Ashford-in-the-Water to Monsal Head

We started the day by parking in Bakewell to have a quick visit to Cotswold Outdoors to pick up an Osprey Kestrel 38 rucksack I had ordered to replace my previous one which was now beginning to show its age after several years of regular use.
Next we drove to the village of Ashford-in-the-Water and parked near the church. Luckily it wasn't too warm but cloudy and dry as we set off on our walk towards Monsal Head. We had a quick look at two Well Dressing displays and then followed several roads in the village and then made our way along a narrow path leading up between shrubbery and fencing, pausing a few times to let groups of Duke of Edinburgh kids or other walkers to pass.
After mostly following paths either between field boundaries or along the edges of fields, Karen and I popped out onto the tarmac at Monsal Head.
The first thing we did was to get a couple of ice creams form the Fredericks ice cream van parked there. We were spoilt for choice as there was a second ice cream van parked by the teas rooms nearby.
We sat on one of the wooden benches in front of the tea rooms and pub eating the ice cream ad looking and the view down the Monsal valley far below including the old railway viaduct which is now part of a cycle route and bridleway.
After our short break we left the tarmaced area and rejoined the footpath which dropped gradually down through woods to eventually pop out by a large weir in the river Wye.
We had a closer look at the weir after crossing a footbridge and walking down to the river's edge and then continued on the riverside path with several walkers approaching from the opposite direction and passing us in what appeared to be some sort of event as they all appeared to be rushing!
Eventually we arrived at the busy Bakewell to Buxton A6 and after crossing to the opposite side we entered White Lodge car park.
We sat on a wooden bench for a snack break and then continued on the ascending path which followed a route through Great Shacklow Wood. This led to a minor road back near Ashford-in-the-Water an soon onto the A6.

We walked along the road-side footpath a few hundred metres to then cross the A6 and the Sheepwash Bridge back into the village. It was a little busier now as a wedding in the church had just finished and the bride and groom and wedding guests were milling about outside.