• Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    Coombs Road Viaduct; the top is the start of the walkable part of the Monsal Trail
    Haddon HallThe CourtyardMain HallThe Chapel of St NicholasInside the chapel; stained glass window / detail of reredos (rood screen)Inside the chapel; wall muralsThe kitchen areaMain hallView of the Walled GardenTapestryThe Long GalleryThe symbols of Lord and Lady Manners are the peacock and the boarView of the rear of Haddon Hall from the gardenView out onto the groundsView of Haddon Hall from the Haddon Fields, as we continue our walkLathkill DaleOver Haddon village

    The start of the trail and Haddon Hall

    August 6 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Our walk today is based on walk 2 from our Monsal Trail booklet; Bakewell to Haddon Hall, and back via the River Lathkill.

    We walk up to join the Monsal Trail from Bakewell and walk along it south to the Coombs Road Viaduct (the start of the Monsal Trail) where we descend it to follow the footpaths to Haddon Hall, which we stop at to visit.

    Haddon Hall is over 900 years old and one of the UK’s most elegant and timeless stately homes; it has remained in one family's ownership for its entire existence, although it was unoccupied at one point for over 200 years! Home to Lord and Lady Manners, Haddon Hall has fine Todor and Elizabethan architecture, with a beautiful walled Elizabethan garden and surrounded by medieval parkland. We have a very interesting visit; see captions on photos for details.

    After our visit, continue west along a bridleway towards Haddon Fields before following our route via Conksbury Bridge and along part of the beautiful Lathkill Dale towards Over Haddon. We then have a steep ascent before heading across fields back to Bakewell; it's been over 8 miles today, but a great day out.    Read more