Postscripts from The Peak District (14) - Buxworth, Eccles Pike & Whaley Bridge

Wednesday 3rd July (p.m.)

And so to today's real walk!

This had been, for me, one of the best days on LeJog (see Day 43, Friday 10th June!) though I didn't have time then to go wandering off-piste! Recounted much of Buxworth's history in Additional Photos & Comments - Day 43 companeros! (see above) but not, strangely, how Bugsworth became Buxworth!

Parked at the 'Navigation Inn', the only surviving canal-side pub in the area & couldn't resist getting off to a good start...!

 

 

Beer of the Day : 'Tennis Elbow' from the Phoenix brewery in Rochdale

Pale, light, clear with hoppy flavours! 4.5% & very drinkable - enjoyed this!

 

Coincidently, the 'Navigation Inn' was once owned by Pat Phoenix of Coronation Street fame but that has nothing to do with the name of the brewery

Formerly the Oak Brewery, its name was changed when it moved into the old Phoenix Brewery premises in 1991

The original brewers were declared bankrupt in 1939 when all their equipment was sold off to help the war effort!

 

The Navigation has been a pub for over 200 years & is a listed building.... only appropriate as it sits upon a designated Ancient Monument!

 

 

 



 

The only well-dressing we've come across which  reflects the tradition's Pagan origins

The landlady told us that there used to be many more but the modern trend has been towards using Biblical themes.... which is why, over the last few years they've deliberately adopted Pagan images

 

 



 

 

 

Another one for the collection!

 

Wandered along here on LeJog before climbing to Rushup Edge & a fierce sleet shower!

About 20 degrees too warm for that today!

 

 

 

 

 

On top of Eccles Pike &, in time-honoured tradition, Les cut my feet off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... so I reciprocated!

At just over 1200' Eccles Pike isn't particularly high but it's easy to climb & the views are brilliant!

More energetically, the hill hosts one of the oldest of all fell races which starts & finishes at.... The Navigation Inn!

 

 

 

The record time is 19 minutes 26 seconds, marginally quicker than Les & I managed to do it.... in one direction!

 

 

 

 

A handy topograph on a commemorative plaque makes identifying surrounding features a little easier!

Top photo is of the rather higher Chinley Churn (another walk!) &, above, Toddbrook Reservoir, another LeJog landmark

 

 

 

 

View to the east & that is Rushup Edge & a superb walk leading to Lord's Seat, Mam Tor & the Great Ridge

 

Dropped down into Whaley Bridge so that we could follow the canal back to Buxworth
More on Whaley Bridge next time but space for what I think is a bizarre Coronation Street coincidence!
Betty Driver (actress) was once landlady of 'The Cock Inn' here - I wonder if she stocked ales from the Phoenix Brewery!?

This well-dressing depicts stained glass from nearby Kettleshulme's Methodist Church & was sponsored by that village
LeJog watchers may remember it from the 'old people playing' sign!

Dressing dedicated to the memory of Irene Osborn, founding member of the village well-dressing group
Born in Buxworth, she also founded the Whaley Bridge Art Society & Horwich End W.I.

Main Canal Basin Dressing
Very colourful & intricate design - as good as any we've seen so far!

At the Church of St James, Buxworth.... just along the lane from the Navigation's Pagan Year

Les popped in here to visit their Flower Festival while I headed back to the pub & another bout of 'Tennis Elbow'!

So, how did Bugsworth become Buxworth?!
Some residents felt the old name was unattractive & their cause was championed by two local worthies: the vicar & the school headmaster
Result: Bugsworth became Buxworth on 16th April 1930.... despite the original name being traceable back to Norman times ('Bucga's Enclosure')
Modern residents (including Edwina Currie) were balloted in 1999 & elected to retain the 'new' name.... but, actually, locals refer to the place as 'Buggy' & that's probably what matters!

Postscripts from The Peak District (13) - Mellor

Wednesday 3rd July (a.m!)

Today's plan had been to wander around Whaley Bridge & Bugsworth (Buxworth) Basin, reliving one of the best bits of LeJog but this was delayed until the afternoon when I discovered that Mellor's well-dressing was also this week!

Never heard of Mellor but, discovering it to be above the River Goyt & not too far from New Mills, I was immediately interested. I already have walks pencilled in for the Goyt & Sett valleys & this was a good opportunity to investigate the terrain! Curiously, New Mills had been on my original LeJog route until I read of the attractions of Bugsworth!

Early heavy cloud was a hangover from some fierce overnight rain but the air was much clearer after the heat of recent days

 

Looking towards Mellor Moor where coal was mined during the Industrial Revolution

Only a giant's stone-throw away from Stockport & Manchester, close to old industrial areas I knew (Marple Bridge & New Mills), I didn't expect to be greeted by views like this! What a gem!

 

 

 

 

 

Biggest surprise, though, is the on-going Mellor Archaeological Trust Project investigating the village's history, the major part of which seems to have been conducted in the garden of the Old Vicarage!

Stone Age flint tools, Iron Age roundhouse ditches, Roman pottery, post-holes from a Medieval Hall.... & all of this before Industry reared its ugly head!

 

Above are the two parts of Christopher Rose-Innes' sculpture, 'BC - AD'

 

 

Roundhouse reconstruction in the meadow below the church & Old Vicarage

 

Song of the Day : time for a rewrite of that dreadful Jimmie Rodgers song, 'In an English Country Garden'!

 

 

Not only preoccupied with the area's distant past, the Trust works with a team of volunteers who have been excavating & clearing Samuel Oldknow's Mellor Mill site

 

 

 

They're hoping, eventually, to be able to open the whole site to the public.... I'll be there!

Oldknows was also a driving force behind the construction of the Peak Forest Canal & Tramway (we'll be there this afternoon!) & the Trust's recent bid for restoration funding was made jointly with the Canal & River Trust

Perhaps that was the inspiration behind Mellor's intricate well-dressing

More on this when we come back to look at the Mill.... whatever the outcome of the bid

View over the Goyt Valley from St Thomas Church & graveyard

Met the vicar as we admired the view - she has just moved here from Chester & can't believe her luck!

Discovered, later, that there are a couple of unique features inside the church; something else to take in next time, but the clouds were lifting & it was time to be moving on....

Postscripts from The Peak District (12) - Rowsley & Bakewell

Monday 1st July

Having declared that Bakewell isn't my favourite place in the Peak District here we were, back again, for the second time in less than a week!

Keen to avoid the crowds, especially as this was their well-dressing week, we parked in Rowsley at the Peak Village Shopping Centre where there's a free all-day parking facility for walkers

Managed this very well today as we arrived back at the car too late to do any real shopping - I suspect that on our next visit, now that Les knows it's here, it will be far from free....!

'The Peacock Hotel', Rowsley

 

Never managed a beer here - it appears to open to non-residents only in the evening

If its drink prices are anything like its food prices I'll have to save up!

 

 

Built as a private house in 1652 for John Stevenson, agent to the Manners family whose crest bears a peacock, it became a hotel in the 1820s

Emperor Maximilian of Mexico is said to have stayed here - bet he didn't have a problem with their menu!



Excellent well-dressing but the novel was published while 'The Peacock' was still a private dwelling so the connection with Rowsley is a little tenuous

 

 

 

It's claimed that Jane Austen completed 'Pride & Prejudice' whilst staying at 'The Rutland Arms', in Bakewell

 

 

.... but the cast lodged at 'The Peacock' during their filming at Chatsworth!

 

 

 

Headed north, alongside the River Derwent, through Lady Manners' old Haddon Estate towards the Devonshire's Chatsworth!

 

Climbed over Calton Pastures towards Bakewell &, while the footpath sign wasn't essential, it was useful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High on Calton Pastures, just below New Piece Wood

These are the kind of stiles my knees like - ones where there's an easy alternative!

 

 

Came across this Charity for the first time last week; the school's well-dressing in Over Haddon was dedicated to the children's hospice

First of their walks I've encountered & the latest addition to my growing 'collection' of way-markers!

Bakewell Golf Course

9-hole course created in 1899

Looks tricky.... like almost every other golf course I've walked!

I reckon having one leg shorter than the other might be an advantage!

 

No golfers about today but couldn't resist ringing the bell anyway!

Looked at a map of the course later & I think any pedestrian would be a little unlucky to find himself in the firing line.... unless the locals were trying to discourage him!

 

 

 

Crossed the disused railway, which ultimately winds its way up to Monsal Head & beyond (Postscript 9), & then it's all downhill to Bakewell

 

 

Now, this one has me really stumped!

Other than the fact that I'd just crossed an old railway & the Monsal Line has plenty of tunnels, I can't see a connection between Thomas, the Reverend, Bakewell and/or the Brownies.... unless, of course, you can advise me otherwise!

 

Excellent, intricate design - very colourful & well put together

 

Several dressings in & around Bakewell's Bath Gardens, including the Brownies'

Appropriately, there is a natural warm-water spring here which feeds the ornamental fountain

The Duke of Rutland built Bath House on the site of the spring in 1697 & these gardens once belonged to the house

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leading off Bath Gardens is the much smaller Garden of Remembrance, where there were two further superb dressings (left & below)

 

John  Linehan was a local man who helped with the town's Carnival & well-dressings over many years.... in addition to being instrumental in the installation of the British Legion Well in Bath Gardens

There is an oak bench dedicated to his memory in Bakewell Park

 

 

This cleverly-designed dressing outside All Saints Church prompted today's ....

Song of the Day : 'Wise & Foolish' by Misty in Roots

An early-eighties album & track by my favourite British reggae band!

A leisurely cider at 'The Red Lion' (again!) while Les went to fill her backpack with yet more Bakewell Puddings!

Must remember to take a photo of the pub next time....

 

Beautiful lower-level return to Rowsley, initially just above the River Wye & then climbing around & above Haddon Hall

That's Manners Wood to the right - the Hall & estate are still owned by the family

 

 

Ended the day with a rather-more-rapid cider back at the 'Grouse & Claret' while Les went for a wander around the shopping outlet

Looks grand enough to be related to 'The Peacock', where we started out, but this was built as 'The Station Hotel' when the railway arrived in 1849

The railway is long gone & its current name is taken from nothing more glamorous than a fishing fly.... probably in keeping with its modern chain pub/diner status

Couldn't provide me with a Beer of the Day anyway!