Length, 11 miles.
Difficulty, medium (slippery when wet, better once dry)
Number in Party, 10
Started at Monsal Head as we were camping right around the corner, dropped down to the viaduct, across then down to Monsal Dale. Followed the river to the A6 (The Dukes Drive) before heading up into Great Shacklow Wood and past the old water mill.
Emerging near Ashford in the Water, crossing over Sheepwash Bridge and then lunch at The Bulls Head. Watched a very expensive looking wedding next door at the church.
After lunch we headed SE along the river passing sheep and Llamas until the path headed up over a hill and dropped us in Bakewell. Walked through town, leaving those who chose to behind to browse the shops (we left one of the cars there earlier before starting off). The rest of us continued on over the bridge, taking an immediate right then onto a path through more Llamas, picking up the Monsal Trail north.
After passing through the old staions and halts we emerged from Headstone Tunnel, climbed back up the steep path to the vista point and (more importantly) The Stable Bar!
Route with tagged pictures here: http://www.shareyouradventure.com/map/os/UKJeeper/19th-May-2012
Pictures here: (also includes the following days walk along Dove Dale)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ukjeeper/sets/72157629820098754/
