A Tour of Bakewell - Hartington - llam

Starting the Tour at  the  'Palace of the Peak'  Chatsworth House located to the east of Bakewell, the house and grounds are open to the public during the summer months and are Grand enough to be the subject of a separate article. En-route we pass Edensor which was built in 1839 after the original village was demolished, because it obstructed the view from the Chatsworth House.

The towns name has Roman origins meaning 'Bath Well' from the warm springs they discovered, the bridge with five arches over the river Wye is one of the oldest in Britain. Leaving town on the south on the Matlock road we pass Haddon Hall which has a gallery 110 feet long with magnificent painted ceiling.

Turning right towards Hartington the road passes through Youlgreave which is pronounced Yoolgrave meaning 'Yellow Grove' where the Well dressing custom is continued, nearby Rose Cottages offer Self Catering  with private gardens.

 Then the  Arbor Low stone circle is passed which is worth a visit.  There are 40 stones weighing up to 10 tons each, crown a hill 1.200 ft high, erected in the Bronze Age 2000 years BC, the circle has a diameter of 160 ft surrounded by a broad ditch and then a 12 ft high embankment.

Hartington a market town on the Staffordshire border is an ideal location to discover the White Peak hills to the north and the river Dove and Manifold Gorges to the South. Luxury Hotel & Self Catering Accommodation is available nearby at Biggin Hall at Biggin.

Hartington a market town on the Staffordshire border is an ideal location to discover the White Peak hills to the north and the river Dove and Manifold Gorges to the South. Just past Hartington at Hulme End turn south through Manifold Valley to llam and Thorpe where the rivers merge, the area being a cyclist / walkers paradise with there being no roads along the majority of the riversides.

Photos and Maps are to follow