The Last Section of the Monsal Trail

On Saturday we finally got around to walking the last part of the Monsal Trail. As you know we've been walking it in sections this year and had saved the final bit - Hassop to Bakewell until last. We parked at Hassop Station and went into the bookshop for a mug of coffee before starting the walk.

After coffee - what is it that is so perfect about sipping coffee in a book shop? - we set off along the sunlit, leafy path towards the market town of Bakewell. It didn't seem to take very long, under half an hour, to reach Bakewell Station the designated start of the walk but, seeing many people walking from just under the bridge nearby we decided that there must be a path down into the town which wasn't on a main road with lots of traffic so we decided to explore.

Just before the next bridge was a public footpath up some steps and across a bridge - being drawn that way by sound of barking dogs and loud speaker announcements which we decided must be coming from the showground near the cattle market in the town centre. We went over the bridge and a stile and into a field and there in front of us was Bakewell.

We continued along the footpath and down through the fields towards the show ground where a dog show was underway - calls for dogs to participate in agility trials were being announced. It all looked great fun and there were loads of dogs and their owners buzzing around the immediate area.

It was also the day of the Farmers' Market and there were lots of visitors enjoying the stalls and produce in the warm sunshine.

We decided to head into the town first and call at the farmers' market on the way back. I love crossing the river into the town and am always drawn to photograph the well known bridge.....

... the Bakewell Pudding Shop

and this little row of shops that I love nosing into - not the betting shop I hasten to add. I was disappointed to see that the rather lovely, old fashioned ironmongers shop that use to be on the far end of this row had gone and had been replaced by another camping and walking shop.

After a good look around the town we returned to the Farmers' Market and found this stall. We would have loved to buy some bread-making flour from them but of course we couldn't carry it back with us all the way to Hassop Station.

We got chatting to the people manning the stall and it turned out that the lady not only knew the village I lived in as a child and came from a neighbouring village but also went to the same school as both my cousin and her husband. Isn't it a small world? After a chat we said we would try to visit Heage Windmill before it closes at the end of October and headed back towards the path to Bakewell station. We couldn't resist an ice cream from the Hope Valley Ice Cream stand in the farmers' market- September's flavour is Damson and it was wonderful.

We stopped to take a look at the front of the station and then made our way back towards Hassop Station where our little car was parked. We followed the horses all the way back to the same car park and watched them being settled into their horse boxes for their journey home - then we too, set out towards home.

Another bit of the Monsal Trail

I thought we'd have a little break from the Morville adventure and keep Much Wenlock for a later post. Last week we went into Derbyshire to walk another stretch of the Monsal Trail - this time we parked at Monsal Head and walked from the viaduct towards Cressbrook Mill as far as the Rubicon wall and Water-cum-Jolly and back with a slight diversion along the way.


We parked in the large long-stay car park behind the Monsal Head Hotel and made our way past Hobb's cafe and craft shop to the path which leads down to the viaduct where the trail started.

This is where we were headed - down through the trees towards the viaduct built in 1863 to carry the trains from Bakewell to Buxton, just to the left of the path down at the end of the viaduct is another closed tunnel.

A view from the start of the path near the car park

Down through the trees

A view of the hills from the viaduct

Cressbrook Mill

Steps down to the river Wye

The waterfall near Cressbrook Mill

The Rubicon Wall at Water-cum-Jolly we crossed the bridge and walked along the other side of the water until we reached the corner - it was very muddy underfoot here - we turned back to retrace our steps to the viaduct.

We walked under the viaduct and out into the buttercup meadow

It was so peaceful and magical amongst the buttercups down by the river

I could have stayed here for ages just taking in the atmosphere listening to the insects buzzing and the coots on the river calling to each other; I just wanted to sit amongst the buttercups and dream the day away and for a while time and place were suspended. There was a certain timelessness about the place that is hard to describe.

Eventually we wandered further along the river to find the weir we could hear roaring in the distance

Then we returned along the buttercup meadow, up the path towards the viaduct passing wild orchids as we walked and back up to the car park.

We sat and had our picnic lunch on a seat overlooking this view just a stones throw away people were sitting in the garden of the Monsal Head Hotel eating pub lunches and back in the short stay car park the local ice cream van, Bradwells, was doing great trade with the passing ramblers.

I shared my sandwich with this little chaffinch - I think he enjoyed Paul's home made bread as he ate all the crumbs we put down for him and ignored the other bread left there by the last inhabitants of our seat.

More of the Monsal Trail

When we walked the first part of the trail we walked, with a few diversions, from the closed tunnel near Miller's Dale Station to the closed tunnel at Litton Mill. This time we walked a section of the trail from Hassop Station to the closed tunnel just beyond Thornbridge Station, again with a few diversions along the way.

We parked in the car park at Hassop Station, built in 1863 to serve the Duke of Devonshire, his family and household from nearby Chatsworth House. It now houses a well known book shop and there is a small cafe there should you need a refresment stop along the way. I never need an excuse for the combination of coffee and books.

We walked along the trail in the warm, spring sunshine meeting just a few fellow walkers along the way. It was still early in the day and I had the feeling that the beautiful weather would bring more people along very soon.

We walked for about two and a half miles to reach the two stations at Thornbridge. One ordinary station and one private one built around 1896 by George Marples,the owner of nearby Thornbridge Hall I assume so he and his family and visitors didn't have to sit in the waiting room with the normal folks.

We diverted onto the bridge to get a better idea of the size of the building and then walked round

to view it from the other side before we continued along the trail to the gates which blocked off a dangerous cutting which led to the closed tunnel.

Passing the footpath down from the trail to the lovely village of Ashford-in-the-Water on the way.

Then it was back along the same route towards Hassop Station. We have two or perhaps three more stretches of the trail to walk, the one up over Monsal Head to Cressbrook and Litton and the stretch from Hassop to Bakewell. I think the latter may be the next one we will walk.

On the way back we stopped to view a wonderful church in a lovely village but I'm saving that visit for another post.