With Barbara and Jessie. There was some kind of big show on at the Bakewell showground so the parking by the bridge was getting pretty crowded but there is loads of it and we found a space. Out of the car park you turn right down Coombs Road looking out for a slightly dilapidated finger sign pointing off right. This leads down a lane and over a field which on previous occasions has been full of alpacas but today was more prosaically inhabited by sheep, across a bridge over the Monsal Trail, over the golf course and steeply up through woods, ignoring tracks braanching off right to reach the wonderful green upland that is Calton pasture, one of the very loveliest places in the Peak District. The path here climbs gently up to a little pond and then descends gloriously towards Calton Houses but, instead of getting very close to these, veers off right of them and enters some woods just by a big barn. A short walk through these woods brings one out on Capability Brown designed Chatsworth Park. Once here we wandered down to the House where Barbara bought us both a pot of tea and some very tasty ginger biscuits. A walk that takes in Chatsworth can always and should always be a civilised affair. From here back to the bridge and down the west side of the river as far as Calton Lees. Right here past the carpark and the garden centre, then a sharp ;eft at the houses brought us out on the Derwent Valley Heritage Way leading towards Rowsley. For about a mile this led through pasture, past a herd of placid, relaxed cows, then turned to woodland and we were soon at Rowsley coming out on Church Lane. Right up this and on up the hill following a track that climbs gently up into the woods, along a bit, down past Bowling Green Farm to a riverside path that leads easily and pleasantly back to Bakewell. Things got a bit noisy as we came through the show ground where there was a big noisy event (subsequent investigation online leads me to suppose this was the Bakewell Baking Festival though by this time there was little evidence of baking) but we were soon back at the car and on the way home, stopping at the Fox House for a much needed drink. Another real Peak District classic.
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