Bakewell, Derbyshire. Friday 21-April-2023 to Friday 28-April-2023..
When people ask how long are we in Italy, we generally say half the year. but there is no simple answer, every year has had a different pattern.
When we first retired, we spent blocks of time out in Italy to visit and to manage our rental properties, coming back regularly to the UK visit our ailing mothers, first together, and the next year taking it in turns. Then the Covid years meant we could only come over for a short period in both Septembers.
This year the pattern is what I am calling "Reverse Holidays". Yes, we are spending most of our time in Italy between March and October but doing lots of trips out from Italy. This was the first. It was meant to be two back-to-back cottage holidays with different sets of friends. Unfortunately, the first one had to be abandoned through illness. Fortunately this one with the “usual suspects" went ahead.
Bakewell was chosen as a base because of good walking options and because it has a parkrun. That was our Saturday morning sorted. We had to explain to the Run Director that as it was the 22nd, or two-two day, we were wearing our tu-tus. Luckily she explained it to the crowd so we did not get too many funny looks.
The main aim of the week was to do walking in the Derbyshire Dales and, as well as the parkrun, we managed to fit in three decent long walks, follow links for more:
- The Monsal Trail. 23.25 km, 3:55 hr.
- Edale Valley and Kinder Scout. 15.46 km, 5:09 hr.
- Three Shires Head. 12.85km, 4:04 hr.
Some Bakewell sights:
Lovers' Lock Bridge.
All Saints Church with stacks of Anglo-Saxon carvings.
Read more at Bakewell Sculpture Project.
Saxon cross.
We also visited New Bath Hotel Lido in Matlock Bath as Mary had read good things about it. Also to gather information on behalf of Friends of Carlisle Victorian and Turkish Baths. Part of their social media and awareness campaign is to feature and/or link up with other bathing establishments. This spring-fed pool is at a constant temperature because of the natural source and used by a group of enthusiastic advocates.
It was built in 1934, 40 yards long and 9 foot deep, 800,000 litres of mineral rich, geothermal water, flow through it daily coming in at the shallow end at a constant 19.8° C. No chlorine no chemicals.
Lots of eating, drinking and catching up with old friends, an excellent week.
From Bakewell we went straight to York for a city break and "Oh look, a parkrun!".
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