Day 8, Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Well, it’s goodbye to Yorkshire and off to the Peak District today – but first we need to get through West Yorkshire where hundreds of years’ worth of soot seem to be ingrained in the buildings.
After an okay run we arrive in Bakewell soon after midday and head straight to The Bakewell Pudding Shop to grab some lunch. The last time we were here it was the week before Christmas and snow was falling softly outside while inside Michael Buble was singing about exactly that.
I had soup (potato and leek) with my first scone of the trip – stilton with onion chutney. Grant reckoned that my scones are better. He had a massive club sandwich.
Following lunch we headed about 17kms south to Cromford Mills to meet one of Grant’s cousins for the first time. He and I had connected through Ancestry and while we’d chatted via email and social media, it was great to finally meet face-to-face.
After a mooch through the antique stalls in the old mill, we walked around to Scarthin Books – a bookshop for the majority of minorities. Don’t you just love that tagline?
With literally thousands of books, it’s stupendously chaotic and congested and I loved it to pieces. They say they have books on any subject you could think to have a book published in. Big call. It was a booklover’s dream come true.
We had tea upstairs and chatted about family history and the research rabbit holes we’d gone down. It was only once we’d finished tea that I noticed the whole time we’d been sitting next to the second-hand cookbook section…#missedopportunity.
Afterwards we walked around to Matlock Bath in the rain and had fish and chips because Ray said it was the law to have fish and chips in Matlock Bath. The portion sizes were ridiculous and even though I chose a half portion, I still made a dismal effort on mine, leaving quite a bit on my plate. The normal portions didn’t even fit on the plate! Such a waste. (By the way, the green sludgey stuff is mushy peas – they get a no from me and a yes from Grant.)
Back in Bakewell we had a beer in the bar at The Manners and a chat with the locals before checking into our room at the guesthouse, The Avenue. The room is comfortable and all we need for one night.
Tomorrow I’m catching up with a friend from nearby Chesterfield and we’re heading south to Tetbury.
And Anyways... 
Mushy peas with fish & chips???? OMG No! That’s just wrong. I love the bookstore and, of course, the “Mind your head”… so polite.
Love this Jo and thanks for sharing. I haven’t had mushy peas for many, many years when I lived in Sydney. I could spend hours in the Bookstore and your accommodation looks comfy.
I hope you have tried Bakewell tart at some point on your visits there? One of my husband’s favourites.
I absolutely love the look of the bookstore. I feel we need more independent book stores like that in Australia.
Also mushy peas is a ‘no’ from me! They are definitely part of the North/South divide in the UK!
Coming from Scotland, mushy peas are not a thing there. Have only tried them once I think. The book shop looks wonderful.
Oh that bookstore sounds fabulous!! What a fun day.
Now, why is it that I love pea soup, but mushy peas are a hard NO for me? Maybe it’s a texture thing… Neat of you to catch up with Grant’s cousin.
I’m the same. I love pea soup but mushy peas is absolutely a no.
What an amazing trip! Those bookshop pics literally took my breath away. The food pics were also amazing. I loved Grant’s mentioning that your scones were better. Without tasting either, I 100% believe that to be true! ❤
That bookshop… oh, that bookshop…
I loved Bakewell the only time I was there. We had to have a Bakewell tart, hubby’s favourite. I have since learned to make them too. I LOVE that bookstore!! How cool to find a relative.
We had one last time we were there too – and now I make them a lot as it’s one of my hubby’s faves too.
😊
Super cool you met a new relative in person. I must do more research so that the next time we get to England I can find my grandmother’s side. As to mushy peas I’m with you! And I bet Grant was right your scones were better. The bookshop looks like am amazing place to spend A WHOLE day!!