Monday 7 September 2015

Bakewell

After our visit to Eyam last Wednesday, we decided it wasn't quite time to go home yet. I'm sure you can guess where we went by this photo.


Bakewell is famed for its Bakewell Pudding, seen at the very left of the photo, but I think we all recognise the Bakewell Tart more these days.

Bakewell is a small market town and the ancient capital of the Peak District. Market day is Monday so it wasn't on when we visited but the the town was still a hive of activity.



There's a good array of shops, lots of places to eat, and as you might imagine, a number of bakeries, many of them purporting to sell the 'Original Bakewell Pudding'.


Pretty side streets run off the main road and there's lots of little courtyards hidden away too.


The River Wye flows through Bakewell and it wasn't long until we stumbled upon it.



Canada Geese were bathing in the shallow areas.


Lovers Locks have been placed along the railings at each side of the bridge spanning the river.


A tradition which started by tourists tying a 'love lock' on the Pont des Arts in Paris before throwing the key into the River Seine below seems to have found its way here now.



On the way home, we drove by Monsal Head to take in the view. Monsal Head stands high above Monsal Dale and is a famous beauty spot with fabulous views. It overlooks the viaduct which carried the former Midland Railway over the river and into a tunnel which goes right beneath Monsal Head.


The River Wye meets a band of harder rock here which forces it to make a sharp turn and carve its way through a high ridge of limestone.


All in all, it was a lovely day out which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Don't forget, if you haven't already entered my giveaway, you've got until twelve noon on Tuesday the 8th of September 2015 to do so. Just leave a comment on my Fifth Blog Anniversary Giveaway post.

32 comments:

  1. Hi Jo

    We've visited Bakewell many times when we still live over that side but not visited since we moved to the Fens. Eyam is on our list of places to visit but they may be next year now. It would be nice to combine the two as you did I think Adam would like the church at Eyam for sure.

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    1. Eyam Church is really lovely. There's a whole information board about the church's involvement at the time of the plague and a book of remembrance for those who died. I love stained glass windows in churches and there's some beautiful ones here, including the most recent one installed which depicts the story of the plague. I would have loved to have taken photos inside the church to include in my post but photography isn't allowed inside.

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  2. You are showcasing my beloved Derbyshire so well with your lovely photos.(I'm in Cornwall at the moment and a little homesick- pathetic I know)
    I didn't know that they had started to do the locks-thing at Bakewell.
    Did you feed the ducks?

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    1. Although my mum was born in Derbyshire and I still have family living there, it's a place I don't know well at all. I've been researching my family tree and I must take a trip and visit places which are central to the family at some point. We didn't feed the ducks in Bakewell, to be honest, I didn't know much about the place at all before we went and we just stumbled upon the river. Have a wonderful time in Cornwall, I missed not holidaying there this year.

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    2. If you come this way look me up I live fairly central in Derbyshire in the Amber valley

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    3. What a lovely invitation, thank you, I definitely will.

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  3. Nice post and lovely pictures. I've been there a couple of times, but didn't get to eat any Pudding just a Tart. Flighty xx

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    1. I definitely think Bakewell Tart has overtaken Bakewell Pudding in the popularity stakes. We didn't stay long in Bakewell, we'd spent most of the day in Eyam, so it's a place I'd live to explore more. I think Derbyshire has a lot to offer and we just scraped the surface on our day out, it's somewhere I intend visiting more.

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  4. I love the idea of a town so devoted to baking! I think I need to move there, pronto. Not to bake, more for eating! :)

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    1. Ha ha. I don't think you can visit places like this without partaking, it's the same when we go to Cornwall, plenty of pasties get consumed.

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  5. I love a bakewell tart, I'm hoping to make a plum version soon. Did you buy one though? xx

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    1. I was waiting for someone to ask me that question. Actually, no. Looking back, we should have bought some to bring home, but having eaten in Eyam, we didn't fancy anything once we got to Bakewell. Your plum version sounds lovely.

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  6. Great post, Jo! The Bakewell locals are very particular as to the difference between a Bakewell pudding and a tart! Monsal Head is beautiful, there is a lovely circular walk that goes down to the river where we picnic and the children paddle and swim. What a full day out you had, glad you enjoyed it! xx

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    1. And so they should be, afterall, they invented them. The circular walk at Monsal Head sounds wonderful, it's such a picturesque place with stunning views. We really enjoyed our day out, I fully intend to visit Derbyshire again soon, in fact, I'd love to do a bit of a tour of the places I've uncovered in my own family history as well as some places my mum remembers from her childhood.

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  7. We went to Bakewell a few years ago, and hubby tried a couple of different ones, a nut allergy stops me trying any.

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    1. That's such a shame. I love nuts of any description, I'd hate to be allergic.

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  8. What a lovely part of the UK to visit Jo.
    Love the river photo's - funny how I'm most drawn to this type of photo, so peaceful somehow!

    Good to see all those locks, but I wonder if they too may have to be removed as they were in France?

    Do hope you have a good week.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Derbyshire is a beautiful county, there's so much more I want to see. I know what you mean about rivers and water being peaceful, I feel exactly the same, I'd love a water feature in the garden with a trickling water sound. I'm in two minds about the locks, on the surface it looks like a harmless bit of fun but they can destory monuments and historical buildings with their sheer weight when there's so many of them as there were in Paris.

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  9. We stayed in Bakewell a few years ago and I loved it. The countryside, the B&B, the food, the fabric/craft shops - all fab! We should really go back some time! :o)

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    1. It's a beautiful part of England. Now I've been once, I want to go again.

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  10. Bakewell tarts are Tony's favourite! He would eat them everyday if I let him.
    Such a pretty place to visit and those views are just stunning.
    Lisa x

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    1. Eleanor's quite partial to a Bakewell Tart too. It's a lovely part of the country, I can't wait to visit again.

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  11. Wow they've been around since forever. An institution. No doubt a quality you can trust.

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    1. They have, though I think all the bakeries in Bakewell want theirs to be the original.

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  12. My B-in-L is from that area and he's been promising me that he'll make a real Bakewell Pudding for a while. Having read your post, I'm going to send him a prompting text!! Jx

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    1. I must admit that although I enjoy a Bakewell Tart, I've never tried a Bakewell Pudding. I wish I'd bought one to bring home with me now. I hope you get to try one soon.

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  13. It is so beautiful isn't it!!! I must try a Bakwell Pudding! xx

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    1. It's a lovely place to visit. I've never tried Bakewell Pudding myself, I'm kicking myself that I passed up the chance now.

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  14. We go to Derbyshire on day trips, but I keep telling Mr AJ we need to go for a long weekend just so that we can do everything without having to go home between! I might drag him away for a night or two next year...

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    1. That was the idea for our holiday this year. We live in Yorkshire but it's such a big county that we visit the coast for a few hours then have to set off back home. Staying in Pickering gave us the option to visit more places and be more central to where we wanted to be. My mum was born in Derbyshire so I'm keen to discover the area around where she grew up, I may look in to doing that soon.

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  15. Lovely Jo and although we didn't go to that part of Derbyshire, we did go to Crich. I've never tried either Bakewell Pudding or Tart. I noticed from my AA Atlas that you weren't far from Chatsworth which I would love to visit one day. Thanks for taking us on your days out and take care.

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    1. From the times I have visited Derbyshire, I can see that it has a lot to offer. Chatsworth is also on my list of places to visit, it's somewhere I haven't managed yet.

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