Can I wave my hand in the air and say I really want to go and do Monsal Head/ Miller's Dale as I haven't been for ages. How about this for the next weekend? What do people think? From Bakewell to Miller's Dale, doing an open-jaw bus trip, or a round trip for the car drivers? Is there a good route back round, up one of the side gorges? (too lazy to go and fish out my map right now. Shocking!) Or shall we start at Monsal Head itself?

And would people prefer Saturday 30th or Sunday 1st? Bear in mind the bus timetable on sunday is likely to be pantser. :D

Can I wave my hand in the air and say I really want to go and do Monsal Head/ Miller's Dale as I haven't been for ages. How about this for the next weekend? What do people think? From Bakewell to Miller's Dale, doing an open-jaw bus trip, or a round trip for the car drivers? Is there a good route back round, up one of the side gorges? (too lazy to go and fish out my map right now. Shocking!) Or shall we start at Monsal Head itself?

And would people prefer Saturday 30th or Sunday 1st? Bear in mind the bus timetable on sunday is likely to be pantser. :D

I'd prefer Sunday but may be willing to forego the delights of Barnsley FC if the consensus is for the Saturday

Just remembered there's a bit where the path floods when it rains, but that'll just make it more exciting and a larf. Hope everyone can swim!

That viaduct looks rather fab :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsal_Dale

Great looking views from what I've seen on various websites :thumbsup:

Or shall we start at Monsal Head itself?

Parking at Monsal Head is a nightmare, so I would maybe suggest a different starting/ending point.

I'm hoping Mrs Grinder and myself can make this one, Mrs Grinder has just started a new job so we will not know until just before if she will be available.

I can recommend the ale in the stables bar at The Monsal Head Hotel ;) Just order food early as last time I was there the wait was over an hour!

I will add a link to photos later.

Grinder

I'd love to come! Unfortunately I tend to be tied up at weekends (but enough of my private life haha) so forgive me if I am unable to attend - it's not because I wouldn't very much like to join you all! :)

What's the route like Purdyamos? How many miles, ascent, etc? I quite fancy this one.:thumbsup:

there's very little ascent, and the length of the route is under debate at the mo, as there's 2 loops we can do as a figure of 8 (prob a bit too far) or we can separate it out into two separate trips :)

Me and my other half were talking about a walk like this just yesterday! We had done Baslow to Totley via Froggat Edge and it was a lovely day.

We thought it would be best to catch the bus out to Taddington and then walk to Bakewell and bus back from there - buses to Sheff a lot more frequent from Bakewell than Buxton.

Would love to hear more about it!

There are a couple of loops to choose from*. One follows the Monsal trail to Monsal Head then follows the Wye back to Bakewell. The other starts at Miller's Dale, follows the river. We could either walk back along the river or go up onto the high ground and follow paths round back to Miller's Dale. The first would be 10 or 11 miles, mostly flat. The other would be 6 or 7 miles, half flat half changeable (I think!).

Relying on buses I would prefer the Sunday, as on Saturday evening I have commitments that I can't risk missing by missing the early bus home.

*For people who aren't familiar with that area, there are two basic height levels - the level of the old railway (i.e. flat) or along the river. So there'll be a climb up or down at some point, but it's mostly easy. The valley is very dramatic. Miller's Dale is a deep gorge and very beautiful.

P.S. Grissom - Miller's Dale viaduct is pretty impressive also!

there's 2 loops we can do as a figure of 8 :)
All those loops and figure of eights make it sound like an ice-skating contest!;)

Sounds nice to me.

Monsal Dale is one of our favourite Derbyshire walks, we tend to park up just off the A6, poodle along by the river, join the old railway for however long the fancy takes us then poodle back again!

Can I just stress we're not doing the figure of eight - that's eighteen miles! :o

I've just looked at my map. Bakewell through Ashford, along Monsal Dale to Monsal Head pub then a return along the Monsal Trail looks do-able

Can I just stress we're not doing the figure of eight - that's eighteen miles! :o
Pft - morning and afternoon sessions - lunch at the pub :D

through Ashford,

Crikey, it will be a lengthy trip, heading through Kent (http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/images/2005/08/08/map_kent_by_area_470x300.gif) - yes, yes, I know you mean the one in Derbyshire!

:P :hihi:

Crikey, it will be a lengthy trip, heading through Kent (http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/images/2005/08/08/map_kent_by_area_470x300.gif) - yes, yes, I know you mean the one in Derbyshire!

:P :hihi:

People who know me well would be surprised to say the least if I arranged a walk through the place where my parents met! Hissss! :hihi:

Okay, here is a finalised meet etc:

Sunday, 1st October

Bus service 218 to Buxton via Bakewell.

Leaves Interchange stand B6 at 9.35. I will get it at the bottom of London Road, next to the craft shop, if people want to meet there. I will pm people to see exactly who is going.

Return buses from Bakewell are at 3.30 and 5.30.

We'll be following the river round to Monsal head for a pint, then following the old railway trail back to Bakewell.

If anybody wants to come on this walk definitely, instead of just saying it sounds nice, please say so. :)

P.S. I want to do the rest of the valley soon.

ME ME ME ME!!!

Definately!

Yep, me an'all. :thumbsup:

yes, yes, count me in. I can feel the cobwebs falling already.

Sunday, 1st October

Bus service 218 to Buxton via Bakewell.

Leaves Interchange stand B6 at 9.35.
I'm catching it at the interchange... ooh, the thought of public transport gives me the vapours. I'm normally such a petrol-legs! :hihi:

I'll definitely be going, and getting bus from the inter-wotsit... do you know the return fare so I can bring the right amount of pennies for the driver ?

I'll definitely be going, and getting bus from the inter-wotsit... do you know the return fare so I can bring the right amount of pennies for the driver ?


If its a First bus both ways then it should only be £3.50

Don`t think I can make the walk this week, but I might be interested in future walks. Just out of interest, how long is this weeks walk, and where is the actual meeting point for ppl going in their cars, that is, if there are ppl going in their cars. Also, do you prefer ppl not to take their dogs?

Don`t think I can make the walk this week, but I might be interested in future walks. Just out of interest, how long is this weeks walk, and where is the actual meeting point for ppl going in their cars, that is, if there are ppl going in their cars. Also, do you prefer ppl not to take their dogs?


I think its about 8 miles but don't quote me on that.

Dogs are more than welcome! We've had about 6 canine members so far

Ten and a half miles according to my piece of string. :)

Any one coming by car could meet us at the bus stop the 218 stops at, which is 'Buxton Road' on the timetable. The bus is due to arrive at 10.20.

By coincidence I was in Bakewell today, so it looks like after a dry spell of a few years, I'm having Bakewell pudding for tea twice in a week!

Not been with you guys b4 but gonna try and make it Sunday, however, 8 or even 10 and a half miles sounds a bit daunting, can someone say for def. which one it is please. Also, the 218 bus stop Purdy mentions, I take it thats in Bakewell, is it, and that it will start and end there

Not been with you guys b4 but gonna try and make it Sunday, however, 8 or even 10 and a half miles sounds a bit daunting, can someone say for def. which one it is please. Also, the 218 bus stop Purdy mentions, I take it thats in Bakewell, is it, and that it will start and end there

Hi Scubz! I hope you can come out with us. 10 and a half does sound daunting*, but the vast majority of it will be on the flat, on good paths. We'll stop for a decent break halfway along.

And yes, the bus stop I mentioned was in Bakewell. Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't make it clear. :)

*It may be that my piece of string is wrong!

Mrs Grinder and myself are 99% sure we will be able to get along to this walk :)

Grinder

Not been with you guys b4 but gonna try and make it Sunday, however, 8 or even 10 and a half miles sounds a bit daunting, can someone say for def. which one it is please. Also, the 218 bus stop Purdy mentions, I take it thats in Bakewell, is it, and that it will start and end there

Hi scubz

Mrs Grinder had a sharp intake of breath when I said 10 1/2 miles but I assured her that most of the walking will be on decent made paths / old railway trackbed and almost all on the level.

So I doubt we will be walking at a fast pace.

Grinder

Hi scubz

Mrs Grinder had a sharp intake of breath when I said 10 1/2 miles but I assured her that most of the walking will be on decent made paths / old railway trackbed and almost all on the level.

So I doubt we will be walking at a fast pace.

Grinder

The pace is usually determined by the person in the group at the back who is taking photos. There's little point in going somewhere nice if it turns into a route march anyway.

There's little point in going somewhere nice if it turns into a route march anyway.

Here here, but I never fail to be amazed by people who go walking in beautiful places only to turn the walk into some sort of military march, trying to get from A to B as fast a possible whilst taking in as little of the surrounding as possible :(

I'll take a camera ;)

PS not that I'm saying a SFWalkers walk would be some sort of military march

The pace is usually determined by the person in the group at the back who is taking photos.

And who could that be? :suspect: :hihi:

The pace is usually determined by the person in the group at the back who is taking photos.
This is why I usually leave my camera at home if I'm walking with other people and prefer separate 'photography walks' if I want to take pictures.

Oh, I'm planning on turning up for the walk tomorrow as well. :)

I may have missed it, but can somebody tell me which 'loop' you're doing?

I may or may not be up in time for this one :(

I may or may not be up in time for this one :(

Well if you will stay up on the forum into the wee small hours :hihi:

Bakewell, up Monsal Dale to the pub, then back via a different path

I may have missed it, but can somebody tell me which 'loop' you're doing?

I may or may not be up in time for this one :(
From Bakewell, following the river through Ashford round to Monsal Head. Then down the old railway back to Bakewell. It should be pretty flat apart from the short sharp bit from the river up to the pub. Distance estimates vary from 8 to 11 miles depending on how stretchy people's bits of string are. ;)

Monsal Head walk pictures (http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l115/purdyamos/Monsal%20Dale/)

Thanks to Taxman, Grissom, Feargal, Altus and newbie Scubz for a lovely day. It's a pity the sun was not shining on us in the morning, but we had no rain, and by the end of the day it was like summer. I hope everyone enjoyed the walk. The pub was the perfect mid-point stop, making it two walks of very different character. One day I hope we will return to the valley and head towards Miller's Dale at a time of year we are less likely to be wading along up to our knees!

Thanks for a fab day Purdy - most enjoyable :thumbsup:

Hope we do the other bits of the walk and get to sample proper Bakewell tarts soon :)

It was a really enjoyable walk, nice to meet regulars and not so regulars alike.

Thanks for organising it Purdy

Thanks for a fab day Purdy - most enjoyable :thumbsup:

Hope we do the other bits of the walk and get to sample proper Bakewell tarts soon :)


PUDDINGS! :o

Wash your mouth out, we'll not be allowed back inside the parish borders! :hihi:

Yep, lovely walk... even with those "short sharp shock" hilly bits! ;) Nice that I arranged a bit of sunshine for us all as well, just a shame we missed the ice creams at the end. :(

Lovely pictures Purdyamos :)

I would have liked to have joined this walk together with Mr tess and our somewhat delinquant dog! However we went to London yesterday for the day on the megabus and didn't get home until gone 11pm so we passed!

Anyone thinking of doing another similar walk??

Oooooops !

Down South we all munch Bakewell Tarts made by someone who makes exceeding good cakes ! Mmmmmm Manor Farmhouse cake with ice cream. Yum !

I'll say a hundred hail mary's and repent my sins whilst scoffing my Spag Bol and watching Space 1999 (not much on telly !) :P

Hopefully they wont check my passport as we cross the border next time :thumbsup:

Thanks Purdy for arranging the walk, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but am absolutely knackered. Got aches in muscles I didn`t know I had!
Oh and sorry for giving you such a hard time re the "one or two" hills. Turned out to be easy-peasy didn`t they?
Lastly, guess who`s munching on a bakewell right now? Did ye see me waving it when the bus went past, lol.
Hopefully see ye next time (if I`m forgiven)
Scooby-Doo

Looks like you guys had a great time :)

Great Photo's Purdy :)

Is this one we can do again in the spring? (and I promise to turn up avec hi-vis beagle this time ;) )

Super pics, PurdyA. So sorry I missed this walk!

seems a lot of sheffield were in the monsal head area on sunday!!!

http://www.sheffieldwalkinggroup.org.uk/walks.html (scroll down to 1st oct walk)

Thanks for arranging the walk Purdy. My legs are only aching a little bit today.

Next time we'll have arrange to not get back to Bakewell just as the bus is about to leave so you can pick up some puddings and feargal can get her ice cream. :)

Looks like you guys had a great time :)

Great Photo's Purdy :)

Is this one we can do again in the spring? (and I promise to turn up avec hi-vis beagle this time ;) )


Yes of course, Strix. And next time the six of us will perch at Monsal Head with real ale and 'chipped potatoes' (and ice cream) and watch you and the hound do the full 18 mile loop! :hihi:

Apologies again to you about the surprise hill, Scubz. I reiterate the last time I did the walk it was the other way around! Maybe we''ll go the other way next time and get a different set of views. :love:

Looks like you guys had a great time :)

Great Photo's Purdy :)

Is this one we can do again in the spring? (and I promise to turn up avec hi-vis beagle this time ;) )

Or avec hi-vis-with-mud?

:P

Have put my photos on my website - see the Bakewell link on www.rtapper.plus.com :)

ive been to millers dale a few times an recently abseiled off bridge 75 (the disused railway bridge!! i loved it!! last time i went there were stepping stones (boulders) going round the cliff (the dog jus went for a paddle!!)

ive been to millers dale a few times an recently abseiled off bridge 75 (the disused railway bridge!! i loved it!! last time i went there were stepping stones (boulders) going round the cliff (the dog jus went for a paddle!!)

Hopefully we'll be doing that route in the next few months, floods permitting. Keep an eye on the threads, lilmisstiger, perhaps you'd like to join us? (and the dog!) :)