Sunday 14 December 2025 - A Christmas Walk and Meal - from Bakewell

Just ten of us set off on my annual Christmas walk. It started in the early 1970s when three of us - former UMIST students then working in different parts of the country - decided to plan a monthly activity for the coming year. We used to meet in the stables at Monsal Head after walking from Tideswell, where we planned the monthly activities that were then circulated to friends by way of Christmas cards.

Anyway, with the aid of Sue's RAMSOC friends and various others, we now meet for a chat and a catch up at The Crispin at Great Longstone. Many other venues have been used over the years. We might even discuss a bit of planning.

The Lime Lounge in Bakewell has become our point of departure. This year, with various other commitments and injuries, the walkers were down to ten in number, with Andrew and GS meeting us at the pub.

The River Wye in Bakewell is currently swollen after some regular rain showers.

The meadow is home to a large flock of Canada Geese.

For the first time we set off along the north bank of the river on a route suggested by Sue W.

After a gentle start, the path rose past old mines that litter the countryside in this part of the world. I won't go into it here, but if you put 'mine workings in Bakewell' into a search engine you could spend some time reading about them and watching videos. We met some people who had just emerged, but there was no way in through the locked door we found. 

As we rose up the hill to the north of Bakewell we could admire the views back down to the town on this fine day for a walk.

We climbed gently up the good track, neatly enclosed within well constructed walls, that led us to the Monsal Trail.

We would return to this point later, but for now we simply crossed the Monsal Trail's disused railway line and headed across a field near Toll Bar House.

There followed a glutinous ascent for five minutes or so up a path that has been taken over by a crop of winter greens.

After reaching a wall, a left turn took us over easier ground to a stile that offered perching spots for elevenses before we continued on firmer surfaces to the hamlet of Rowland.

Beyond Rowland, an excursion beside another field of winter greens brought us out onto a pleasant lane where we expected to find GS engaged on a renovation project.

Soon after this, a left turn up a pretty restricted byway with good views to the west, led all the way up to the edge of an opencast quarry on Longstone Edge.

There were good views back to the rolling hills of the White Peak district beyond Bakewell.

After a steep descent, a gate led to a path down through a field to a copse. There was no sign of the predicted livestock.

Before the descent, a pause on a bench whilst someone went missing.

Soon Wendy's Seat was reached, before a slightly muddy path saw us into Great Longstone and along a nice footpath past the church to reach our luncheon destination, The Crispin.

Party time. An excellent meal as always, with GS and Andrew adding their names to the list of ten walkers.

After a couple of hours in the pub, and after booking a table for 13 December next year, boots were donned again and a narrow ginnel led to an easy path down to the disused railway line that contains the Monsal Trail.

It was then a simple case of following the Monsal Trail, via the conveniences at Hassop, to Bakewell Station where most of us had parked. We finished at dusk; no torches were needed.

Here's the route - 13km (8.6km before lunch), with 330 metres ascent. Three and a half hours walking time plus two hours at The Crispin.

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday. We'll do the same on 13 December 2026. See you there...