Baslow, Chatsworth Park, and Edensor

I was chatting online until quite late last night and so didn't prepare my things for the walk today. So, I was in a bit of a rush this morning...and forgot my map. Therefore today's walk isn't the one I had planned. Chatsworth Park is somewhere I know well and I don't need a map to get around. Having written how well I know the Park I went exploring today and found something I hadn't come across before - a tall obelisk hidden away in overgrown woodland, well away from the main paths and estate roads.

I got on the Peak Line 218 service and smiled when I heard the automatic welcome message as we set off was bilingual in both English and Chinese. A lot of Chinese students who are based in Sheffield use this route to travel mainly to Chatsworth House, but also Bakewell, and so it's a good idea - and will save the bus drivers from always having to explain things. Only one Chinese person got on the bus; Chatsworth wouldn't be opening for over an hour...however, on the return journey, most of the passengers seemed to be Chinese.

I got off the bus at Baslow Nether End; as I was approaching the bus stop there was a much longer announcement in Chinese with no corresponding information in English.

I walked past the thatched cottages [they were totally in the shade and so I didn't take any photographs]. I did use my camera as I passed through the complicated kissing gate into Chatsworth Park.

Here's a short video of me passing through the gates.

They are tall and totally enclose you; it's like being in a cage.

Once inside Chatsworth Park I turned left and walked up the gently sloping grassland towards the wood at the top of the hill. There were some lovely views; I stopped quite a few times to take photographs.

   

I stayed in the woods for a fair proportion of the day, visiting some of my favourite locations; access to the lakes was blocked off due to safety work on the dams, but I still was able to visit the Hunting Tower, the waterfalls, the aqueduct folly with the cascading water, the rocks with the nice view, Queen Mary's Bower...and the magnificent toilets.

Here's a video of the waterfalls, and here's the video of the folly aqueduct with water cascading from quite a height.

The following photographs feature the pretty estate village of Edensor, the outdoor seating area at the cafe in the stables courtyard, the large horse statue in the courtyard, the scene inside the gents' toilets, some pretty golden and black wrought iron gates, distant views of The Cascades in the formal gardens and the façade of the house,  Queen Mary's Bower, and the view I enjoyed as I was sitting waiting for the bus..

I wasn't in a hurry at all by now and so I had plenty of time to walk over to the tea cottage at Edensor for a pot of tea and a scone. The building and its surroundings are very pleasant - the tea was nice, but the scone wasn't anything special. It was perfectly acceptable though.