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Cracknowl and the Monsal Trail from Bakewell

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Bakewell Monsal Trail

County/Area - Derbyshire

Author - Jake Robertson

Length - 3.5 miles / 5.7 km    Ascent - 300 feet / 91 metres

Time - 2 hours 0 minutes    Grade - easy

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL24Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL24Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 119Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 119Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Cracknowl and the Monsal Trail
Click image to visit gallery of 4 images.

This is a very gentle Peak Dsitrict walk along the Monsal Trail and over an unassuming but unexpectedly lovely hill pasture. It's an idyllic hour or so escape from the crowds in Bakewell with some beautiful views over the town and surrounding countryside and the Derbyshire Dales.

Park at the Monsal Trail car park at Bakewell Station on Castle Hill (grid ref. SK223689). Walk past the station buildings and turn left onto the Monsal Trail. Follow the trail for about 1 ½ miles until you near the Toll Bar House. It's flat all the way with views opening out towards Longstone Edge once the bookshop and café at Station Farm is passed. Take a walled bridleway on the left (grid ref. SK214707), signposted to Bakewell, and climb gently onto the pasture. After a short climb it undulates for about half a mile to reach the high point at 210m (grid ref. SK 214697).

Although not explicitly named on the maps I've taken to calling this hilltop Cracknowl Hill, it certainly deserves a name. Shy and unobtrusive it does have a quiet charm about it and is a delightful viewpoint for the higher surrounding hills. The view south over Bakewell with it's church spire sticking out of the trees with the mass of Stanton Moor rising impressively to the south is especially good.

Continue along the track which begins to descend, passing though an open field with many fine picnic spots, to a gate. Through the gate the track becomes metalled and there's a steep but short drop down to the road (Holme Lane) by River Wye (grid ref. SK215690). Turn left for a short way until you can take a path on the right down by the riverbanks which is followed underneath the main road to the road bridge (grid ref. SK219687). Cross the main road onto Station Road with the car park only a short five minutes climb at the top of the road.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2798 Bakewell to Edalemod/hard18.0 miles
Walk 1827 Ashford-in-the Water,Magpie Mine & Over Haddon easy/mod7.1 miles
Walk 1945 Lathkill Dale & Over Haddon circulareasy/mod5.7 miles
Walk 3557 Chatsworth Park from Calton Leeseasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1569 Lathkill Dale & Bradford Dale easy/mod8.2 miles
Walk 1589 Lathkill & Bradford Dales (short version) easy/mod6.0 miles
Walk 1590 Monyash & Lathkill Dale easy/mod8.2 miles
Walk 1651 Monsal Trail & Ashford-in-the-Water from Lees Bottom easy/mod8.8 miles
Walk 3341 Brushfield, Miller's Dale & Monsal Head from Lees Bottom easy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1014 Coombs Dale, Longstone Edge & Pilsley from Calvermoderate10.0 miles

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