My New Year's intention - not a resolution as such - is to try to 'move more and eat less' both have proved quite difficult so far as I'm not a big eater anyway and unfortunately my knees aren't what they used to be. It is hard to cut down on food - we still have Christmas cake in the tin - so I guess I'm just going to have to try and change the food I eat. I'm rather pleased though that we've had three walks already this week and have been lucky with the weather too. Monday saw us walking around Westport Lake and a little way along the canal. This morning we walked around the lake at Trentham Gardens and yesterday we walked a little way along the Monsal Trail from Hassop Station to the former Great Longstone station and back.
We had coffee at Hassop station before we set off on the walk as we'd first called in at Great Longstone to photograph the church for Paul's website. The coffee was ours from a flask though which we drank in the car park.
When we set out the trail was quiet, just a few dog walkers were out and about - most people seemed to be in the book shop and cafe as it was very busy and extremely noisy when we popped in. I bought a lovely little book of sketches and watercolours of the Peak District whilst we were in there. Anyway back to the walk.......
We followed the trail for a while. The sun was out and quite bright and there were some lovely views across the countryside.
We got chatting to some people who had come over from Nottingham to walk a length of the trail. By now the walk was quite busy with cyclist and horse riders as well as a large group of ramblers.
The story of these station platforms is that the Marples family, owners of Thornbridge Hall, built the second station with the more imposing building which looks like a gatehouse so that they wouldn't have to get off the train at the same station as their servants. They (the servants) got off at the first station and then the train moved a few yards further on to the second station to let the family out. There is a huge arch in the front of the larger station which I expect was for a carriage to take people getting off the train up to the hall. No doubt the servants and estate workers had to walk to their homes.
You can just about see the arch in the photo below. I didn't take a closer photo of the smaller station as it has been converted into accommodation and someone is living there.
At this point we turned and walked back the way we had come.
There were some interesting things to see and hear along the way. There were many birds - we thought perhaps they were fieldfares - and I loved the fungus growing up this tree.
Hassop Station was built in 1862 for the then Duke of Devonshire and was one of two stations for the use of Chatsworth House, the other being at Rowsley. Apparently there used to be a very sumptuous first class waiting room and an inn here. Now, as part of the package of The Monsal Trail, it is a very popular cafe with a book shop and cycle hire as well.
I know I've taken you along the Monsal trail in past posts - mostly in 2009 when we walked the whole of the trail in manageable sections and again when we went through the newly opened tunnels - so I hope you don't mind me repeating myself just a little.
I know I've taken you along the Monsal trail in past posts - mostly in 2009 when we walked the whole of the trail in manageable sections and again when we went through the newly opened tunnels - so I hope you don't mind me repeating myself just a little.
I should be doing exactly that -- eating less and walking more but our house is still full of cake and biscuits too. I must do better!!!!
ReplyDeleteLast bit of the cake went yesterday, still loads of biscuits though! To compensate a walk yesterday and today whilst the weather is still dry (ish) :)
DeleteWhat a fascinating walk! Thank you for taking me. Does it count towards my move more eat less plan do you think!! Hope you enjoy getting out and about more, regardless of the reason. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy! Glad you enjoyed the walk, hope you are doing well with your 'move more, eat less' project too:)
DeleteI've been managing to get in plenty of walks - but unfortunately it just gives me a bigger appetite! Fieldfares seem very likely at this time of year - you can usually recognise them by the "chack-chack" noise they make as they fly up from bushes where they've been feeding on berries. I love the Peak District but haven't managed to get there for a few years so looking forward to further posts.
ReplyDeleteThat is the problem with walking - it does make you hungry. The birds were definitely making a "chack-chack" call so were almost certainly fieldfares. We are lucky to be able to get into the Peak District quite easily for a day out from here:)
DeleteI'm very familiar with the bookshop at Hassop station but didn't realise it had been the station for Chatsworth House nor did I know about the first class waiting room. Wonder whether it was part of the buildings that are there now. I shall look more closely next time I go.
ReplyDeleteThe info about the station and waiting room is on a new board near the steps down to the walk - it doesn't say if the waiting room was part of the building left now though. I like the bookshop at Hassop although it isn't as good as it used to be before the cafe sort of took over - I prefer the one at Brierlow Bar for a good rummage around:)
DeleteWhat a lovely walk and three in a week is great! I've never actually walked that bit of the trail so it was interesting to find out about the stations there. I miss walks and the outdoors in general at the moment - I'm leaving the house when it's dark (and I should still be sleeping!) and getting home around sunset and I hate it! I can't wait for our next chance to go for a walk.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - no news yet :( I'm really hoping I get a call tomorrow.
It's horrible not seeing the light too and from work during these winter months isn't it? Hope you had a lovely weekend - the weather was nice enough for a walk or two. Hope you hear soon:)
DeleteYou have such wonderful places around you to go walking Rosie and you have been lucky with the weather. I have high hopes for a walk on Saturday, when even down here it is supposed to be fine.
ReplyDeleteWe've been fairly lucky with the weather here so walking oppurtunities have been good. Hope you had some sun over the weekend and were able to get out walking:)
DeleteA lovely walk. It is amazing that the Marples built their own station to avoid their servants. I can just imagine what sort people they were - they must have really thought they were a breed apart! We still have lots of chocolate left over from Christmas - so it's a bit difficult having good New Year intentions here!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely walk - the Marples were rich industrialists from Sheffield not what you would call aristocracy like those from Chatsworth - I have a feeling that they wouldn't have minded sharing their stations with their servants and workers:)
DeleteNo wonder the trail got busy on such a pleasant day! Strange story about the family who got offf at their own station whilst the servants got off at the previous one. I presume the servants had to walk from the station up to the house with all the owners luggage! x
ReplyDeleteYou may be right Simone! The story doesn't really endear me to them at all but it is very interesting:)
DeleteThey look like wonderful countryside walks Rosie.
ReplyDeleteWe drove around Derbyshire and the Peak District on our last trip to the UK.
Love the area so quintessentially english for us.
I'm struggling with my weight and I'm so glad we have at last finished the Christmas cake - out of sight out of mind. I don't need temptations like that.
I've had trouble with my knees and haven't has so many walks lately - I need to push myself to do more.....
Keep warm and have a happy weekend
Hugs
Shane in New Zealand
Thanks, Shane - hope you too had a lovely weekend. My knees are ok on the flat but I struggle - sometimes not always - with steps and inclines. Glad you have some happy memories of your visit to Derbyshire and the Peaks:)
DeleteSorry I meant to add - we visited Chatsworth so I was most interested in the Hassop Station and the first class waiting room!
ReplyDeleteShane
You can bring me here anytime - a personal favourite of ours. Hassop station is a dangerous place for the wallet! The path gets really busy since the tunnels were opened. I'm struggling weight wise so looking to change what I eat (hide that cake!) and I'm going to attempt the 5 2 diet that everyone raves about. Do you do swimming? You don't need decent knees for that xxxx
ReplyDeleteThe trail does seem busier now the tunnels have been opened. I do like the shop and cafe but it is quite expensive, I prefer the bookshop at Brierlow Bar. I've heard about the 5.2 diet - may look into it - is that the fasting for 2 days one? Swimming and I don't get on - I never did get beyond sinking to the bottom even with a cork board and arm bands:)
DeleteI am relieved to get back to normal eating after the Christmas excesses I made a promise to myself that I would walk every day during the winter months regardless of the weather - and I've stuck to it (so far). Thank you for sharing your delightful walk.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Elaine - festive food is so rich! Well done for walking everyday regardless of the weather - I'm afraid we are fair weather walkers:)
DeleteThanks for sharing your walk- makes me want to get out and about too!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, Amanda:)
DeleteBonjour,
ReplyDeleteJe découvre ton blog, j'aime beaucoup ton travail! Des aventures et de très belles photos.
Je suis artiste peintre, photographe amateur; je me suis inscrite pour suivre tes publications!
Je t'invite à me rendre visite sur mes blogs et voir mon travail, merci beaucoup et bonne journée! Cath.
Bonjour, Cath - merci pour votre visite mon blog - je vais visiter votre blog bientot:)
DeleteI like the look of that walk for my next visit to Derbyshire. I have much the same action as you for this year, portion control and moving more are my aims. I read it's better to give yourself 12 weeks goals instead of whole years as it's easier to achieve,the end of March will tell.
ReplyDeletePortion control is the key I think! It is so easy to cook too much and then feel guilty about leaving food on the plate. The whole of the Monsal Trail is fascinating especially the newly opened tunnels which are further along towards Buxton around Monsal Dale. The other route from Hassop takes you into Bakewell - that's a great walk too:)
DeleteI love reading about your walks, maybe one day I'll walk them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amanda - I hope you walk there one day:)
DeleteAll the best with your walking in 2014, Rosie! You visit some interesting places not too far from where we live so I'm always getting ideas for my own future walking experiences. The Monsal Trail is one of them so I hope to get back to that area when the weather improves.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. The whole of the Monsal Trail is fascinating as you can divert to some interesting places from it. The walk from Hassop Station down into Bakewell (the opposite way to which we walked) is great too:)
DeleteThese are some familiar names and photographs! In the 50's Thornbridge Hall was a teacher Training College. I attended there and loved it. Used that railway Station of Great Longstone many times. You can see Thornbridge in some of those photos. The park lioke grounds were beautiful. The last I hear the hall was a distillery making speciality beers. I still have my college scarf -- maroon and grey.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, must have been a wonderful to go to college there and it's nice to hear of the station being used. Thornbridge have an open day each year when you can look around the gardens and yes they do have what is known as a micro brewery. What colurs are in your college scarf?:)
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