Bakewell to Rowsley – (Peak District) – Derbyshire – 18/03/12 – 12 Miles – R’mblers

My first outing with Ramblers nearly didn’t take place given how hard it was raining at seven in the morning. However after some reassurance from Sky News I decided to give it a go anyway, which was just as well as it turned out to be a really pleasant Spring day. Yet having arrived on my own in Bakewell I nearly missed out a second time, as I waited on one side of the road for the main group’s bus to arrive, whilst they were quietly getting off a little further down on the other side.

That resolved a group of about 19 of us set off, initially through the back streets of Bakewell, but soon were passing through Over Haddon, and then onto Youlgreave, where we stopped in due course for some elevenses.

Continuing on along the Limestone Way, we passed a sign post for Lathkill Dale, but instead of going along that we made our way up some steep rock face. This ascent being the second point on the walk where I managed to make myself look a pratt by slipping over. However by the time the group decided to stop for lunch I assumed I had put all that behind me. So having found a nice little rock inside a small cove to sit on, I was surprised to hear the ‘ready in one minute’ call a mere 20 minutes in (I was still on my mini-cheddars). So leaping up to attention I managed to bang my head on the rocky stone above me (ho hum).

We then began a very steep ascent on some very slippery mud/grass (still sopping from the mornings rain) where to my surprise I managed to stay on my feet. At this point however a few of the stragglers obviously became disorientated and took a wrong turn, leaving the rest of the group waiting for them at the bottom by a small bridge over a stream (still on the Limestone Way). There then followed a lively debate over whether we were going to make the 1656 hourly bus at Rowsley or not, if people didn’t get a move on.

We continued on what I assume was the second of the advertised Dales on this walk, where we began to warm nicely in the afternoon sunshine. As we passed Robin Hoods Stride on our right we passed a large group of red helmeted school children, preparing to make their way up it.

As the walk neared its conclusion we made our way through Stanton Moor, passing nine ladies, before eventually beginning a long descent down towards Rowsley, in the course of which there was more debate over whether we had misplaced someone. However with them located some way ahead of us, we touched down in Rowsley where it turned out there was sufficient time after all for some of the group to get a drink, and others to look into a garden centre.

Having been with IVC so long there are a few differences I will have to get used to, but it was a good day and a nice first outing with the group.