Rural Voice - Bakewell & Villages Edition - July 2026
Based in Wirksworth, Goodwins are a team of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom contractors that MANAGE YOUR PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH. Get in touch today. OUR VALUES
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FROM THE EDITOR
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AUG ‘26 EDITION - 6TH JULY ‘26 | SEPT ‘26 EDITION - 10TH AUG ‘26
owdi readers, I say ‘Howdi’ not to infuriate Mike and his Americanism fixation (although that’s an added bonus! ), but because I’m as hot as a Texan Ranger looking for water in the desert at the time of writing! And I’m as grumpy as one too….as quite rightly all my sports have been cancelled to boot. I’m much happier when it’s warm, but as a country, we aren’t exactly set up for coping with heat…. roads will start melting in a minute…. hey, maybe it’ll fill in the pot holes!!?? I digress!
Also, at the time of writing, we’ve just watched England draw with Ghana……. my Grandma swore by the old saying of ‘bad start, good finish’ *crosses fingers*, mind you, she was cheating an 8yr old out of a victory in Ludo at the time, so I’m not sure how much stock I put in that, but the sentiment is nice, I guess!! Come on fella’s, time to show us why you earn the big bucks!!!
Speaking of a change in management…. looks like we will have a new PM by the end of this year. Like him or loathe him, 7 Prime Ministers in 10 Years doesn’t exactly scream stability and we will all feel the effects of that. But we have what we have I guess whilst ever we have the first-past-the-post electoral system. Anyway, that’s enough of that, we don’t do politics here and I don’t want my email inbox filling up with unnecessarily angry emails – I get enough of those thankyou!!
Anyway, in other news, Mr Emily had to renew his passport this month and what I can genuinely recommend is South Normanton Post Office, who literally take care of the whole thing digitally, photo and all. It’s still an expensive do getting your passport renewed but no more silly form filling and chasing around trying to find a small box that takes tiny pictures in a supermarket car park, adjusting the height of the stupid stool, getting 4 but only needing 1 at the cost of a tenner….what do you even do with the other 3??! I’m sure other Post Offices are available for this service….but if not, these are your guys – you heard it here first!!
Stay cool & hydrated peeps, Happy Reading, Emily x
WITH 11 MAGAZINES COVERING DERBYSHIRE & NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, Why not advertise in another area
We ran the most fabulous competition in May with amazing support from local companies and bumper entries from local residents. We wanted to share the happy winners to show that we didn’t just run off with the gifts ourselves (although we wanted to!!), and also to remind you all… “you’ve got to be in it to win it!!
After
Waddesdon Manor
Kedleston Hall
Calke Abbey
Hardwick
Tyntesfield
Bodiam
Anna with Dave (tour guide)
Why reaching agreement is the best outcome for children?
One of the most difficult issues separating parents face is deciding where their children will live and how much time they will spend with each parent.
While relationship breakdowns can be emotionally challenging for everyone involved, family law specialists at Graysons say that reaching an agreement outside of court is almost always the best outcome for children.
Megan Wroe, head of the firm’s family department, says many parents are surprised to learn that there is no automatic formula when it comes to deciding living arrangements after separation.
“Every family is different and what works well for one child may not be right for another,” she explained. “The focus should always be on what is in the child’s best interests rather than what either parent wants.”
In most cases, parents are encouraged to reach an agreement themselves about where their child will live and how much time they will spend with each parent. Although these arrangements do not have to be legally binding, many families find it useful to create a parenting plan setting out how day-to-day arrangements will work.
When considering the best arrangements, parents may need to think about a range of practical issues. These can include who has historically been the child’s main carer, the age of the child, where
each parent lives, working patterns and the impact any proposed changes may have on the child’s routine and wellbeing.
However, agreement is not always possible.
Where disputes arise, parents may seek help from a family solicitor or mediator to find a solution. If those routes fail, either parent can ask the court to make a decision through a Child Arrangements Order. This is generally viewed as a last resort, with the court stepping in only when other attempts to resolve matters have been unsuccessful. When making a decision, judges must follow the welfare checklist set out in the Children Act 1989. This includes considering the child’s wishes and feelings, their emotional, educational and physical needs, the likely impact of any changes to their circumstances, and the ability of each parent to meet those needs.
Megan added: “The best outcome for children is usually where parents can work together and reach a harmonious agreement without court intervention. Unfortunately, that is not always possible.
“When disputes become difficult, it is important to seek expert advice early. Our experienced family law team can help parents explore all available options, including negotiation, mediation and, where necessary, court proceedings, while keeping the welfare of the child at the heart of every decision.”
For advice contact the family department at Graysons Solicitors in Hathersage on 01433 650 718. Or email: info@graysons.co.uk
Megan Wroe
RAIN, RHYME AND RITUAL: THE STORY
OF ST. SWITHIN’S DAY
Every year on 15th July, Britain marks the wonderfully quirky tradition of St. Swithin’s Day — a date wrapped in folklore, weather predictions, and a healthy dose of superstition. While modern meteorologists may raise an eyebrow at the idea, the legend remains one of the nation’s most charming seasonal sayings.
St. Swithin himself was an Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester in the 9th century. Known for his kindness and humility, he served as Bishop of Winchester during the reign of King Egbert. According to tradition, St. Swithin requested that when he died, he should be buried outside where “the sweet rain of heaven” could fall upon his grave. He died on 2nd July 862, and his wish was honoured.
However, several years later, the monks of Winchester decided they wanted to move his remains inside the cathedral to a grander resting place. Legend says that on the very day they attempted to move him — 15th July — a tremendous storm broke out, with rain pouring relentlessly for forty days and forty nights. Since then, folklore has claimed that whatever the weather is like on St. Swithin’s Day will continue for the next forty days.
The famous rhyme goes:
“St. Swithin’s Day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St. Swithin’s Day, if thou be fair, For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.”
It is one of those gloriously British traditions that combines our love of discussing the weather with a touch of medieval mystery.
Whether people truly believe the forecast or not is beside the point — St. Swithin’s Day has become part of the nation’s cultural fabric.
Of course, scientifically speaking, the legend does not quite hold up. The Met Office has repeatedly explained that there is no evidence of a strict forty-day weather pattern beginning in mid-July. Yet there is a tiny grain of truth hidden in the tale. Around this time of year, Britain’s summer weather patterns often settle into longer spells of similar conditions, meaning wet or dry periods can indeed linger for a couple of weeks.
Beyond the weather lore, St. Swithin’s Day has inspired festivals, school rhymes, newspaper headlines, and endless cheerful debates over picnic plans and soggy barbeques. It also serves as a reminder of how deeply history and storytelling are woven into everyday British life. Few countries could turn a bishop’s rainy funeral into a national talking point more than a thousand years later.
Today, visitors can still explore Winchester Cathedral, where St. Swithin’s shrine once stood and where pilgrims travelled from far and wide during the Middle Ages. Although the grand shrine was destroyed during the Reformation, the legend has survived remarkably well.
So, when 15th July arrives each year, many people still glance nervously out of the window. Sunshine brings hope for a glorious summer ahead, while raindrops may inspire a resigned sigh and the inevitable phrase: “Typical British weather!”
STEAM RALLY CROMFORD
1 - 2 AUGUST 202 6
After 5pm Fri & Sat £5.00 per person 10s and under FREE
DERBYSHIRE’S PREMIER STEAM & HERITAGE SHOW
Opening times
Friday: 17:00 - 00:00
Saturday: 08:30 - 00:00
Sunday: 08:30 - 17:00
General enquiries: Chairman T: 07971 525162 - E: cromfordchairman@gmail.com
Helm is a wind. A real wind – the only named wind in the UK. It has blasted the Eden Valley in Cumbria for thousands of years. It’s also the name of an extraordinary novel by Sarah Hall who as fans will know, has used that part of the country for several of her earlier books.
This time the wind is the main character in the book, a being with a huge ego and the subject of many myths and investigation - again both in real life and in the novel. So where are the people we expect in novels you might ask? – They have lived with and been affected by Helm - from prehistoric cave people to wizards, little kids, magic mushroom munchers through to today’s pub lunchers, addicted to their phones. And Sarah Hall uses their stories to tell the story of the wind – and in a bigger sense to give us a sense of what might be happening to our nature and climate.
It may sound strange but it’s a spectacular book. Sarah Hall is a brilliant short story writer and while this book is longer it uses all her abilities to tell taut, sometimes mischievous sometimes moving, and sometimes thrilling tales around the human characters and bring them all together into a mind-bending whole linked by Helm.
It’s a very different kind of book, it changes from humorous to threatening to bleak and to hopeful.
A whirlwind in fact.
Pop in for a coffee in our bistro or on our terrace, induldge in a delicious afternoon tea*, enjoy a hearty Sunday lunch, share cocktails with friends or try a new dish from our seasonal menu.
Pop in for a coffee in our bistro or on our terrace, induldge in a delicious afternoon tea*, enjoy a hearty Sunday lunch, share cocktails with friends or try a new dish from our seasonal menu.
Our restaurant and bistro set in Audley St Elphin’s Park is the great meeting spot - perfect for catch up or hosting private events.
Our restaurant and bistro set in Audley St Elphin’s Park is the great meeting spot - perfect for catch up or hosting private events.
BOOK TODAY - scan the QR code or call 01629 258 434
BOOK TODAY - scan the QR code or call 01629 258 434 orangerystelphins.co.uk
Darley Dale, Matlock DE4 2RH
Darley Dale, Matlock DE4 2RH
*Afternoon Tea bookings require 24 hours notice
*Afternoon Tea bookings require 24 hours notice
Slimming World Recipe Strawberry Mousse
Method:
1. Add half the strawberries and all the sweetener to your food processor, and whizz until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a pan and sprinkle over the jelly crystals. Put the pan over a very low heat and stir gently, until the crystals have completely dissolved. Take off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, stir the vanilla extract and yogurt through the strawberry mixture until combined.
2. In a clean glass bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric hand
For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk
London House, Matlock Street, Bakewell. 01629 814 122
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Call in at the shop or phone us for a free home selection service
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FREE FITTING BUT MINIMUM CHARGE MAY APPLY FOR SMALL AREAS AND STAIRS
These melt-in-themouth pots will go down a treat on a summer’s day.
whisk until they form stiff peaks. Stir 1 tbsp of the whites into the strawberry mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest one third at a time, being careful not to knock out too much air.
3. Divide the mixture equally between 4 large dessert glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can.
4. When you’re ready to serve, finely dice the rest of the strawberries, add to the mousses, and scatter over the basil leaves.
Serves: 4
Swips: 1 per serving
Ingredients:
• • 1 level tbsp sweetener granules
• ½ x 11.5g sachet strawberry sugar-free jelly crystals
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 x 115g pots Müllerlight Greek Style Strawberry yogurt
• 2 medium egg whites*
• Fresh basil leaves, to decorate
*When eating raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing them, pregnant women, the elderly, babies and toddlers are advised to eat eggs showing the British Lion stamp or that are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.
Ready in: 30 minutes plus 4 hours chilling
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STUNNING HOLIDAY COTTAGE IN WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND
Treat yourself to a luxury break at the 4* Gold Award winning Little Red Hen House. An elegant and cosy holiday home just a 7 minute drive from award-winning and dog-friendly Warkworth beach.
✽ 2 spacious en-suite bedrooms
✽ A fully enclosed garden
✽ 2 small to medium dogs welcome (3 upon request)
✽ Fully equipped kitchen, including an American style fridge freezer
✽ Perfect for exploring the stunning Northumbrian Heritage Coastline
✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes & restaurants in stunning Warkworth
✽ We have fast fibre Wi-Fi and smart TV’s
Bakewell Old House Museum
VOLUNTEERING
Research tells us that six out of ten older adults are lonely, which is a shocking figure. The knock- on effect of loneliness can be devastating. Isolation is detrimental to our physical and mental health, it increases our risks of stroke, heart issues and dementia. Feeling alone and lonely is unhealthy, whereas spending time with others stimulates our brain.
Often when people find they have a little spare time they think about volunteering. Usually, their main intention is to help out, but what they actually discover is that, whilst helping out, they begin to feel part of a team.
Talk to anyone who volunteers for an organisation, the first thing they will tell you is how much they enjoy themselves. They realise that it is a pleasure to be involved in something that interests you. The choices for volunteering are endless. Whether it’s working in a charity shop, joining a team of litter pickers, becoming a trustee, fundraising or organising events, you can utilise your particular skill set.
You don’t have to move far around our area to see volunteers at work. Walking at Longshaw recently we came across a group of National Trust woodsmen, cutting back, clearing and burning old wood. Though it was a cold day, they were happily working and laughing together.
Volunteering is a way to get out of the house, move around and meet new people while doing something interesting and entertaining. The companionship and camaraderie gained by helping out can be invaluable, especially as we get older.
Some years ago, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust took over a tumble-down ruin on the Cromford Canal, Aqueduct Cottage. Built in 1802 it was home to the lockkeeper, but by 1996 the cottage was in a terrible state of disrepair. A project was begun; the aim was to restore the cottage to its original
state. In 2023 restoration of the cottage was complete and on certain days it is now open to the public. None of this great work would have been achieved without the tremendous support of the many volunteers involved.
Cromford Mills still have many different volunteering opportunities, if you are interested have a look at their website.
Help the Aged are always eager to welcome volunteers. They have many support roles, befriending, driving, mastering IT, helping out at group meetings and much more.
Bakewell & Eyam Community transport have opportunities for drivers, passenger assistants, fundraisers and many other roles.
Don’t want to face the public? There are always backstage roles to become involved in and often volunteers find they become more confident as time goes by. You might even become confident enough to help out in different areas.
At our lovely Bakewell Old House Museum, we have lots of opportunities for volunteers to join our friendly team. I guarantee, by getting involved in volunteering you will make new friends, new interests, maybe even revive some old ones. The one thing you are certain to feel is better about life in general.
DURING 2026 THE MUSEUM IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, 11AM TO 4PM
National Trust Woodsmen (permission given)
Adrian Wills, volunteer, being pretty scary at Bakewell Old House Museum on Halloween
The sewing team at Bakewell Old House
Joyce Janes on behalf of Bakewell Old House Museum
Guess the words and Fill in the crossword !
Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures.
Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.
Across
9 Get a kick out of dangerous tactics (4)
10 Shrub wetland that could be Jimmy or Alan (4)
11 Run out of origanum? Embarrassing, me ol’ Spanish pal! (5)
12 Those people, as yet back in hospital (4)
14 Hunger (or conscience) feature of lifespan, generally (4)
Down
3 Legionnaires’ song? (3)
4 Rope formation sounds negative (3)
6 The mat that’s laid out for Empress Maude (7)
7 Nonsense article about change (3)
13 Early first listening gear (3)
16 Removal of eggs from Rome (3)
17 How about the one that was a doctor several times? (3)
1 An ace chord composed, but just not a bishop (10)
5 Mrs to stare rudely at chair sides (8)
15 Crown, all battered and left at the bottom of the land (8)
18 No room for compromise, as botulism is removed (10) Down
Act out aim of working like a robot (9)
Thermal beam from a hearty sort (4,3)
Tactics needing big biceps? (9)
Put ‘Cole’ into two-line verse (7)
Windows, doors, conservatories & orangeries.
Replacement heritage timber windows to DDDC specifications.
Misted glass replacement.
Over 25 years experience.
Remembering chapel events
Many Sunday schools held an annual “walking round” procession with the church family parading through the streets and stopping at set points to sing hymns. My husband, Paul remembers one occasion when a piano accordion accompanied the singing, with mixed musical success.
After the “walking round,” the Sunday school anniversary was held in the chapel. Children performed presentations for the congregation, dressed in their new clothes and often taking part in action songs. Paul often retells the story of “Wide, Wide as the Ocean” being sung from wooden staging, only for the entire back row to disappear from view when the children enthusiastically threw back their arms. Visiting preachers were welcomed, and prizes—usually a Ladybird book—were awarded.
Some Sunday school chapels also organised an annual charabanc trip, often to the seaside and
usually accompanied by plenty of singing. Others held a sports day or tea party instead.
An annual “Festival of Queens” was sometimes held, with girls dressed as queens and donations from the sale of Sunny Smiles given to the National Children’s Home. What Paul remembers most about these events is that there was always extra cake. Happy days.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.
Janet
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SUDOKU
This is a sudoku
1 square grid
81 cells
9 3x3 blocks
1 simple rule:
Use all the numbers
1-9, with no duplicates allowed, in any row, column, or block.
These puzzles are devised by the brilliant Professor Rebus. For more of his puzzles visit www.pitcherwits.co.uk
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So, the British weather has done its usual crazy spring dance, and our gardens are still here and mostly looking blooming great.
As well as admiring our handiwork with a glass of something long and cool – or short and warm – there’s a few things to be keeping on top of this month, to keep it looking good and producing the goods.
Cucumbers and courgettes need to be picked as soon as they’re ready to keep them productive. A single courgette plant can give three courgettes a week and they very quickly turn from crisp and crunchy to huge marrows which are nice for a show bench but difficult to turn into an interesting ingredient for a meal. Likewise, cucumbers need to be harvested at their peak, so they’re constantly encouraged to produce more fruit and retain their sweetness. Apples and pears are starting to show their fruit clusters strongly now so it’s the best time to thin them out to give larger fruit in autumn.
And you also need to take this year’s growth back after mock orange has flowered so it will produce next year’s flower show. This works with smaller plants as well of course. Bedding plants are ideal for deadheading – usually you can just pinch flowers off behind the flower head when they have gone over. With roses you can take the flower off behind the head or take clusters back to just above the first leaf. Longer stemmed plants such as pelargoniums can be broken away from the plant where the stem attaches to the stem. Same goes for sweet peas. The idea is to stop them going to seed because for the plant that is when they’ve done their job – producing seed for the next generation. And if they no longer need to produce seed, they no longer need to produce flowers. Worth considering though that you might want that seed production to happen – with honesty or nigella for instance, or cotoneaster and big hip producing roses. They’ll all give you some winter interest from the seed head. And of course the birds will be grateful if you leave sunflower and rudbeckia heads intact – they’re a great source of food.
Don’t worry if we get a prolonged dry spell (you never know!!) and your lawn goes brown. It will recover very quickly after rain and our plants need the water more.
Increasingly across the Peak District and surrounding areas, individual gardeners and others such as local authorities, have taken up the challenge of ‘No Mow May’ to benefit threatened pollinating insects alongside the wildflowers they depend on. Since the 1940s, the Peak itself lost over 97% of its one-time, species-rich old meadows; a clearly catastrophic decline. However, for several years now, the wildflower conservation body, ‘Plantlife’, has been running the ‘No Mow May’ campaign to encourage wildflower- and pollinatorfriendly meadow management. Alongside responsible organisations such as the National Park Authority, the Highways Agency, and the region’s local authorities, this initiative encourages gardeners and others to get involved and to do their bit for nature. Essentially this approach involves either or both, habitat creation and suitable meadow management. The latter including periods without mowing, but with a cut once or twice at the correct time, and preferably, also the removal of cut ‘hay’. This taking off of the grass cuttings or hay is necessary to reduce levels of nutrients in the soil which otherwise accumulate and lead to coarse grasses, tall herbs, and reduced biodiversity.
‘No Mow May’ has proved increasingly successful and links into other campaigns to protect and promote flower-rich grasslands and meadows. These generally look better in the countryside than do the intensively managed swards, and benefit tourism and recreational use. However, as one of my readers suggested, this campaign should be followed up by ‘Let them Bloom in June’, and then of course, the July hay-cut. If this isn’t
possible, then a later cut in say August or September, will deliver some benefits. The key steps described mimic the ways that traditional meadows were once managed as vital resources and an important part of the farming countryside. The other important step which is often hard to deliver today unless the site is in agricultural management, is that the cut meadow should also be grazed by farming livestock. This triggers what we call ‘micro-disturbance’ i.e., the breaking up of the grass sward to allow flowers to seed and germinate and often helped by animal dunging and associated transportation of seeds, ready fertilized, from other meadows recently grazed.
In terms of pollinators benefitting from wildflowers and meadows, the gardener can help enormously with native, traditional meadows, with annual ‘arable cornfield’ flowers, but also with old-fashioned cottage garden, herbaceous plants, a wildflower ‘lawn’ perhaps, and exotic species too. This is not just a case of growing native wildflowers but is much more inclusive and fun too. Of course, where hay-cutting or mowing are involved, this can be locally devastating for some insect populations, even if essential for longer-term conservation. With this in mind, it is important to leave corners and edges of habitats intact and undisturbed as sanctuary areas in our all-too-often tidy spaces and places. Try to remember that nature does like an untidy world! Butterflies, moths, bumblebees, honeybees, and hoverflies are just a few of the creatures that will benefit, along of course, with people.
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter @IanThewildside Bluesky @ianthewildside.bsky.social
BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL
POPPIES
MIXED MEADOW ON VERGE
ON TRACKSIDE
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