Long summer weekend - Bakewell - 1,2 and 3 July 2016

With last minute injury and illness reducing the numbers by five we were a more select group than usual for this year ‘s weekend. Bakewell was thronged with locals and visitors enjoying the Carnival weekend, so our four days of walking were an escape from the crowds – though some of us might have wished we were back there, as the start of Friday afternoons walk took us through mud and then waist high wet undergrowth. Lovely!

Saturday morning, it being Carnival day, it rained, which seemed quite appropriate as we walked out of Ashford in the Water. The rain turned to showers, then disappeared, but not before we stopped for lunch (with electric lighting and somewhere dry to sit) in a former railway tunnel, part of the Monsal Trail. The tide was against us on the Trail, as folk headed to the carnival, many in fancy dress, including a group of very cheerful bicycling ‘nuns’. Following the much quieter riverside path through Monsal Dale made for more relaxing walking. Sunday’s walk saw us ambling through the meadows of the Derwent valley before climbing to reach the paths on the Chatsworth House estate, eventually descending to join the throngs at the stable block for some very nice ice cream IN HOT SUNNY WEATHER! On Monday morning we explored Lathkill Dale (great suggestion, Margaret), walking its length, at first through something like an English rain forest before it became a limestone bluffed valley and then open countryside.

Everyone seemed happy with the three evening meal venues that Guto had found for us, good to have him involved again this year, and taking care of all those meal choices. Plus, and very important, he managed to bring forward the timing of the Friday night meal. So that at 8pm some of us had found what seemed to be the only pub in town with a decent sized TV screen, to see the highpoint of the Wales footballer’s European odyssey, the 3:1 win against Belgium. We might have been well over the border, but the cheering in the pub at 3:1 had to be heard. Then someone stood up and sang Bread of Heaven, with seemingly the whole room joining in – what a great night it was.

Anyway, like our footballing dreams, the weekend is over, so thanks to all that came along for making it such an enjoyable few days.

Dave