture over the jam instead of mixing it in the pastry and what should have been a tart was now a pudding. Bakewell puddings can be bought at several shops in the town centre.

For more information about Bakewell, click here;

and Here;

Weather forecast for Bakewell, click here;

A Walk (Bakewell) A Sensual Walk through the Wye Valley

Walk Leader: Beverley Kelly

Distance: 10 miles

Total ascent: 1700ft, Descent: 2350ft

This is truly a walk to delight the senses as we wander through an unspoilt valley which once thundered with steam trains on the St Pancreas to Manchester line, but is now peacefully returned to a ‘Garden of Eden’, full of the heady scent of wild flowers as the river sparkles in the sunshine and roars over the waterfalls, providing a wonderful habitat for trout and creatures great and small,

not forgetting the ice cream and cakes!!!

We start our walk going downhill towards the Blackwell Mill Junction and the start of the Monsal Trail

Chee Dale is a real delight as the river passes through steep limestone cliffs and the pathway here is on these 50-60 stepping stones

and we pass masses of wild flowers, heady with scent to attract the insects of all sorts.

The River Wye rushes under this viaduct which is also used for absailing (under license, so wewill not be doing it), but we temporaly leace the river and ascend to join the track again to Millars Dale.














First we pass these limestone kilns cut out of solid rock, which we can inspect. The concrete front is a later addition.















Millers Dale Station, now used by park rangers. You can imagine trains in this busy 5 platform station passing over the nearby iron viaducts, but today there are picnic benches and an ice cream van round the corner!



















We are in Water-cum-Jolly Dale and meet our second group of rock climbers. We choose the easier way out, but beware the pathway is liable to flooding and there is plenty of mud. We can clean our boots further on.















This is Cressbrook mill, the second mill which was philanphropic to its child labour, even providing a terrace of dwellings for them, unlike Litton Mill at Millars Dale which worked its children to death. Both are now luxury dwellings.

The lake at the end of 'Water-cum-Jolly' dale, full of trout and an ideal spot for lunch. Cressbrook Hall can be seen above the trees.

Too soon and we have reached Monsal Head with the viaduct below and one of the most wonderful views of the area. Maybe afternoon tea here (depends upon you), then it is through Longstone village and downhill as we coast towards Bakewell Station and the coach. A long but beautiful journey if the weather is right.

Plenty of time to enjoy all the delights as long as we keep moving at a respectable pace

B Walk through 3 delightful villages and alongside tumbling rivers

Walk Leader: Les Gibson
Distance: approx 9 Miles

Total Ascent/descent: 1400ft

Lots of enjoyable variety on this lovely 9 mile walk, stunning views, exciting river rapids, with rainbow trout to be seen. Four delightful villages, stretches of open countryside, and a few short stretches of road. There are approx. 7 stiles, 7 gates, and 9 'slits' in stone walls to negotiate. There is some climbing to do, but nothing too serious .There are lots of fantastic gardens to admire on route. Lunch will be taken in or close to Alport, and if it's raining lunch will be in the church porch, that will be 'close knit and cosy!

When in Over Haddon, watch out for the 'dead lion'!!, and the observant ones will see 'Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum plus a stone Bulls head in Yulegrave. There is also an interesting 'memorial' sun dial on the church wall in Over Haddon.

All in all, it was a great walk to recce, and if we are blessed with dry weather, it will be even greater.

C Walk (Bakewell)

Leader: Marion Young
Distance:5.5 miles
Total Ascent:

A steepish climb up the high wood flanked ridge to the East of Bakewell followed by a stroll down through pasture and woodland concluding through the meadows of the meandering clear watered river Wye back to the Bakewell Showground.

A 5.5 mile, 9 km, round trip leaving plenty of time to grab a Bakewell Tart and explore the many shops and cafes in the town.

B Walk (Elterwater) Photographs

Out of Elterwater and soon on a steady climb upwards with the sun shining and promising a lovely day.

The Three Shires Inn and it was hard to not stop for refreshment.

Lunch stop at Blea Tarn

Some of the group who had a sudden burst of energy, were found at the Wainwright Pub.

Photographs of C Party Walk at Elterwater