Buxton, Bakewell, Ashford in the Water and Eyam April 2023

On Thursday 20th April 2023 we set off mid morning as we planned to visit the High Peaks Book Store and café https://www.highpeakbookstore.co.uk before we arrived at the campsite https://www.thedukeofyorkpomeroy.co.uk shortly after the 1.00pm admission time. We arrived at the book store shortly before 1.00pm and took a table in the café where scones, soup and sandwiches were enjoyed. We then explored the bookshop and picked up one or two bargains, including some bottles of local cider.

Prior to entering the bookshop car park we had taken the wrong road and we had to take a U-turn in a nearby side road.

We then managed to get lost looking for the campsite, as the wrong Duke of York that we were searching for had ceased trading and was now a housing estate in the process of being built. After getting directions from the staff in a nearby B & Q we set off again in the direction of the bookstore and needed to make another U-turn in the same side road when we got lost. Eventually we found the correct Duke Of York in Pomeroy and I went into the pub to register our arrival and confirm our booking for tea that night. We then drove onto the site and set about connecting the electric and switching the gas on.

Once done we sat down to enjoy the cider and the afternoon TV quiz shows.

With evening approaching we left the motorhome to spend the early evening in the bar with our fellow campsite guests. Dogs were the topic that initiated our conversations.

After enjoying a nice meal we left the pub to return to the motorhome to watch TV and settle down for the night. Late in the evening a heavy rain started, and continued through the night.

Upon getting up the next morning the wet weather continued and our plans of walking around Buxton were temporarily shelved. As the day progressed the rain eased off and we decided to get a taxi into Buxton, with our first stop being the Opera House.

We had a pleasant trip into Buxton, the taxi driver being particularly nice, and once dropped outside the Opera House door we noticed the signs stating that no dogs were allowed on the premises, and the rain began again. Luckily Sue had noticed outside the pub across the road that there was a sign stating that dogs were welcome inside so we took shelter there for a short while. After a cider we noticed through the window that the rain had stopped and we ventured out to look at the other offerings that Buxton had to offer. We headed for the park next to the Opera House, and I took the chance to have a quick look in the palm house there, which wasn’t very good at all.

Then we took a walk in the park where Finn took great interest in the ducks and the geese, we got concerned about this as we were aware of the danger of aggressive geese. We managed to complete our walk in the park without Finn attacking any of the fowl, and, more importantly, without Finn being attacked!

We then moved on to explore the Crescent, and the nearby Pump House, which were, surprisingly, dog friendly. After admiring this Georgian marvel, which is one of the UK’s most iconic buildings, we explored the nearby shops. Our thoughts then turned to more practical matters, and looking for a supermarket to top up our supplies. After getting some advice from a nearby opticians we managed to find a local Sainsburys, where wine, cider, water and toothpaste were bought.

The walk up to the Sainsburys from the Crescent included a steep ascent and we then took respite in a nearby pub for a much needed cider, and, as we had used up most of our day, and we had a meal booked at the Duke of York, we decided to call a taxi to take us back to the site. I was curious as to why the pub staff were putting up boards against the windows , whilst we waited for the taxi. When I asked why I was told that there was a Ladies night planned for that night. I was equally curious as I left the pub and entered the taxi as to why the windows would need blacked out for a Ladies night! Again, the taxi driver was very amiable.

We returned to the motorhome, put our shopping away and put our minds to our evenings plans. Again, a convivial evening was had, with all the staff and customers making good company.

The next morning dawned another day of mixed weather and we hurried to make the departure time of 11.00am. After leaving we took the opportunity to call in at the bookstore again for a bite to eat. This time, it being a Saturday, it was a lot busier, and we had to queue to get a table. We took the opportunity of some time there as we were unable to enter our next destination site until 1.00pm, and it was only minutes away. After finishing our food we left to find the Greenhill Holiday Park https://greenhillsholidaypark.co.uk. Upon arriving at the park  at 12.50pm we had to queue for a while until the automatic entrance barrier opened at 1.00pm.

We used up that time completing a crossword.

Once the barrier opened it only took a few minutes to set up, and we were shortly on our way walking into Bakewell to explore what it had to offer. The walk was described as 1.2 miles and was mostly downhill. It took approximately half an hour to reach our destination, with, unfortunately, our plans to call into the Bakewell Pudding Company on the way being cancelled, as the business premises were closed. The day before we had been advised by our taxi driver that the best Bakewell Puddings in Bakewell could be obtained from that address.

We followed the road to the centre of Bakewell and briefly stopped in the Joiners Arms for a refreshing cider before calling in at the Bakewell Tart shop. From there we circled town looking for the Tourist Information, a bank for a cash machine, and details of local taxi firms to save us the walk back to the site.

En route Sue met a man with two giant schnauzers and got into a lengthy conversation about the dogs. It transpired that the two dogs were father and son, and the gentleman was involved in pedigree breeding.

After finding the first two of our targets (the Tourist Information and the bank) we explored the narrow lanes and shops in the centre of Bakewell before retiring to the Wheatsheaf to organise a taxi, by ringing the numbers that we had obtained from the tourist information. Our trip coincided with an FA Cup semi final between Sheffield United and Manchester City, and the match was playing on the pub TV as we ate an early tea of bread rolls and crisps. The volume from the TV was overwhelming and I had to leave the room to try to order a taxi. Unfortunately none of the taxi firms in Bakewell were able to provide us with a lift back to the site, and we were despairing until Sue looked on her phone as to the availability of buses. After asking the staff where the buses stopped, The Manners, we left the pub to catch the next bus.

When we arrived at The Manners we met a couple who had been waiting at the bus stop for far too long and it transpired that a bus had been cancelled. We decided at that point that we were not going to wait in hope for a bus to arrive, so we decided to walk back to the site (secretly hoping to make it there before a bus passed us). This would also give us the opportunity to call in at the Aldi on the way and stock up again, which I did, being au fait with the layout of their stores. If I hadn’t we would have beaten the bus back, as we were only yards away from the site when the bus passed us. When we returned to the motorhome we had Bakewell Tart for our tea, fed Finn, and visited the on-site bar to meet our follow motorhomers. Again, we had a convivial evening discussing dogs and motorhoming  with our fellow guests. We had met many good friends on this trip.

The next day we had decided, if the weather was good, to walk to Ashford-in-the-Water, a walk of only 0.7 of a mile. We had heard good reviews of the village from some of our new friends. We planned to treat ourselves to a Sunday Lunch in the Bulls Head https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/pubs/bulls-head-ashford-in-the-water/ there, and set off planning to miss the peak busy time. The walk there was quite easy with good views of the River Wye.

When we arrived at the pub it was very busy and there no tables available. We asked whether we could have a meal and were advised that we could eat outside in a marquee at the rear of the property. When we arrived at the marquee we found it occupied, by a chicken that had escaped from its hutch. Finn took a great interest in the bird and the clucking and the barking caused quite a stir. Soon after a young man on the staff came in to take up the task of capturing the bird, I tried to give some assistance whilst Sue took Finn out to calm him down. Eventually the bird was caught and another couple joined us to eat in the marquee.

Our food was then brought, and whilst Sue was enjoying the best risotto she had ever eaten I finished off a roast pork dinner. When we had finished our food we took our drinks to enjoy the warmth of the bar, after which we took on a tour of the village making sure that Finn didn’t get attacked by the swans and ducks on the river.

 The village is very pretty, especially the area down by the Sheepwash Bridge where there are numerous benches to sit on.After exploring the village we decided to return to the motorhome for a quiet afternoon and evening, but we did get tempted to visit the onsite bar again in the early evening for a packet of crisps for our tea. Whilst there we encountered a couple (with a dog) who were very enthuiastic about their recent trip to Eyam (the plague village), and gave us a good description of the facilities available there. On the back of that conversation both Sue and I decided to alter our plans for the next day. We had planned to visit Chatsworth House, but we decided instead to visit Eyam.  The second of the FA Cup semi finals was on the TV in the bar, between Manchester United and  Brighton. It was very tense watching the penalty play off at the end, which Manchester United won to make it an all Manchester final. Given that the next day was our last on the site, and there would be a lot to do prior to departure we decided to have an early night and left our new friends in the bar.  We were up early the next morning to ensure that we were ready for the departure time. As we had run out of food there was no breakfast, we decided to grab a quick bite when we got to Eyam, (we were aware that the pub there served all-day breakfasts). The trip to Eyam was to take approximately 15 minutes according to the computer, and we set off with rumbling tummies.Once we arrived we found a place to park by the side of the road, luckily only yards away from the plague cottages that took the brunt of the onslaught of the plague all those years ago. The cottages had plaques in their gardens detailing the people who died and the dates of their deaths. From there we headed into the centre of the village, via the church graveyard, looking for something to eat.

We were to be disappointed as the village tearooms and the pub were both closed, it being a Monday. Luckily we found a little place on the village square where I could get a bacon roll and Sue enjoyed a scone. the place was that small and we had to eat our food outside on a table and bench. There was a biting wind at that time, which was contrary to the warm sunshine that we had enjoyed earlier that morning. After our snack we decided to return to the church graveyard to pick up the footpath to the well, which played an important role in the maintenance of the village throughout their self imposed quarantine.

The path began well but soon turned into a quagmire, and as neither of us had proper hiking boots on we decided to abort our trip. This turned out to be a good decision as we soon met a woman walking a dog who informed us that the well was some distance off through the fields. I had already ruined my new shoes by then, but luckily there was a newer pair awaiting me at home. We then returned to the motorhome and decided to begin our two and three quarter hour trip home, and headed North. The end of yet another good trip.