Loughborough & North Leicestershire CAMRA

2024 Derbyshire Wayfarer Trip

Our summer Derbyshire Wayfarer trip was planned for Saturday 6th July. The Wayfarer is a Derbyshire travel ticket valid on buses and trains, you can purchase a bus only or a bus/train ticket costing £16 adult, £8 for concessionary and £29 for a group of 2 adults and up to 2 children. If you don’t live in Derbyshire the place for non-residents to purchase an advanced scratch card ticket is from Melbourne and Long Eaton libraries.

My original plan was to try and make Holmfirth, Yorkshire, (ticket valid on 351 bus from Glossop). However the timing did not connect to make a smooth overall journey for the day. Planning a trip on the 6th July was made more difficult in the High Peak with the trains being a bus replacement from Chinley to New Mills, an overtime ban on Northern Railways, the 173 Bakewell-Castleton bus route being diverted to Castleton and on top that the roads closed in Bakewell from 3pm to 4.30pm for a carnival. After taking that into consideration 6 members met at Loughborough railway station for the 09.47 East Midlands Railway train to Sheffield (in Yorkshire but valid as a link station on the Derbyshire Wayfarer). From Loughborough you need to first purchase a Long Eaton return as this is the first station in Derbyshire.

After arriving in Sheffield we found Northern trains where operating normally and no bus replacement from Chinley to New Mills. We headed on the Northern train toward Manchester to Chinley. From the station is a 0.6 mile walk to the delightful village of Whitehough next to Chinley where we visited the Old Hall Inn, which looks like any other pub at the front, but the rest of the pub is actually a 16th century old Hall and is grade 2 listed. We were the first to arrive at opening time at this welcoming pub with 7 real ales and an excellent food menu to choose from. Although the pub can be popular at certain times, they seem to accommodate, there is also an lovely outside sitting area and an undercover area looking towards the surrounding scenic area. Across the road they own a second pub called The Paper Mill which was a former Marston’s pub. They had 5 different real ales on offer, cider, craft keg beers, and quality handmade pizzas and snacks menu, which makes a great choice at both pubs for beer and food, Accommodation is also available at the Old Hall Inn.

After 2 and a half hours there, we walked back to Chinley for the 190 High Peak bus to Buxton for an hour stop at The Ale Stop in the Market Place. The welcoming micro pub was a former wine shop with an excellent selection of beers normally not seen. Our plan was to visit the Cheshire Cheese (a Titanic pub) but unfortunately it was time to catch the Trans Peak bus to Bakewell though the lovely Peak District Countryside.

In Bakewell centre there are a number of pubs offering real ale, but with an hour we opted to try the Joiners, a friendly stylish micro pub serving 6 real ales and 6 craft keg beers, sourced locally, along with wines, gins and whisky also available.

Our journey from Bakewell was a short 20 minute ride on the Trent Barton Sixes (6.1) bus to Matlock with time for a swift half pint at the bod, a Titanic owned café/bar serving 3 real ales which include Iceberg and Plum Porter, craft keg beers also available. Just around the corner was Matlock railway station for 19.13 train to Derby arriving at 19.48.

There was time for a stop at the Brunswick, not far from the station, an Everards owned pub. The pub has 14 hand pumps serving real ale with beers from the onsite brewery along with many guest beers. On our visit Derby CAMRA had their own bar serving an extra 14 beers part of a mini beer festival which included The Alexander Hotel and Victoria all near the railway station, celebrating 50 years as a branch. Interestingly, Loughborough CAMRA have their 50th anniversary in November. Discussions on celebrating are underway.

We headed back to the railway station for the 21.02 train back to Loughborough arriving at 21.20. A most enjoyable day was had by all. As always check times and pub openings before attempting this journey

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