Derbyshire

Bakewell

Bakewell is the biggest town in the Peak District National Park and located on the banks of the River Wye. Famous for the Bakewell pudding, its small streets and quaint shops make it a peaceful and popular tourist spot within Derbyshire.

A stones throw from Bakewell, the Monsal Trail is a traffic free walk and cycle route along a former railway line (the Midland railway line). It runs for 8 and a half miles from Bakewell to Chee Dale and offers great views across the Peak District; a definite recommendation for a lovely day out if in the area.

Buxton

Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, and one of my favourite local places for a day out. It starts with a gorgeous drive past the Roaches (which is a guilty pleasure drive of mine in the summer) with its stunning views surrounding you as you drive into Buxton itself. At the heart of the town is the Pavilion Gardens, which has a miniature railway, a boating lake and more importantly lots of places to get an ice cream. It’s also home to the Buxton Opera House which is an impressive building for shows, cafes and an indoor market. Plus there are lots of outdoor seating areas for food and it is a lovely place to sit and watch the world (and the train) go by.

I was quite surprised wandering round the town, as I thought there would be a lot of benches to find here. There were so many benches in the park and on The Slopes opposite Buxton Crescent, yet very few had memorial plaques on them. There were a few I found though, in the Serpentine Gardens and around the boating lake. With it being a lovely day, lots of people were making the most of the weather and as it was a perfect day to take a seat and enjoy the sun, there were a lot of benches I was unable to see. Another visit perhaps……? Absolutely 😊

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth House is located in Derbyshire and is definitely one (or should I say another) of my absolute favourite places for a day out. It has a long and detailed history and is owned by the Cavendish family.

The grounds surrounding the house are seemingly never ending with so many places to wander round and explore, and that’s even without going in the house and gardens. I have so many happy memories of visiting Chatsworth with my mum and dad (can recommend the afternoon tea for sure!)

The bench below is the only one I have found at Chatsworth so far, which was located just in front of the hunting lodge. It’s a steep walk to get there but the views make every step completely worthwhile.

Tissington and the Tissington Trail

The Tissington Trail was the place where I saw the first bench that made me want to start this site. It runs from Ashbourne to Buxton and is another traffic free walk and cycle route in the Peak District.

The trail is somewhere I head to when I want to get away, get some fresh air and take in some beautiful views. There are several villages along the route which you can visit along the way, one of them being Tissington. Tissington is built around a noble old hall, church and a duck pond and really is beautiful. It is also home to a old fashioned sweet shop which (for anyone who knows me will know is my kryptonite). If you are ever in the area, definitely a stop off you wouldn’t regret…and do let me know, so I can give you my shopping list for the sweet shop…)

These benches were dotted around the village, and also along the trail itself.

Solomon’s Temple

Just on the outskirts of Buxton is Solomon’s Temple. Sitting atop Grin Low and located in Buxton Country Park, it offers unobstructed views across Buxton itself, Derbyshire and Staffordshire (a bit of a hidden gem and the views are amazing)

There are 3 walks to the Temple of different lengths, the longest being 45 minutes to an hour. There is plenty of parking at Poole’s cavern (another interesting day out in Buxton) or for those that like to caravan, there is a caravan park in the old quarry that you can see if you take the longer route.