Summary: The walk is described as being ‘tough’ but there are only two climbs over the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon although both are quite demanding. There is also a quite steep (but fairly short) descent into Calver – just before lunch.... a walking Pole might be helpful here.
At the beginning of our walk there is a short stretch of road-walking (nearly 1/2 mile) along the A6020 road which heads towards Baslow. We leave the road behind and we’ll then be on track to head for the Monsal Trail after first passing Churchdale Hall and crossing the A6020 once more. After half a mile or so on the Trail heading east, we head off due north towards Rowland but with the possibility – no - probability of a long muddy field-edge on the way!!
After passing through Rowland we continue along an ever ascending track up towards to the eastern end of Longstone Edge, with great views over Hassop Common and beyond. Once at the top we have a spell of recovery as a short section of level ground follows but then we start our descent to Calver. We’ll take our lunch break in Calver a little earlier than normal but I did not want to do the walk the other way around as the previous section would’ve been far too steep for us to tackle after lunch!!!
Suitably refreshed at the Derwentwater Arms, we set off for our longer than usual afternoon session. We head for Coombs Dale and follow the ‘gently’ ascending track until we get to ‘Black Harry Gate’ (Black Harry being a notorious Highwayman from the early 18th Century). 
We turn south here at ‘the gate’ and head uphill in a very steep manner – gasping for breath as we go, we reach our highest point of the day (1178ft above sea level) on the Longstone Edge once more – I will look out for another place to have a little rest (I know one) to break up the long afternoon session.
It really is all downhill now though as we leave ‘the Edge’, first along a wonderfully pleasant Dale (I don’t know 
whether it has a name), followed by us reaching Great Longstone. We’ll not stop here though as we had a break on the ‘Edge’ a few minutes earlier, instead, we’ll continue and meet up with the Monsal Trail once again. After a short distance heading west we turn off it again and head south, gently descending all the way back to Ashford in the Water.
There is a pub and tea rooms in Ashford (The Bulls Head and Aisseford Tea Room. Although the Tea Room opens at 9am, sadly, it closes at 2pm on a Sunday.... too late for my group)
'B' Walk- Leader- Jane Taylor. Distance - 8 miles. Asc - 950 ft. Grade - moderate. Clockwise.
The Peak District, rich in footpaths, is a favourite among walkers and our walk today begins at Ashford-in-the Water on the edge of the White Peak, a limestone plateau of grasslands and deep limestone dales. Some of you may remember last year when we did this same walk and had to shelter from torrential rain as we walked along the Monsal Trail before our lunch stop at Great Longstone. It didn’t dampen our spirits though, and the sun came out during the afternoon to dry us off. Once back in Ashford in the Water, after our walk, many club members enjoyed seeing the Flower Festival in the Holy Trinity Church and tea and cakes in the Village Hall. There was even music from a brass band. We visit Ashford in the Water during the Flower festival again this year as it runs concurrently with the villages Well Dressings so I hope that we can enjoy taking this in as well as the walk in the beautiful surrounding countryside. And better weather, fingers crossed.
Our coach will drop us off next to the cricket field on the edge of Ashford in the Water and we will walk, first along the main street and around the back of the church, then out again across a playing field heading north west. A short and steep little ginnel and road will come as a shock but after just a few minutes, when we reach Vicarage Lane the ascent is much more comfortable.
The lane is broad and good underfoot giving plenty of opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and sights and sounds that surrounds us, especially as we reach higher ground.
About a mile and a half into our journey the track turns right and does become more narrow, single file for a while, and also more rocky and uneven. Its also along here where we may encounter some mud on the day if we have a spell of wet weather so be prepared.
Turning right again at the signpost for Monsal Head any climbing is finished for the morning. In fact we soon begin our descent down towards Monsal Head for our elevenses break, with views of the Viaduct and Monsal Dale opening up on our left.
After enjoying a well earned break overlooking Monsal Dale we negotiate the steps down toward the entrance to the Headstone Tunnel and along the Monsal Trail for about a mile. Then we turn off to Great Longstone for our lunch stop. Here we will stop for a while, either sitting on one of the benches or in the bus shelter with mosaic commemorating the Siver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth 11
Suitably refreshed we rejoin the Monsal Trail briefly before finally leaving it in the direction of Bakewell and Ashford-in-the-Water. Unfortunately, there is a hill between us and our final destination, but that gives us one more opportunity to enjoy the fabulous views with Bakewell to our left, as we descend down to the River Wye. Over the bridge we head upstream, away from Bakewell, back to where we started from. In addition to the proceedings in the village there are two pubs to choose from for refreshments and to catch up with the other groups before we leave for home.
'C' Walk - Leader- Clive Hickman. Distance - 5.5 miles. Ascent - 650 ft. Grade - Mod., Clockwise
This is a wonderful walk, for several reasons, not least of which is the superb scenery from start to finish. It is given the category of ‘Moderate’ ONLY because of the ascent, none of which is nasty or daunting but gradual ascent nevertheless as we leave the village and head towards Monsal Dale. We will take our time with plenty of pauses to ease the way, and from there on the route is mostly level, or downhill, with a few stiles all of which are manageable with care. Paths are excellent, either across lush, grassy fields or wide bridleways, with the vast majority of boundary access points through well maintained gates.
The second reason for commending this walk is the small and beautifully picturesque village of Ashford itself, with a café and public toilets both of which open early, and two pubs, all within close proximity of one another. The weekend of our walk coincides with the village hosting the attraction of several well dressings that day.
Having left the coach at the bus stop on the A6020, we make our way to the delightfully hospitable Aisseford Tea Room where morning refreshments will be served. Rose, the manageress, is reserving seating for us, and has asked that we contact her before our arrival with advance notice of any orders for food. Apart from an impressive range of teas and coffees, there is a choice of bacon, sausage or egg sandwich, scone, or toasted tea-cake; I will be coming round the coach as we leave Warmsworth to record your orders to phone through to Rose.
There is only one toilet in the café but very close by on our route out of the village are public conveniences where visitors are prompted to drop 20p into the honesty box as these are solely maintained by the Parish Council. From here we immediately follow a footpath north west across lush fields where the scenery is quite magnificent, as we gradually gain height looking back towards Ashford. A wide bridleway takes us north as we approach the steep wooded slopes of Monsal Dale, where the viaduct soon comes into dramatic view before several benches at Monsal Head allow us to take refreshment in comfort, perhaps even an early lunch with toilets close by, overlooking the majesty of the Dale and viaduct below.
We continue with a short stroll down a quiet road into Little Longstone, north east now, before heading south east across more lush fields towards its sister village of Great Longstone. A ginnel or two through its quiet backstreets lead to a footpath to cross straight over the A6020 and onto Churchdale Farm where, yet again, the terrain gives us comfortable walking. Soon we enter the magnificent leafy grounds of Churchdale Hall, sprinkled with stunning sycamore trees of striking girth, spread and height. The path leads us back onto the A6020 once again, only for a short distance, which we cross in order to wend our way back into Ashford, where refreshment can be had at either the café, the Bulls Head next door, or the Ashford Arms close by.
There is much to enjoy on this really beautiful walk, a real tonic, with a return to a picture-postcard village which oozes charm everywhere you look.
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