Bakewell
Bakewell is a small town in the middle of the Peak District. There are two markets held in the town centre every Monday.
One of the joys of the town is just wandering around and getting “lost” in the small alleys and shops. There are lots of these here and it is a huge draw for tourists (caveat emptor).
The primary reason why Bakewell is so popular is because of the famous “Bakewell Tart” which is a tart filled with jam, frangipane, and a topping of flaked almonds however here you can also try the more tasty (in my opinion) “Bakewell Pudding” which is a much simpler affair with a filling of egg and almond paste tasting something like a “butter tart”. The place to go to sample this is The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop on Rutland Square near the roundabout which has an assortment of these delights as well as other foods from the area.
For Bakewell Tarts visit “The Bakewell Tart Shop” around the corner on Matlock Street (the A6).
The River Wye flows through the town with a path and park alongside. The 14th Century “Bakewell Bridge” is a great place to feed the ducks and tuck into a Bakewell Pudding…
The “Lock Bridge” is another unusual sight on the way into the town from the main car park - A bridge whose cables are completely and utterly covered with thousands of locks which must add considerable weight to the bridge structure…unlike other places here it is a bit of a source of pride rather than annoyance.
Near the roundabout there is also the small but beautiful “Bath Gardens” which offer a bit of a respite from the often hectic town centre.
Travel
The main means of travel to Bakewell is by car. The central area of the town is largely closed to traffic though there are several small car parks there. The largest car park is across the river around the “Agricultural Business Centre” which has a large amount of parking available (pay and display) though note the path into the town centre is confusingly not signposted.
There are (pay) public toilets opposite the Co-Operative supermarket on Granby Road near the “Lock Bridge”.
Further Information
For further information, please see: