Day three - 27th March 2016
Bakewell to Eyam - 10 miles
Weather: sunshine

Today our party was split:  me and Mr L were to continue the walk and Mr McD and Mrs D were to collect the car and have a tour round as Mrs D had painful blisters and a sore knee.

We left Bakewell and immediately had a stiff climb through woodland and a gold course to Carlton Pastures.  This was a splendid spot with views towards the edges and fields and woodlands all around us.  Soon we were into the Chatsworth Estate and we could see the house below us with, already, a steady stream of cars heading towards the car parks.  Our next church was at Edensor, the Chatsworth village.  We could see the spire and hear the church bell summoning the faithful on this Easter Sunday.  This was our cue to speed up over the grassland and hurry past the flocks of sheep in order to get to the church before the service started.  We were just too late - as we reached the doors we could hear the vicar's opening address and the first chords emanating from the  organ as the congregation launched into the first hymn.  So no sticker and stamp but still a lovely church yard to wander round.

Our path now took us into the grounds of Chatsworth House where we joined the River Derwent which was to be our companion as far as Curber and we shared our path with the Derwent Heritage Way.  Baslow was our next village and we visited St Anne's church which is a thirteenth century church.  This was a lovely warm church where we got the full benefit of its underfloor heating system.  Onwards we travelled to Curber following the banks of the delightful river.  We spotted Mandarin Ducks and Dippers so there was plenty to keep us entertained in the Spring sunshine.  At Curber, we crossed the river by Arkwright's Mill and had lunch at a craft centre which was crowded with daytrippers.  The tea and food was excellent and we ignored the smartly dressed folks around us as we tucked in with gusto.

The riverside path continued and we crossed the river again via New Bridge where we entered a wetland area where we saw more Mandarin Ducks and also a Tree Creeper.  Just before Froggart Bridge, we left the river and crossed the fields, walked down a bank and into Stoney Middleton.  The Roman Spring was a beautiful spot with the spring water gushing into a pool.  St Martin's Church at Stoney Middleton is a gem.  It is an eighteenth century octagon shaped church and one of only two in England.The village is also a gem with wonderful stone cottages nestling into the hillside with a reading room and a decent pub called The Moon Inn.

We climbed a steep bank to the boundary stone where the villagers of Stoney Middleton left food for the villagers of Eyam.  A series of holes in the stone were where the Eyam villagers left their payment soaking in vinegar.  A sad but beautiful spot as we looked back over Stoney Middleton and towards the edges.  It was now a short walk down into Eyam and the final church of the trip - St Lawrence. Another beautiful church with an eighth century Saxon cross and medieval wall paintings.  The final stamp and sticker, a candle lit and that was it - the end of a splendid walk which was enjoyed by all.

Day Two - 26th March 2016
Hartington to Bakewell - 14.5 miles
Weather:  Drizzle, rain, windy, then a downpour

An excellent breakfast  and we were sorry to leave this most splendid of youth hostels.  The trail passes the front door of Hartington Youth Hostel so we had no problems getting started and we were on our way by 8:30.  We followed a green lane with a fine drizzle falling and we  were heading for The Tissington Trail and before long there it was below us and the first thing we found was the beautifully preserved Hartington Signal Box by the site of Hartington Station.  The box still has its signalling equipment and you can peer in through the windows.  We followed the trail for 4 miles to Hurdlow via Parsley Hay.  We walked through cuttings which protected us from the wind and rain and along high embankments with soggy views over the countryside. There were not many cyclists around but we did see an recumbent cyclist which was a strange sight. We passed old railway workers' huts and saw one which has been adopted by a cycling club to provide shelter from the elements. We hoped for tea at Parsley Hay but, alas, it was too early for refreshments.  

At Hurdlow, we left the trail and struck out for Monyash.  We had to cross the fast and furious A515 at The Bull i'th' Thorn public house where the campers and caravanners were not enjoying the Easter weather which was becoming wetter and windier.  We scurried across the busy highway and soon left the cars behind.  Donkeys huddled out of the weather against the stone wall of the field at the Donkey Sanctuary as we trudged down a farm track.  Ahead, we could see an old barn which was used as the changing room for the local pot holing club.  Soon we were in the village of Monyash and the church of St Leornard which was built in 1100.  This is a fine old church where we found the ladies arranging the Easter flowers as we stamped our book and applied our sticker.  The rain was falling steadily so we retreated to a cafe in the old smithy.  Here we gently steamed by the hot stove as we drank mugs of hot, strong tea and ate toasted hot cross buns to gird ourselves for the next stage of the day

Suitably warmed and refreshed we ventured out into the rain and wind.  Lathkill Dale begins just outside the village and introduces itself with a grassy sward which soon turns into a slippery, rocky limestone path.  The limestone cliffs tower on each side and it is a wonderful, atmospheric place with evidence of quarrying and lead mining. It is a dry dale to begin when suddenly a river bubbles out of the limestone and accompanies us for the rest of the 4 mile length of the dale. A small herd of cows waded through the river to find the best grass and ignored our passing.  We searched for a cave to eat our lunch but the only available spot was taken by a family looking smug as we trudged past.  We stopped by a broken down wall and found 4 likely looking rocks to perch on as we munched assorted pies, rolls, chocolate and cake.  

Now the character of the dale began to change.  The river flowed by crystal clear with fresh, green vegetation.  The limestone crags receded and wooded banks appeared.  Every branch, tree trunk and rock had a vivid green and yellow mantle of moss and lichens made more vivid by the bare, grey trees and ground,  Soon we entered Palmerton Woods and noticed a sign informing us that we would have to pay a penny to pass through during Easter Week but nobody appeared to take our cash.

Now there were more signs of the industrial past of this dale.  We saw the remains of dams, leets, aquaducts,ruined buildings and abandoned quarry and mine entrances burrowing into the hillside. Nature now has the upperhand and is softening the harsh, brutal marks of the industrial revolution.  

We left the dale and climbed the steep lane to Over Haddon and our next church - St Annes.  This was our youngest church and it was built in 1880.  We walked through the village past the Lathkill Hotel and we descended through fields down to the bright lights of Bakewell.  In busy Bakewell we had two churches to find. We first found the Methodist church where the stamp and stickers proved hard to locate.  As time was marching on, we decided to search out a cafe for Bakewell Pudding and tea.  The first cafe was full but undaunted we retreated to the back entrance and found tables outside under an awning.  This proved fortuitous as the steady rain we had experienced all day turned into a down pour.  We enjoyed hot, strong tea with tarts and puddings in muddy, isolated splendour as overhead the rain beat down on the awning and gushed down the drain pipes.  

Refreshed we walked up a steep lane to All Saints church but found it was closed.  We walked back to the town centre and took refuge in a bus shelter as the rain continued to lash down.  Our cheery taxi driver, Bryn, was called and he picked us up in his minibus to drive us to our accommodation at the youth hostel in Eyam.  Bryn chatted all the way and didn't mind our soggy, muddy boots and waterproofs.

Hartington Youth Hostel

Donkey Sanctuary

Tissington Trail

Hartington Youth Hostel

Lathkill Dale

Lathkill Dale

Lathkill Dale

The |Cafe at Monyash

Day One - 25th March 2016
Ilam to Hartington - 11.5 miles
Weather - Sunny with a slight cold wind

We were up by 6 o'clock and on our way by 8 after an assortment of breakfast choices ranging from porridge to bacon butties.  The roads were clear and we arrived in Ilam by nine.  We parked the car in a quiet village lane where it will be staying for the duration of the walk.  Toilets were visited first at Ilam Hall and then we headed for our first church of the day which was Holy Cross in Ilam. The system is: find the Peak Pilgrimage box file, stamp your guide book and stick the bible quotation in the guide book in its allotted space. We had four churches to visit this first day so everyone could have a go in our little group.

Now the walking could begin and it started with a field full of sheep with their brand new lambs which made a perfect introduction to this early Spring long distance walk. We walked past the Issac Walton Hotel and the path emerged by the main Dovedale Car Park which, although it was only 9:30am, was filling up with Easter day trippers.  Decisions were made about whether to cross the River Dove by the stepping stones - Mr L was the only one to take the option and we met him when our paths converged at the entrance to Dovedale.  The stepping stones were teeming with children and dogs but we soon left the hoards behind as we walked in the Spring sunshine with the river sparkling and gushing through the dale and the limestone glowing next to the lush, green grass.

We soon arrived at Milldale and enjoyed a cup of tea at Polly's Cottage.  As always, the staff were lovely and lent us a tray to carry our tea to the riverbank.  Lots of people arrived as we supped our tea, ate our hot cross buns and were visited by hungry, bold ducks.  Off again, up a steep lane though Milldale to the Primitive Methodist Chapel and our second church of the day. It was built in 1835 and it is tiny with no electric or water supply.  A room for prayer and quiet contemplation amongst simple pews, bare walls and the smell of polish.  Onwards up the path to Alstonefield and our third church.  St Peter's Church is lovely and has a DIY cafe for passing walkers.  The church was established in 892 and the present building dates from the twelfth century. It is a marvelous place which exudes a warm, ancient welcome.  

The next stage was along a farm track and we had to skirt round a small field with a 'very active pony' as the guide book told us.  Today he was very inactive and sat in the grass and watched us walk by. We were now approaching a 'declivity' and we walked to the edge of the dale to view it.  What a view!  What a declivity!  Wolfscote Dale was laid out before us in all it's glory and our path was leading us down into the heart of it via Gypsy Bank.  The bank was steep and we took our time descending to the dale bottom and we met the River Dove again. The sound of a bird of prey caught our attention and looking up at the limestone cliffs we spotted a pair of nesting peregrine falcons.  Luckily, Mr L had his binoculars so we could all get a good view of these beautiful birds.  Soon a small crowd had formed to watch the comings and goings of the falcons.  

Onwards we walked along Wolfscote Dale with limestone pinnacles and cliffs soaring above us.  It is a wonderful place to walk and enjoy its stunning beauty.  We were soon following another dale - Beresford Dale and before we knew it we were in Hartington where the path emerged next to the public conveniences which were very convenient for us.  A walk to the church, St Giles, where we found there was a service in progress so we went in search of a cafe and a pot of tea.  On our return the service was over so we stamped and stickered our guide book and wandered up to the youth hostel and our accommodation for the night.  Hartington Youth Hostel was fabulous - a large room, bed's made, real fires, pannelled walls, good food!  

Holy Cross, Ilam

Primitive Chapel, Milldale

Descending Gypsy Bank to Wolfscote Dale

Wolfscote Dale and the River Dove