A Brand New Bus Service (2)

Present day bus services to this part of the peak-less Peak District are remarkably good for an essentially rural area. This is down to the growth of leisure activity, the persuasive efforts of both Derbyshire County and the Peak Park board and the efforts of bus operators.

Monday to Saturday along the A57 (leading over the Snake pass) there is the useful network of Hulleys routes (273, 274, 275) providing tourist opportunities and links to many otherwise unserved communities.

Keep a close eye on the column heading notes and you will manage most likely excursion opportunities with comparative ease, even on Sunday.

It was not so in 1985! With a parlous weekday service, ditto on winter Sundays ...

... with some enhancement in Summer on the Sabbath.

You could still ride across the snake and change to a local bus into Manchester. Wise travellers might opt for the train!

The direct service 272 from Sheffield via Hathersage to Castleton has also improved since 1905.

Now it is almost hourly seven days a week.

Most journeys are First Bus, supplemented by three trips by Hulleys. Here competition gave way to common sense and both operators get a share of the delights of rural bus operation!

But it was perceived that more was needed, so a package was agreesd between all parties (Stagecoach as operator) to create the :-

fbb has not seen a printed leaflet (yet!) but on-line the publicity is very thorough. There is an excellent pictorial map showing the Derwent reservoir ...

... with memories of the area's use as training for the famous Dam Busters WW2 raid. The dam is in the wrong place, but graphic designers never had much time for geographical accuracy as long as it looked pretty. Here is the real thing complete with memorial re-enactment!

Or we would go to Edale and walk up to Kinder Scout ...

... a looming presence on the dull days!

It looms quite a bit on sunny days as well.

Then there is Castleton itself ...

... with buses via the lovely Winnats Pass (light vehicles only - except for access). Speedwell Cavern now has a bus service which deposits you at the entrance. The cave tour is by boat.

Other caves, as they say, are available, notably the celebrated Blue John. This is a short toddle across the fields from the old Mam Tor road ...

... but the effort is well worth it.

If you are desperate you can shell out much fine gold on gifts made from the Blue John mineral.

Blue John is a semi-precious mineral, a form of fluorite with bands of a purple-blue or yellowish colour. In the UK it is found only at Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern at Castleton in Derbyshire. During the 19th century, it was mined for its ornamental value, and mining continues on a small scale.

Fancy a new pair of earrings?

But back to the bus. Here is the timetable operating seven days a week.

Also useful are connecting journeys from and to Chesterfield, one via the Cordwell Valley (Barlow, Milthorpe etc) and one via Dronfield. The GoTimetable Sheffield route diagram shows the two links.

It is not clear, however, whether the quoted fares include the ride from Chesterfield. The answer is "probably"!

Note also that old fogey's passes only offer a half fare because the meanie folk at Derbyshire have designated this a bus for tourists only. Apparently providing mobility for old fogeys doesn't extend to their enjoying a bus ride if the scenery is pretty!

There are plenty of opportunities for connections from and to the rail network at Dronfield, Bamford, Hope and Edale. 

Through fares via train from Manchester?  Don't be silly?

But take a look at the Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket valid by trains between Derby Chesterfield and Sheffield and along the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and New Mills. 

The GoTimetable map also shows the bus links from Sheffield and Bakewell.

But the Hope Valley Explorer looks like a very good initiative and deserves to be successful.

If you are up that way (or down that way), take a ride. You will enjoy it.

Stagecoach boss Matt Davies has high hopes of it becoming a viable commercial service. fbb thinks that OAP passes will need to be accepted, together will full local fares, if that is to happen.

But it might!

 Next variegated bus blog : Saturday 27th July