Of "Peak" Interest

I'm now in Birmingham after spending a couple of days in Derbyshire. This county is in the middle of England and I was staying in Chesterfield, a town famous for its crooked spire.  A lot of northern Derbyshire is known as the Peak District and is very popular with walkers, hikers, climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts.  Apparently, I just missing seeing the heather which was in full bloom up on the moors last week.  Nonetheless, the views across them was lovely.

  Derbyshire is also famous for some elegant country houses like Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall and Hardwick Hall and charming villages such as Tideswell, Eyam, Ashover, and my favourite, Bakewell.  Eyam has a somewhat sad story. In 1665, when the Plague was ravishing the country, a flea-infested bolt of cloth was delivered to the village tailor from London. Within a week, he was dead.  For the next 14 months, the disease killed more than 3/4 of the villagers - church records indicate 273 victims.   The disease did not spread, however, to the surrounding area because the village quarantined itself until the plague had run its course.  Today Eyam has various plague-related places of interest.
  In another village, Tideswell, stands the Church of St. John the Baptist which dates from the 14th century which also known as "The Cathedral of the Peak".  Below is a picture from inside the church.

  Bakewell is a tourist favourite and is often used as a base for walkers and hikers, hence the large number of outdoor-fitter stores selling everything from tweed jackets, walking sticks, sensible boots and fly fishing rods. Bakewell is well known for its market as well as the renowned Bakewell tart. Yum, yum!