Walking the White to Dark - September 2012

We have completed a couple of long distance walks, using B &B’s and a courier service, and have often talked about trying a long walk using our motorhome, so decided this was a great opportunity to give it a try. We chose the ‘white to dark’ walk, from Bakewell to Hope – www.livefortheoutdoors.com/white2dark

We arranged this last minute, en route even, but if you are particular about the facilities you need on sites, I would advise better advance organisation! There was very little available to book, September seems to be as busy as the school holidays these days. Must be the power of the grey £!

                                    This is Park House Campsite - breakfast in the sun

We kicked off on Thursday 6^th September, travelling from Dover to the Bakewell area, to stay at Park House Campsite, for 3 nights. The owner is careful with the ‘mix’ of campers (tents:motorhomes) as she doesn’t like it to be too crowded. It is basically a field that surround the house, there are trees, so mostly shaded and sheltered, but also some sunny pitches. Quieter to the back of the house, but spectacular views to the front, so for us, worth the daytime traffic noise. There are clean toilets and showers, no electricity, no grey or black waste facilities either. 

                                                  The view from Park House campsite

 

We spent some time in Bakewell before going to the site. It’s an interesting town with many shops, and a very useful visitor centre, where the staff are extremely helpful.  Follow the signs for parking that seem to take you out of town –actually it brings you round the back of the town, across the river, and the town is just a short walk across a footbridge from the car park. Plenty of good modern public conveniences here too.

We have not had much ‘outside’ time when out in our ‘van this year – we seem to have chosen the most rainy times to go away!  It was a lovely evening, so we sat outside for a drink before we went up to the Monsal Head Hotel for dinner, just a 2 minute walk up the road. Dinner was OK, portions small, expensive, poor service. Actually the young man behind the bar was lovely, but he was working alone, an almost impossible situation, given the amounts of customers. We had read similar reviews on www.campsite.co.uk . Should have taken more notice, perhaps?

Friday 7^th September. It was a lovely morning so we cooked and ate our breakfast outside in the sunshine, what treat! We set out for the first leg of our walk in great spirits. We walked up to Monsal Head to get the bus back to Bakewell, where we set off across the meadow. We walked to Litton – great walk, quite easy, especially the Monsal Trail, which is a disused railway line. We met Roy Hattersley walking his dog! It was our intention to catch the bus back to Monsal Head, and we just made it to Litton in time – we thought – but we stood on the wrong side of the road and missed the bus. That meant a 2 hour wait for the next one, so we repaired to the Red Lion. Great pub, the walk guide did say ‘not to be missed’. Good beer selection, food looked great, locals were friendly and chatty. On hearing that we’d missed our bus the landlord offered us a lift, as he had an afternoon appointment in Bakewell. Result! Spent the rest of the day relaxing, and ate in our van that evening.

Saturday 8^th –We woke up today to thick fog, which did make us wonder if we should set off over the hills & dales. It seemed to be slowly lifting, so we again took the bus from Monsal Head, this time to Litton for the next leg to Hathersage. Today we were due to pass from ‘white to dark’ via Eyam, the ‘plague’ village, where we visited the museum, all very interesting, and we had lovely weather all day. At Hathersage (where there is an open air swimming pool) we had a drink in the Little John pub, whilst waiting for the bus back to Monsal Head. We spent the afternoon trying to find a campsite to move on to next. The final leg of the walk was Hathersage to Hope. We needed a campsite in the Hope Valley/Castleton area. Eventually we found a C&CC cs site – Fields Farm near Castleton, for the next 4 nights. On Saturday, our last night at Monal Head, we ate at the Packhorse pub in Little Longstone, a 10 minute walk from our site. Booking advisable at weekends. Excellent food, great value.

Sunday 9^th – moving site, to Castleton, so visited Chatsworth on the way. Another lovely day. Shopped at the Chatsworth award winning farm shop for tea!

Monday 10^th – Set off on a grey day for the final leg of our walk. We took the bus to Hathersage, from the main road close to the cs. We walked back to Hope, via Stannage Edge, down to the Ladybower reservoir (Lovely pub, where we sheltered from the rain) and then back up Win Hill, before descending to Hope. For me, Win Hill was a hill too far at the end of a long wet day. I guess the point of it being on the walk, is to be able to say you did it! It is certainly a prominent feature in the local landscape. Hope was only 10 minute walk from our camp site, so we arrived back at our van on foot today. 

                                                          Bryan on Stanage Edge

                                                         Lynda on Stanage Edge 

                                                           Trig point on Stanege Edge


 We spent the next couple of says in and around Castleton. We walked up Mam Tor, and visited the Speedwell Cavern. We also checked out a couple of local pubs, spending a rainy afternoon in Ye Old Nags Head with a variety of real ales in front of a real fire with the papers! Lovely. 

                                                     Selfie at the Trig point on Mam Tor