Bakewell, Rowsley, Calton Lees, Calton Houses, and Edensor.

It turned out to be a lovely day and yet I didn't make the decision to go walking until quite late last night after the weather forecast had been updated; I even told my friend that I'd got nothing planned this weekend when he phoned up earlier.

The 218 bus service runs every thirty minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, alternating between going directly to Bakewell or going the long way round via Chatsworth House. The bus I caught went to Bakewell first and so that's where I started my walk today. The bus went on a diversion though, the road was closed at Owler Bar and so we travelled via Froggatt and Calver; a chance for me to enjoy some different countryside.

Obviously I arrived at Bakewell a few minutes late, but I didn't mind. It was still a bit overcast when I took the first photographs...it didn't take long for it to brighten up though, and stay that way.

I climbed up to, and then walked along, the final few hundred yards of the Monsal Trail until I reached Coombs Viaduct, then continued along the bridleway which goes past Bowling Green Farm to Rowsley; I think it's impassable for horses, but there were tracks where I could see that mountainbikers had been. Like the rest of the walk, it was very muddy in places.

Some very nice countryside along here.

I dropped down into Rowsley, visiting the churchyard, but not venturing much further into the village because my footpath was just at the side of the churchyard. The church is quite picturesque, but not very old; it looks to be Victorian.

Once I'd passed the muddy sections the route towards Calton Lees is very easy, almost flat and walking on grass. I had a pleasant surprise when I got there; there was a vintage car rally taking place.

At Calton Houses the Chatsworth Estate has done a very good job in converting an old barn into a holiday cottage, or maybe even two.

The next cottage is also owned by the estate, but regular tenants live there, most likely estate workers. Properties owned by the Chatsworth Estate are easily identifiable by the blue/green petrol-coloured paint that is used on the buildings, the doors, fences, gates, windows, drainpipes, and eaves,

It was a short climb up to the top of the ridge and then a steady descent, with far-reaching views, down to Edensor.

I lingered at Edensor, taking photographs of all the cottages that were bathed in sunlight...here are a few of the better shots.

When I arrived at the bus stop on the main road I discovered that I had over half an hour to wait until the next scheduled bus was due, but who knows what time that might be because of the road closure? I decided to set off for Chatsworth House where I knew the public toilets would be open. Not long after I'd crossed the road the bus whizzed past me on its way to the House, where it turns round and then continues on its journey to Sheffield, either direct or via Bakewell. So...I had plenty of time to walk the couple of hundred or so yards back and wait at the bus-stop.

Annoyingly I seemed to be spending a lot of time pulling up my trousers today, I must be getting close to having a forty inch waist now...I will certainly have to punch another hole in my belt.

From the Archives; Beeley

Beeley, one of the Chatsworth Estate villages is somewhere I tend to walk through rather than start or end a walk there. I did once call in the local pub, The Devonshire Arms, for a glass of Diet Coke or Pepsi and took this photograph of the barter board.

Northwood, Tinkersley, Fallinge, Chatsworth Park, and Baslow.

I caught a slightly later train to Sheffield this morning and so managed to get a seat. It was a local stopping train and so there wasn't much legroom; so I had to fold up my copy of the Metro free newspaper and wedge it between my knee and the back of the seat in front to provide a bit of padding so that I wouldn't be lame when I reached Sheffield.

I still had nearly half an hour to wait for the bus: it arrived on time though and there were no problems. It was quite a pleasant journey: after three other hikers had got off at Fox House I was the only passenger remaining and soon ended up chatting to the driver. After a few minutes I found out that his stepson has Asperger's syndrome, just as I do, and so we had quite a lot to talk about.

I think I made a good decision to catch the 214 Matlock bus this morning and stay on for most of the journey. As the bus was travelling out of Sheffield I noticed that the weather to the north didn't look very promising, yet the further south I travelled the better it got; it was mainly sunny when I arrived at my destination.

I got off the bus at Northwood, a few stops before Darley Dale, and headed uphill into the main housing estate and then through a haulier's yard, before reaching open countryside.

I soon reached woodland which provided some shelter from the strong wind, but the trees were being buffeted about quite a bit and I often heard branches creaking, and saw twigs being broken off. At times there were occasional clearings where I could enjoy nice views down into the Derwent Valley.

The woodland path gave way to a track alongside a field and then the houses of Tinkersley were in view. It's only a hamlet, but its hillside location means that the residents have expansive views down into the valley and to the hills beyond.

Beyond Tinkersley I walked along a well-maintained, but narrow, country lane and then took the path across fields towards Fallinge, having to cross the Chesterfield road.

Fallinge, like Tinkersley, is a hamlet too; there were plenty of hens at home today.

After about a mile I reached the road that comes up from Beeley. I turned right and walked along it for a few yards before heading into the woods and taking a path that never strays too far from the road. Further up the hill I re-joined the road and then walked along the track which leads down to Beeley Top. This is quite a substantial track that is often used by vehicles, but it looks as though it needs a bit of maintenance doing. I noticed one particular deep pothole that seemed to have been repaired using an old tyre and the branch of a tree - on closer inspection it seemed to be more than a pothole, it was very deep - possibly a mineshaft.

I then walked across the stretch of Beeley Moor known as 'Rabbit Warren': it was very windy and exposed, but the views were well worth it. In years to come I should think this stretch of footpath will be less windy, but you won't be able to enjoy the views because the Chatsworth Estate has recently planted saplings near to the path.

I climbed a quite high stile to enter the wooded area of Chatsworth Park and headed for Swiss Cottage where I was hoping that the sun would be at a good angle for taking photographs; I wasn't disappointed, although my camera's zoom lens struggled a bit.

A few minutes later the sun was at a favourable angle to take some photographs of the Hunting Tower.

It was then a fairly short walk down through some woods and across the landscaped parkland to reach Baslow Nether End, where there are two buses an hour to Sheffield on weekdays.

Pilsley, Hassop, Bubnell and Baslow

I got off the Bakewell bus about a mile south of Baslow and soon found the path going up the hill and over the fields to Pilsley, one of the pretty nineteenth century                 Chatsworth Estate villages.

I walked through the village and after a few hundred yards came to a footpath which led across meadows back to the Bakewell road, and then through a wooded valley to Hassop.

There's a very impressive hall in Hassop which I've noticed when passing on the bus, but today was the first time I'd actually visited the village, as it was the case with Pilsley...and Bubnell later on.

The next part of the route was walking along the ridge above Bank Wood; at times the views were quite restricted - which wasn't really a problem since there was a large quarry on the other side of the valley which isn't shown on my Ordnance Survey map.

I had intended continuing to Calver and then walking along the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail back to Baslow but the descent down into Calver looked quite steep, and I had a twinge in my right knee. The path across open fields down to Bubnell seemed the safer option.

I soon arrived at Bubnell, then crossed over the river to Baslow, where I didn't have too long to wait for the bus.