Peak Practice

About trip

Longnor, a charming Peak village, situated on a high ridge between the Dove and Manifold rivers, developed as a meeting place on the ancient trade routes that once crossed these hills from Sheffield, Chesterfield, Nottingham and the Potteries. More recently it has become famous as the location of the television drama Peak Practice, which chronicles the everyday lives of a group of country doctors and their patients. First screened in 1993, the series put Peak District scenery on the television map and has attracted countless visitors. The earlier episodes took many different parts of the area to establish fictional Cardale – particularly Crich (see Walk 46). However, the drama has finally established a base in this little Staffordshire village to give the programmes a more permanent, community feel. Real life in Longnor, though, is somewhat quieter than the TV version, which ceased filming in 2002. Familiar Places: There is plenty that will be familiar to viewers of Peak Practice. The fine brick frontage of the fictional Cardale Tearoom is actually a Georgian hotel built to serve the needs of the Crewe and Harpur Estate and still retains that name. It was used as a meeting place for the local farmers when they came to pay their annual rents at the end of March. The Horseshoe has the honour of being the TV doctors’ local, the Black Swan. Dating back to 1609 it was an important staging point for the packhorse and carriage trade that crossed these hills. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of two other pubs in the village, had its origins as a cheese store in 1464. It still has a reputation for fine food but its main attraction is its resident ghost Mrs Robins, a former tenant. The ancient pubs and cobbled market square are a reminder of Longnor’s importance in days gone by as a market town. The turnpike roads with their tolls, and the lack of a railway link, prevented Longnor’s development as a major trading centre, but the village retains its Victorian market hall. Now a craft centre and coffee shop, it still has the old market toll charge board, with a list of long-forgotten tariffs, above the front door. However Longnor’s old world ambience and location at the heart of ancient paths ensures that it is still busy with walkers, cyclists and tourists. Local Boy. One of the highlights of a visit to Longnor is the churchyard of St Bartholomew’s. Although the church is 18th century, the churchyard has some ancient graves, including that of the remarkable William Billings, who lived to the ripe old age of 112. Born in a cornfield, he was at the capture of Gibraltar in 1704, saw action at the Battle of Ramillies in 1706 and fought against the Stuarts in the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745. While you're there: Well dressing is centuries old. A wooden framework holds a bed of clay, into which flower petals, moss, berries, cones and seeds are pressed in an intricate design. The display is then placed over the well in a special ceremony. Each village has its own design and date. Dressings take place throughout the summer Where to eat and drink: Longnor has plenty of places The Manifold Tea Room and Take Away is a traditional fish and chip shop with indoor seating. The Craft Centre and Coffee Shop, in the former market hall, serves home-made cakes and cream teas. There’s also four pubs. What to look out for: Some 350 million years ago, Britain lay south of the equator and the Peak District enjoyed a tropical climate. The Peak limestones were built up over millions of years from the remains of shells, corals and tiny aquatic creatures called crinoids. Parkhouse and Chrome hills, two prominent landmarks on this walk, are limestone reefs, which formed, rather like mud or silt piles, during this period. Directions: From the square take the road towards Buxton. Take the first right to turn into Church Street, and then go immediately left, up a lane and right up steps to the footpath. Follow the waymarkers, behind some houses, over a stile and along a wall. Cross another stile, go downhill and turn left on to a farm road. 2 At a fork go left then turn right on to the road. Just before the bend towards the bottom of the hill, take the farm road on the left. At the end, continue through a gate on to the footpath, through a gap stile, downhill, across a bridge and continue straight ahead. Eventually cross a stile and turn left on to the road. 3 Fork left on to a farm road, following the waymarked path. Cross a bridge by a ford and turn left to follow the river bank to the road. Turn right through Hollinsclough, following the road to the right and uphill. Turn right on to a bridleway, through a gate and downhill. 4 After 50yds (46m) fork left by two stones and continue along the flank of the hill. Cross a stile then, at a stone wall, fork left and uphill. At the top turn left at a stone gatepost, through Moorside Farm, through a kissing gate to the road. Turn right then cross a stile to a public footpath on the left. 5 Go downhill to a stream and cross a stile to the left of the ditch. Head uphill, through a stile in the wire fence, through a gap in the wall and round the field to a gap stile. Turn back towards Willshaw Farm, then left on to the well-signposted footpath towards Hill Top Farm. 6 Follow the path over stiles and past the farm to the road. Go left, then take the farm road on the right. Approaching the farm go right, steeply downhill, over a stile and follow the path along the wall. Just before the stream, cross a stile on the left and head uphill to the left of some trees. 7 Continue walking uphill, through a gate in a stone wall to some ruined buildings. Follow the track to the next farm, bear left after the barn, then go left on to a footpath uphill. 8 Go through a stile, follow the wall uphill, over two stiles to the road. Turn left then right towards Longnor. Just before the road bends left, cross a stile on the right, go downhill and over several stiles to a farm road. Turn right and follow this back to the village.