Bakewell, best bits
 

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Bakewell, best bits

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No not icing or even the cherry but the place. Wife and I are staying for 3 nights soon for our 25th wedding anniversary. Hoping to do a few walks and eat out a bit. Any must sees, must walks or must visits in the area? Many thanks.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 9:36 am
 IHN
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No not icing or even the cherry

Neither of these things have any place on a Bakewell pudding. You can find out more by visiting the multiple bakeries in Bakewell that were apparently the bakery that invented the Bakewell pudding 🙂

One of them does a great afternoon tea - https://www.bakewellpuddingshop.co.uk/restaurant

Anyhoo, off the top of my head - Chatsworth, Monsall Head, Dovedale (great circular walk from Ilam), Cheedale (from Millers Dale), Eyam


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 9:51 am
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Dave the Traffic Warden.

Although he's probably retired now

If you like a walk the edges are magnificent, when I lived there you could contrive an out and back using a train and bus


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 9:54 am
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There's a nice walk along the river from Over Haddon, then up the hill and across to the pub (The Lathkil Hotel). I've no idea what the food is like, but on a sunny evening I think the terrace must get the last minute of sun in the area.

If you go along the Monsal trail. Hassop station https://www.hassopstation.co.uk/ is good for food, and has a gift shop and, further along Monsal Head is stunning.

Out past Monyash, Tagg Lane Dairy https://www.tagglanedairy.com/ has fantastic ice-cream.

None of it Bakewell, which is a pleasant enough town.

HTL

LR


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 9:56 am
 IHN
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If you want to go for a s****y dinner/lunch, Fischers at Baslow Hall is s****y.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 10:00 am
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Thornbridge Brewery 🙂


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 10:14 am
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I'll +1 Chatsworth House, not the cheapest day out tho https://www.chatsworth.org/

Haddon Hall as well https://www.haddonhall.co.uk/ , which must have featured in every film ever https://haddonh.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/fimsathaddon.pdf

Haven't been for a while but the Grindleford Station Cafe is a good walkers/cyclists cafe. Mixed reviews on Trip Advisor ATM


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 4:25 pm
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Austrian sausage cafe place


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 4:42 pm
 tlr
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Riverside Hotel in Ashford (next to Bakewell) does fantastic food (same folk as run Rafters in Sheffield).

Riverside


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 4:47 pm
 joat
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There's a good circular Walk using the Monsal trail and is good in both directions. Up to the old Bakewell rail station and along the trail to Monsal head, then head across fields up behind the cafe to Ashford in the water (you can have a paddle in the river here if it's nice). Then follow the riverside(ish) path back to Bakewell. Plenty of food options either way.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 4:59 pm
 pk13
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Tirrol for coffee and strudel.

Have a good Google for walks there are lots obviously buxton is a bit hit and miss for me the titanic brewery owned pub is nice.

There is a tread on here listening all the nice pubs and cafes

Edit, cromford mills area there is Porky's cafe but next door is the best home made chocolates shop it's very good they do ice cream if you ask them nicely. black cherry 😁😁


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 4:59 pm
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If we're doing Cromford then Scarthin Books is brilliant (though when I googled their URL Malwarebytes wouldn't let me visit it!)


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 5:23 pm
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If its still there, the Greedy Pig Deli at the top of Bank Road in Matlock is epic. Full breakfast in a cobb or a roast beef salad coleslaw cobb, unbeatable!


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 5:31 pm
 core
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Have a trip to Hartington (lovely place, stayed there a few weeks ago), Chatsworth (& farm shop), Rutland Arms in Bakewell is good for food and dog friendly if required. Nice walk by the river (full of trout) and down to the sports fields.

You can just pay £5 to park at Chatsworth if you don't want to go in the house - still get access to all grounds and cafes, shops etc, and 10% discount voucher for farm shop.

I only had a few days in the area, but want to get back ASAP.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 5:33 pm
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Chatsworth (and farm shop), Thornbridge, Haddon, Monsal Trail, Hassop Station cafe all on your doorstep.

Royal Oak at Hurdlow as a foodie pub, Hartington for cheese, Matlock Bath for cheesy seaside but inland, Carsington reservoir for a walk or pootle round, Cromford for Scarthin Books and Arkwrights Mill for industrial history.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 8:46 pm
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Lovage Restaurant in Bakewell gets very good reviews though I can't personally vouch for it.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 10:01 pm
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I have a friend not too far away and I’ve been for some lovely walks in the Peaks. It’s all glorious, and the town itself is pretty and pleasant to stroll around

But all I can really remember is the importance of eating a Bakewell pudding and a Bakewell tart from every bakery in the town to decide which is the best.

What @IHN said about cherries and icing.


 
Posted : 11/07/2023 10:33 pm
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The Blind Bull in Little Hucklow for excellent food (it’s a drive away but worth it).


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 6:46 am
 IHN
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be warned, but a lot of the stuff in Chatsworth farm shop looks beautiful but is actually pretty crap. We went in there last week and bought:

- A loaf of bread, looked lovely, on slicing had the consistency of chalk (what wasn't ejected as a cloud of dust on slicing was toasted, there's no way you could do anything else with it)
- A big cornflake crispy slab thing, looked amazing, tasted mostly of the cheapest catering margarine (it wasn't eaten)
- A big rocky road thing, looked amazing, tasted mostly of the cheapest cooking chocolate and the aforementioned margarine (it wasn't eaten)
- A beef salad roll, looked lovely, was incredibly dry (it was eaten, but only because I was starving)
- An arancini, looked lovely, was like trying to eat nearly set cement (it was inedible)
- A pizza, looked lovely, was fine. Not brilliant, but okay.
- A selection of cheeses that, to be fair, were all pretty nice.


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 9:30 am
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Curd tart is good though. Not Thomas standard, but good.

The meat is excellent


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 11:15 am
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Yep, meat is really good


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 11:16 am
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The Blind Bull in Little Hucklow for excellent food (it’s a drive away but worth it).

I rode past that a few years ago when it was semi derelict. Nice to see what's become of it. I might have to visit.


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 6:24 pm
tuboflard reacted
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If based in Bakewell, I'd probably take a trip out to Tagg Lane for ice cream.


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 8:38 pm
 IHN
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If based in Bakewell, I’d probably take a trip out to Tagg Lane for ice cream.

Is it artisan?


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 8:41 pm
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If based in Bakewell, I’d probably take a trip out to Tagg Lane for ice cream.

I'm local and have never heard of this


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 9:06 pm
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A623, park up at the Three Stags Heads' car park. Hop over the wall and walk down to Ravensdale. Have a pint in the pub on the way back, it hasn't changed one bit for at least 50 years.


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 9:18 pm
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Depending of whether you just want to stay in town, or travel a little.

The Royal Oak at Hurdlow (about a mile before the northern end of the High Peak trail), so about 7 miles from Bakewell, does nice food and a pint - need to book though - it's popular.

As per others... Bakewell pud - best thing in the universe. Whichever original shoppe you get it from.

Hartington- home of proper Stilton cheese made at the creamery (Stilton the place is only where it was sold  not made). Should be able to pick some cheeses in local shops.

The Ginger Butcher on the corner of the road just prior to the main roundabout on the A6 in the middle of town: Their produce is great, and some of it reared on their own farm a few miles away.
<p style="text-align: left;">If you like to have a swim, a couple of lovely lido options: a heated outdoor pool at Heathersage which is lovely (do book before as it can sell out in the Summer), or if you're able/willing to travel a bit  further then New Bath Hotel on the Southern edge of  Matlock Bath (just as you head out of Matlock Bath towards Cromford) has a gorgeous spring fed natural 40 yard pool. No chemicals (just a huge throughput of water from a spring that then exits the pool and goes off into the river Derwent)). Facilities are a tad rudimentary for swim visitors, but there are basic changing rooms and toilets, and folks very very friendly.  Water temp is about 20C at present (I was in there this eve).  Most are in swimming cozzies this time of year, a few (us triathletes!) sometimes still in wetsuits (faster / easier / lazier !!).  Book online on the hotel's web site (I've got membership).</p>


 
Posted : 12/07/2023 11:00 pm
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<p style="text-align: center;">S U M M A T for coffee - won't let me type it?! ( https://g.co/kgs/QDk9hF)</p>

Wye Bakery - on entrance to Thornbridge site.

Thornbridge Brewery - also do pizza.

Loads of solid walk recommendations up there ^ a few miles out but Longstone Edge area is ace.


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 8:29 am
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Just as a bit of advice if you are parking in Bakewell village, it is tough. You can only park for limited times before you have to move your car. IIRC until 8am, then you have to add 2 hours before moving the car again.

Also the whole village seems to be shut down by 7-8pm. Or at least it did when we were there. The curry house was the only place to get food after about 7:30.

Could have been the time of year though.


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 10:49 am
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For parking, you should be able to park for longer periods in the car park adjacent to the show ground. Go over the river bridge (if heading North out of town) and immediately hard right.


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 11:09 am
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I was wondering how long it would take Tagg Lane to come up, I'm sure I heard about it here first. It's the best ice cream I've ever had (gelato I suppose actually) we've made specific trips there for ice cream, it's a 90 mile round trip 😂

Tiroler Stuberl is amazing, Bakewell pudding is great, Carsington isn't far, we've only been there with the kids so have done the short walk to the island and back but I'd like to go all the way round one of the days.


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 11:25 am
 IHN
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For parking, you should be able to park for longer periods in the car park adjacent to the show ground. Go over the river bridge (if heading North out of town) and immediately hard right.

Yeah, I was going to say, there's big long-stay car parks at the showground


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 11:29 am
 nbt
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It’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had (gelato I suppose actually) we’ve made specific trips there for ice cream, it’s a 90 mile round trip 😂

it's good (we've planned rides to go past) but not as good as Cocolate in the middle of Marple. Just saying, like...


 
Posted : 13/07/2023 12:05 pm
prawny reacted
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Thanks all. There are some great ideas here to go on. The weather looks iffy but hey ho, we’ve got rain coats!


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 6:23 am
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*waves from holiday park above Matlock*

We're only a few miles away, going to the tram museum in Crich today apparently. Seeing as there are locals here how do you pronounce that?


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:09 am
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Waves back!

It's not 'Crick'!* 🙂

Cri is pronounced Cry. Ch is Ch as in starting to say Chuff! It's hard to actually type out!

(*I was bought up in Crich and if anyone asked for directions to Crick it was met with 'never heard of it mate. This was the 70s when people asked for directions).

I still live just a few miles away.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:16 am
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@lambchop

If you're not already sorted then Stones in Matlock is a really nice intimate restaurant. Ideal for a 25th Wedding Celebration.
https://www.stones-restaurant.co.uk/

For something posher then the Cavendish in Baslow...
https://devonshirehotels.co.uk/cavendish-hotel-baslow/wine-dine/the-gallery-restaurant/


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:30 am
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For something posher then the Cavendish in Baslow…

If you’re going posh in Baslow Fischers is the place to go (Only ever been when they did a voucher day but it was still fantastic)


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:34 am
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*waves from holiday park above Matlock*

Just been for a morning walk on Stanton Moor so I should have waved back


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:35 am
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Clean forgot about Fischers! 🙂


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:37 am
 IHN
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If you’re going posh in Baslow Fischers is the place to go

Clean forgot about Fischers!

Ahem...

IHN
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If you want to go for a s****y dinner/lunch, Fischers at Baslow Hall is s****y.

Posted 1 week ago


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:39 am
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I was on holiday last week so new to the thread!

I mean - you don't expect me to read what others have posted do you! 🤣


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:42 am
 nbt
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you don’t expect me to read what others have posted do you!

no other bugger on STW does, often they don't even read the OP


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 10:52 am
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nbtFull Member
It’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had (gelato I suppose actually) we’ve made specific trips there for ice cream, it’s a 90 mile round trip 😂
it’s good (we’ve planned rides to go past) but not as good as Cocolate in the middle of Marple. Just saying, like…

It's going on the list.

Edit - blimey, 132 mile round trip, might have to wait.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 3:35 pm
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Has anyone else mentioned the A6?


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 3:57 pm
 IHN
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Has anyone else mentioned the A6?

I mean, it's nice, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. Each to their own I suppose.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 4:05 pm
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Has anyone else mentioned the A6?

I mean, it’s nice, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it. Each to their own I suppose.

It's an awesome drive between Ambergate and Bakewell at the minute - what better way is there to kill 2 hours sat in traffic! 🤣

So looking forward to when the re-open Derwent Way in a few months - then start 2 years of work on Bakewell Road!! 😱😱


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 4:29 pm
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Typing Ambergate has reminded me of this - Great British Car Journey - if you've a wet day and want to kill a few hours it's a great way to remind yourself how old you are by looking at your first cars in a museum!... 🙂

https://greatbritishcarjourney.com/

And pop round to the distillery afterwards...
https://www.whitepeakdistillery.co.uk/


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 4:37 pm
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Hassop Station does a good roast beef, caramelised onion and horseradish sauce roll. Cheers for that suggestion!


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 8:52 pm
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A6? Meh, it's the 4 number A roads that are worth doing. Never driven a car down a Laguna Seca style corkscrew until this afternoon, that was interesting.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 8:56 pm
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Has anyone else mentioned the A6?

Meaning the road out is the best bit about Bakewell, touristy tat-ridden hellhole that it is.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 9:27 pm
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Aaaah, gotcha.

Seen worse tbh, reminds me of Peebles.


 
Posted : 20/07/2023 9:38 pm
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Meaning the road out is the best bit about Bakewell, touristy tat-ridden hellhole that it is.

You're confusing it with Matlock Bath!! 🤣🤣

There's a few tat shops in Bakewell but it's still very much a working town. We go a few times a year (out of holiday season!) - park at the Agricultural centre and do walks from there. Finish back in town for a bite to eat.


 
Posted : 21/07/2023 10:53 am
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Royal Oak in Hurdlow is great for food.......


 
Posted : 21/07/2023 12:08 pm
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There’s a few tat shops in Bakewell but it’s still very much a working town. We go a few times a year (out of holiday season!) – park at the Agricultural centre and do walks from there. Finish back in town for a bite to eat.

Fair play, it’s the crowds of gormless tourists and inattentive drivers that do my head in about it.


 
Posted : 21/07/2023 12:55 pm
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Fair play, it’s the crowds of gormless tourists and inattentive drivers that do my head in about it.

Londoners blocking the pavements outside estate agents windows....


 
Posted : 21/07/2023 12:58 pm

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