Sunday 14 March 2010

Monyash/Lathkill Dale

Today I would love you to join me on the Monyash Walk in Derbyshire. We often camp around here in summer, it's a truly fascinating place. As it was Mothers Day, I got to choose the walk. Incidentally, for Mothers Day I got a cup of coffee and the promise that she will make tea on Tuesday from the Dancing Queen, and the young man gave me one of his best hugs, and a homemade card that said Mothers Day was his 2nd favourite day, Match of the Day being his favourite!! Th pictureque village of Monyash lies at the head of Lathkill Dale in the Peak District.

The young man wanted to know who had built the hundreds of miles of dry stone walls? Good question!
On the way down to the Dale, we passed some great old farms.


We found some interesting articles to take home - you can see why I was the prime contributor to my infant school's nature table!!

The Dale itself is such an interesting place. It has a river running through it, but this disappears in places as there is another huge river underground too. There are lots of old Lead Mines too, and the water disappears through cracks in the rocks into these.

Everything is covered in layers of very thick moss.

The fascinating part of this area, is that although it is really high, at one time, this part of the world was on the sea bed. You can find fossils of sea shells etc embedded in the rocks. I think that takes some getting your head around.


There are signs up asking you not to paddle in the water, or let your dog swim in it as they are trying to preserve the native crayfish that are in here.

Some of the caves are pretty spectacular too. This one gushes water out after heavy rainfall.

It was a great walk and not too steep!
We had time later to call into Bakewell (which was heaving with Sunday visitors). You have no idea of the number of tourists I had to glare at to get them to vacate the shop window of the Bakewell Pudding so that I get get a decent photo!



All in all a fabulous Sunday out.
Not only is it Mothers Day, but its also my 1 year bloggy birthday!!!! I am a bit worried that I might start repeating myself now, I'm sure one of you will let me know if I do!!

18 comments:

Kathy said...

Ah! Bakewell - one of my favourite places -so pretty but it does get awfully busy.
My husband went to college in Sheffield and he spent his youth climbing in the local vicinity - so we often pop over the Pennines to visit Derbyshire.
Our favourite walk is along Water cum Jolly and Cheedale.
Love Kathy xxx

Lyn said...

What a lovely day you had, and more great photos!
Love the pink house.
We don't mind if you repeat yourself, I have a short memory I probably won't notice!
Love
Lyn
xxx

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

So glad you had a lovely day. Your photos as always are stunning and interesting. It was heaving here too. I posted about St. Ives galleries today and you might like tomorrow's post (on my other blog) with a lovely photo of St. Ives through daffodils just to whet your appetite. I loved your Mother's day pressies and cards :o)

Rosie said...

Happy 1st blog anniversary and mother's day, Diane! I love Bakewell - seems ages since we were there - is that a sheep's skull you've found as well as a heart shaped stone? :)

Blueberry Heart said...

Happy 1st Bloggy B-day! It would be mighty dull without you! Great photies as usual!
BH x

Lx @ Twelve said...

Happy Ist Birthday Diane! Long may your lovely posts continue....

Hope you didn't glare at my dad - He was in Bakewell today - getting our Sunday lunch.

Goodness we were but 10 minutes away from you!

Love Lydia xx

andamento said...

Happy Bloggy Birthday!

And thank you for another lovely day out - great photos and always interesting.

Michela said...

Happy blogoversary!
Hope you had a great Mother's Day! Here Mother's Day is on the 2nd Sunday of May, while Father's Day will be on 19th March.
Did you find anything heartshaped on your way??! xxxx

Gilly said...

I love that area too, must go there again soon!

And I had to laugh at the idea of you glaring at the tourists so you could take a photo! I'm surprised you managed to clear a space, when I went at a weekend you could hardly walk at more than a slow shuffle!

Lovely photos, too, especially of the farm!

Lisa said...

Happy Blog-a-versary!
My memory is so rubbish I wouldn't notice of you repeated yourself. I always enjoy your posts.
Love Bakewell tart, yummy!
Glad you enjoyed your day for you are a lovely mum.
Lisa x

Ms B. Thrift said...

Oh love the pics, sounds like a perfect Mothering Sunday to me, I am proud to live in Derbyshire it's a beautiful place. Thanks for the comment on my blog, and the suggest about the Renault World Series, we went in 2007 but it was heaving and traffic in to Donington was awful (as it usually is) but i will think about it for this year as camping sounds a better way of doing things, we are going to the British Touring Cars at Rockingham next month too as i love them, hoping my son doesn't mind the noise!!
HAPPY 1 YEAR BLOGGY BDAY!!

The Girl said...

I've been to that Bakewell pudding shop!! I remember being quite taken aback that the 'real thing' doesn't look anything like Mr Kipling's version!!

Happy 1st Blogging Birthday!

Jennyff said...

Happy bloggy birthday. Don't worry about repeating yourself, things that are worth saying can be said more than once. Nice day out.

The Curious Cat said...

What a beautiful place - you are always taking us to such interesting parts of the country...xxx

Sandies' Patch said...

Lovely day!Brings back happy days camping in a homemade tent for the weekend!
Thanks for sharing your day.

Sandie xx

topchelseagirl said...

Happy Bloggy Birthday. What a wonderful walk you had. Thanks for taking us all along too. I've been known to glare too lol.

lesley said...

Happy 1st Birthday Diane!!
Bakewell looks beautiful my kinda place..

Nishant said...

What a lovely day you had, and more great photos!
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