Bakewell And Back

This walk is about 9Km, around 3.5 hours.

A pedestrian alternative to the car on Bank Holiday Mondays and show days; can be halved by using the service bus one way - it is uphill all the way from Bakewell!

Note: Special arrangements apply for Bakewell Show (4th & 5th August). A free bus runs from Hassop Station car park to Coombes Road Bakewell. The Monsal Trail is closed between Hassop Station and Bakewell. Show tickets are usually available at the bus stop at Hassop station at a discounted price.

Start Great Longstone Post Office, map reference SK199718

1. Proceed to the Monsal Trail - various routes but, for this walk, go down (S.E.) Main Street to Croft Road. Follow the Monsal Trail signs, right into Croft Road, left into Edge View Drive and go to the far end of Edge View Drive.

2. Find a narrow passageway between the last house on Edge View Drive and a field wall. Take this to a small gate (keep closed please) which leads to a field path heading directly south the for Monsal Trail.

3. The third very tight squeezer stile gives access to the Monsal Trail (which is the route of the old Midland Railway's main line London - Derby - Manchester). Follow the boundary wall to the right, up a short flight of steps to a notice board and a rough bench seat then left onto the trail proper, walk over the road bridge and proceed east and south to Bakewell station via the old station for Hassop, now a bookshop.

4. At Bakewell Station (information board) go right into the station car park, out of the gate and down Station Road to Bakewell bridge and the end of Coombes Road.

5. For the return journey go to the upstream side of Bakewell bridge, opposite Coombs Road end. Look for a gate giving access to a riverside path going upstream and across a meadow. This leads to a quite tarmac road and Holme Hall. Go left along this road for about 150 metres.

6. Now comes the tricky bit! Opposite Holme Hall packhorse bridge, at the entrance to Lumford a rough cart track goes uphill between Holme Hall and Lumford cottages. Follow this track as it winds STEEPLY uphill, past a weighbridge and stone works at the old chert mines.

7. As the gradient eases a farm gate and stiles gives access to a narrow meadow. Go into the meadow and continue uphill, with the field wall on your right and a short distance away on the left old mine and quarry workings, now overgrown.

8. At the next field gate, by a pond, locate a green land running directly ahead (N) and uphill. An alternative path half left from the pons is a short cut but is overgrown and ends on the very busy A6020 road. Continue along the green lane over the hill and down the Monsal Trail. Turn left onto the trail and return to Longstone.

9. A good map will enable many variations and extensions to be made - all delightful! I recommend Ordinance Survey 'White Peak' outdoor leisure map 24, available in local shops.