After Saturday's scones and jam, we had high expectations of breakfast and most ordered the full English.... We were not disappointed, except perhaps that we didn't all finish the large plates of locally-sourced food put in front of us. When we'd finished, Christine put the fruit salad we hadn't finished into a tupperware box for us and we were given a choice of cake for when we returned.
We headed off to Illam for to do the Dovedale walk I'd originally planned for Saturday. Ilam's an attractive village, but very busy. However, Illam Hall is a National Trust property (used as a Youth Hostel), so we were able to park there. After some consultation, other members of the party found the way to the river that I already knew because I had a new hi-tech device know as an O/S map.
There was a lovely wooded path along the River Manifold through Ilam Park that eventually emerged into more open countryside and climbed up the side of the Manifold valley, this was quite a long climb that eventually reached a large farmhouse. We could see some 4x4s around some rocky outcrops above the farm and assumed that this was a shooting party. As we got closer, it was clear that this was actually a gathering of 4x4s - they were taking turns to drive the steepest sections. There were marshalls (who were even friendly to us townies) and safety wardens and very many more vehicles than we originally saw.
We soon reached the escarpment along the top of the Manifold valley with a lovely views (that would have been improved for a little more sunshine). It was a super walk along here, that then turned into a gentle climb to the highest part of the walk, marked
by an isolated and deserted farmhouse (cue the quips about whether Ocado would deliver).
There was then a longish descent to Wetton where I'd planned a lunch stop at The Royal Oak. We walked into the car park as the church clock struck noon, and the latch of the pub was raised. The food looked great but, after the mammoth breakfast, none of us was hungry enough to eat, but we needed a rest. Some of us were obliged to sample local beers from the Wincle brewery while we listened to (and debated relative the merits of) Abba's greatest hits.
The post-lunch stretch needed some tricky navigation, by the person who'd drunk most beer, through several fields with indistinct paths and little signage. However, we made it successfully to Stanhope and then soon to the head of Dovedale. By this time, the sun had come out and it would have made good place for a picnic. As expected, Dovedale got busier as we got further down the valley. It was easy to see why- this is a lovely place, with easy paths and with good connections. And it was a Bank Holiday Sunday. We stopped for fruit salad before it got too crowded.
We knew we'd reached non-hiker territory when we reached a rock covered in picnicers, some with pushchairs. Thorpe Cloud, a sizeable limestone hill, came into view after more crowded paths. The stepping stones at the base had a big queue and, at the other side, there was a ambulance. Civilisation had been reached. We soon got the the car park, which was completely full and had a long queue. This was clearly an afternoon to walk to Dovedale, not to drive.
The views back to Dovedale during our walk back to Ilam were spectacular, even with sheep or humans in the way.
We drove back to Bakewell in time to have tea and cake in the garden. A perfect end to a classic walk.
Dinner was a little quieter this evening - we chose Le Mistral based on the menu outside. As it happened, there was a 'two mains and a bottle of house wine' deal. Although the wine was served in smaller measures than the previous evening, fun and good conversation was had.
I wimped out of full breakfast on Monday and successfully assembled a good sausage and tomato sandwich, despite Christine's doubts about whether it was possible with the soft bread. After a stroll and a cup of coffee in the sunshine around Chatsworth, and a visit to their farm shop to buy a excellent chicken and ham pie, we set off home. My attempts to avoid the traffic at Matlock Bath resulted in us spending an hour to queue to get through Ashbourne.
A super weekend. Where next year?
We headed off to Illam for to do the Dovedale walk I'd originally planned for Saturday. Ilam's an attractive village, but very busy. However, Illam Hall is a National Trust property (used as a Youth Hostel), so we were able to park there. After some consultation, other members of the party found the way to the river that I already knew because I had a new hi-tech device know as an O/S map.
There was then a longish descent to Wetton where I'd planned a lunch stop at The Royal Oak. We walked into the car park as the church clock struck noon, and the latch of the pub was raised. The food looked great but, after the mammoth breakfast, none of us was hungry enough to eat, but we needed a rest. Some of us were obliged to sample local beers from the Wincle brewery while we listened to (and debated relative the merits of) Abba's greatest hits.
The post-lunch stretch needed some tricky navigation, by the person who'd drunk most beer, through several fields with indistinct paths and little signage. However, we made it successfully to Stanhope and then soon to the head of Dovedale. By this time, the sun had come out and it would have made good place for a picnic. As expected, Dovedale got busier as we got further down the valley. It was easy to see why- this is a lovely place, with easy paths and with good connections. And it was a Bank Holiday Sunday. We stopped for fruit salad before it got too crowded.
The views back to Dovedale during our walk back to Ilam were spectacular, even with sheep or humans in the way.
We drove back to Bakewell in time to have tea and cake in the garden. A perfect end to a classic walk.
Dinner was a little quieter this evening - we chose Le Mistral based on the menu outside. As it happened, there was a 'two mains and a bottle of house wine' deal. Although the wine was served in smaller measures than the previous evening, fun and good conversation was had.
I wimped out of full breakfast on Monday and successfully assembled a good sausage and tomato sandwich, despite Christine's doubts about whether it was possible with the soft bread. After a stroll and a cup of coffee in the sunshine around Chatsworth, and a visit to their farm shop to buy a excellent chicken and ham pie, we set off home. My attempts to avoid the traffic at Matlock Bath resulted in us spending an hour to queue to get through Ashbourne.
A super weekend. Where next year?
View Dovedale in a larger map
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