Edging Along at Eyam (October 2026)
“Tha canna miss the great skull outside, duck!” And indeed the eerie eyes of the enormous skull outside the Miners Arms swivel to follow us in. It’s Friday evening, and we have an excellent dinner here before returning to Eyam YHA.
The following morning, whilst Natalia takes two other Ibexers on a gentle 8km/5mile circuit along the Derwent River, through Stoney Middleton and back to the “plague village” Eyam,https://www.eyamvillage.org.uk/ ten of us set out with Phinella on a longer hike. It’s chilly but gloriously sunny. Our route takes us through woodland, past Mompesson’s Well, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mompesson%27s_Well across bilberry and heather scrub, and up onto Froggatt Edge. Stunning views.
We continue along Curbar Edge and Baslow Edge to Wellington's Monument https://derbyshireheritage.co.uk/curiosities/wellingtons-monument/ before descending into Baslow village.
Here, half the party head back to Eyam along the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail completing 24km/15miles. The rest of us continue south to Chatsworth House; a huge estate with a very impressive mansion behind gilded wrought iron gates.
We return to Baslow and, from there, follow the River Derwent valley northwards, with the Edges silhouetted against the sky to our right. Eventually, we are back in Eyam, heading steeply up-hill alongside the Miners Arms’ skull, back to the YHA; 28km/17.5miles with 666m of ascent. Later in the evening, we enjoy the delicious 3-course meal somehow prepared by Yvonne, Catriona and Janette.
After vacating our YHA accommodation the next morning, eight of us set off with Dave.
Again it is a beautiful day. Dave’s walk takes us through woodland, across open moorland, along a narrow "path" through head-high bracken, over many stone stiles and notably over a dry stone wall where what appeared to be a path comes to a full stop on the wrong side of it.
At Stoke Ford, half our party takes a short cut to Abney to make a circuit of 12km/7.5miles. Presently, the remaining four of us descend steeply down a very muddy and slippery track... and an elderly woman coming unsteadily up towards us unbalances into the deep bracken! Dave and David hasten forward to assist. She is very shaken but her only injury is a cut chin. D & D eventually get her back onto her feet and apply a plaster to her chin. Then we escort her back down to a flat junction-track. She and husband are massively grateful. Later, heading down to Abney, we see the sky darkening behind us and, feeling a few specks of rain, we don rain jackets.
It does rain, making us glad we've been carrying our rain gear all this way. The sun comes out again for our final leg down Sir William Hill on Eyam Moor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyam_Moor and, shortly, we are back at the YHA; 18km/11miles, with 680m of ascent. It has been a terrific Ibex weekend; great hikes in fantastic weather and excellent company, with interesting conversations ranging from past hiking adventures (Ibex and non-Ibex) through keeping chickens, air traffic control, and personal pronouns, to carbon capture technology. Too bad you didn’t come with us!
Emma
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