Hey Blog! A few weeks ago, I went cycling on the Monsal Trail with a friend, and this week went around Carsington Water, and that’s what I’ll be writing about today!
I met this particular friend last year, and one of the first things we found was we had the exact same birthday – which was a good starting point! A little while ago we hatched a plan to go cycling on the trails in the Peak District, and decided on the Monsal trail as a good place to go, seeing as we had met there before, so we met at the café near Bakewell where the waxwings were last year. Thus the plan was formed.
The Peak District trails are really old railway lines. In the early 1800s, after the first steam train, Stephenson’s Rocket, was built, everyone wanted a railway line. They were fast, efficient, reliable, and the best mode of transport at the time. When, later, these lines across the Peaks were decommissioned, they became walking and cycling trails – ideal, because they are flat for ease of travelling! The Monsal Trail, which we went on, ran from Bakewell to Chee Dale, and passes through a fair few tunnels on its northern section. A little spooky at the point on the curve where you can’t see daylight – but amazingly cool! We went from the old station where we met, all the way to the far end, and then back to the station, talking all the while; before cycling the other way and getting to the other end, then turning round and going back again! In total, therefore, we cycled the entire length twice – once each way – which was rather fun!
The second meet was at Carsington, this last week. We had conspired another plan to go around the lake, and almost decided on going paddleboarding, but unfortunately that had to be postponed until we had more time (that is probably going to be the next meet or the one after!). After meeting at the visitor centre we waved farewell to parents and set off again. Once again, we did not pause for breath to stop the conversation all the way round the lake (well, except when we couldn’t stop laughing!). With wind flying past as we sped along and the lake sparkling below, we got round the lake quite quickly. The lake, it may interest you to know, is not even a natural lake. It was built as a reservoir in the 1970s into the -80s, before being opened in 1992, and on some old maps you can see “reservoir under construction”. When flooded, it drowned an RAF bombing training tower from WWII, a large amount of farmland, and created a recreation spot (I did my RYA levels 1 through 3 on the lake, and the cycling was another example), a store for the local water company, and the nearest place where you can go on a boat which isn’t on a river. In all, perfect!
We are in the process of constructing more plans, including a paddleboarding one, some more cycling, and possibly something else too. In all, I’m glad we met, and I look forward to more similar days out in the future!
