Walked 8 Feb 09
The Monsal Trail is an old railway line. They're often nicely-surfaced and great for walking at this time of the year - flat and not muddy. The snow today did make the veiws incredibly picturesque, and gave us the opportunity to warm up with a game of snowballs, but the price for that was that it was very slippery.
Monsal Head has to be one of the best views in the Peak District. All the better for being a little unexpected. The viaduct, which originally carried a railway, but is now a surfaced walking path, is fascinating. Imagine the valley without a viaduct, and then imagine someone proposing to build one across the valley. John Ruskin had a real rant about it, and he's quoted on an information board. his main beef seemed to be about making it easier for humans to get (unnecessarily) between Buxton and Bakewell. Ironically, the viaduct is now protected. I did find myself sympathising with the old curmudgeon; the viewpoint that this picture was taken from is a car park, so you can drive up, enjoy the view, enjoy a pint and drive home again. It's lucky that Ruskin couldn't forsee that. I can't help feeling that you should have to work for a view as good as this.
Once we'd arrived at this point, we made a little loop by walking (very tentatively) down to the viaduct (bottom left of this picture), over it, across the river where the buildings are on the right, and back up to this viewpoint again, before heading back to Bakewell along the railway line.
2 comments:
So that's where you were when I canlled you on your birthfdaY!
Brr!
You did seem to be having a marvellous time, though and I remember hearing the snow crunching underfoot over the phone.
Ruskin was great fun but I do love Victorian viaducts and this one's lovely.
Sheesh! Sorry about the typo demon biting me.
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