Eyam Peak District - Saturday 8th June 2019

A lovely walk, but the blustery wind and the rain ever present in the air did its best to put us off. However the intrepid walkers from St Paul’s donned boots, rain jackets scarves and hats and set off from the car park near the museum. In the event, the solid downpours on the Manchester side of the Pennines left us alone.

Eyam is often referred to as the Plague Village. During the 17th century the villagers isolated themselves from the outside world as they were decimated by the dreadful disease that killed off whole families in quick succession.We saw the evidence of this as soon as we began to walk through the village as too many of the 17th century cottages have plaques listing the names of those who had died.

The walk took us out to the east of the village up a steep quiet road until we reached more open country. We were rewarded with wonderful views but also with the bleakness and isolation of the Riley Graves. As we began our descent to the River Derwent we could see Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge in the distance. We then walked south along the river, having first looked at Froggatt bridge which has arches of unequal sizes.

We turned west away from the river and climbing upwards on footpaths we reached Stoney Middleton. This village is on a route to Sheffield and Chesterfield and many people think it looks gloomy from the road as they whizz through it. Approaching as we did, it emerges as a beautiful ancient village. We passed the ‘alleged’ Roman Baths before visiting the unusual Church of St Martin which is octagonal and one of only two such churches in the country. From the village it was a bit of a pull upwards to the Boundary Stone. During the Plague food was left here for the Eyam villagers to collect without contacting the ‘outside world’.

We were soon back in Eyam and the welcoming warmth (and Cakes!) of the Eyam tea rooms.

Eyam is well worth a visit as is Stoney Middleton.

Riley Graves

Froggat Bridge

Ramblers - quick break

Church of St Martin

View over Peak District

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