Ashford Bakewell RFM Blue Line Walking with Lacey

 

 Ashfordd Bakewell
 RFM Blue Line
 Walking with Lacey
18/05/26 



It was a showery day and we did get caught in one shower but it did not mar the walk.
We parked next to the church in Ashford.
The building next to the church peaked my interest, it looked like it had a lot of history.


Then the old bridge over the river Wye. This is my third walk beginning in Ashford and I never tire of seeing the old buildings and wonderful river. Lacey took a while taking photos of the resident Mallards.


Then it was up the major hill of the day a very steep, grassy unforgiving slope.



We paused to get our breaths back but there was still a way to go.




The big advantage of an early hill is that the views come very quickly. The showers were around us as well.


Leaving the field at the top of the hill we headed along the lane past some odd coloured sheep and a dew pond. I know all about dew ponds after our walks last year in Derbyshire where we encountered several.

Above us the young foal was clinging to its mum. Magnificent horses, the lady must be proud of them.


Up here the views are long green and lovely. The dry limestone walls are a feature of this area. The Stately Home, one of many in the area, is Ashford Hall.

 
We followed the lane all the way down to Bakewell. A shower hit us but being well prepared our wet weather gear kept us dry. We were meant to head off across the fields but the path was overgrown and hard to see so we opted to stay on the lane. We passed the very large Lady Manners School.

In the valley below we could see All Saints Church with its elegant steeple.
The buildings in Bakewell look ancient.




It was market day and Bakewell was heaving with shoppers and traffic. Its good to see a place so busy but not so good when you are trying to have a look around. Not sure what Lacey was looking at. Pretty soon we were crossing the River Wye on another old stone bridge.

This defunct drinking fountain is at the bottom of Castle Hill near the bridge.

Castle Hill was quite steep, not long but just high enough to get some views.
The old station in Bakewell is still there but the last train left a long time ago.


I thought this was the start or end of the Monsall Trail but it isn't so I need another walk to get to the end of it. It was typical of the trail lots of dog walkers, bikes and ramblers. Most were happy to say hello.

We were on the trail for some time and to be fair in places the views were good but it is still flat and boring. 



At Great Longstone we left the trail and headed towards Ashford.


These are the gates to Thornbridge Hall, another Stately Home.

Longstone Lane was very pretty and narrow and at times we had to breathe in as vehicles passed us.

The Heron in the field ignored us completly even though she was quite close.

Cows and calves, they look picturesque, but that is one risky field to enter so we stayed on the lane.
As we entered Ashfield we could see the ascent we had made 3 hours ago.



Ashford is one pretty village with so many old stone buildings.
It was a little busier than earlier but the red car was still there so we got in and headed for Barnsley only an hour away.


A tough walk for Lacey after a few weeks off. 81/2 miles and 784 foot ascent (mostly the first hill) is a good walk. This was a walk of some contrasts and showers. Bakewell was really busy. Ashford not so. The first half of the walk we were almost alone but the second on the Monsall Trail we passed many, many people. We had a heavy shower but then had to walk in shirts sleeves as it got really hot. 
I always like walking with Lacey and we talked about all sorts. I would call this an excellent walk.

OS Map
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/32052886/bakewell-rfm-blue-line?lat=53.22388&lon=-1.71256&zoom=14.8238&overlays=os-obstacles-layer&style=Aerial&type=2d

Lacey's photos

















































Comments

Mike Mulrooney said…
Plus amazing fotos from Lacey. Love the heron shots !
May 18, 2026 at 11:16 PM
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