Bamford is a delightful Hope Valley village, with some wonderful walks and beautiful countryside, close to Hope and Hathersage, in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Bamford is surrounded by the Ladybower, Derwent and Howden Dams of Dambuster fame and makes for a lovely day out, either on foot or by bike, and the village offers lovely pubs, a shop, Post Office, bakery and regular bus and rail services to both Manchester and Sheffield. Just a short drive away is the pretty village of Castleton, which is home to fascinating caves, and is overlooked by the crumbling Mam Tor or Shivering Mountain, and from the remains of the hill fort at the top of Mam Tor, the dramatic scenery of Winnats Pass, Edale Valley and Edale itself, known as the start of the Pennine Way, can be viewed. Visit Hathersage to explore the churchyard and the grave of Little John (of Robin Hood fame) – whether he ever really existed is for you to decide, plus Hathersage vicarage is thought to be the inspiration for Charlotte Bronte’s famous novel Jane Eyre. Hathersage is also home to an open air heated swimming pool and a railway station with direct links to Manchester and Sheffield, or you can hop on a train from Bamford itself. Slightly further afield you can potter around the historic market town of Bakewell, or the Spa town of Buxton, renowned for its spring water and Opera House. It is easy to spend a whole day at Chatsworth House, while there are plenty of historic properties nearby, or pull on your boots and enjoy the spectacular scenery, with walks for all abilities from ambling along the banks of the River Derwent to climbing the hillside paths and scrambling over the fascinating rock formations. The perfect base for exploring the Peak District.
