'Bringing in the view' at new 3x's size Longshaw Estate cafe - opening Spring 2021

The air is crisp and quiet; the only sound for miles is the rustling of wind through the nearby trees, as they stretch their branches to brush the perfectly blue sky.

This is the breathtaking view waiting to greet visitors to Longshaw Estate’s new cafe, due to open its doors in Spring 2021.

From here, visitors will be able to drink in 1,600 acres of moor, gritstone edges and extensive woods of the Longshaw Estate, with dramatic views over the Derwent Valley.

“This is a stunning location, we’re so lucky to have all of this right on our doorstep,” says project manager Helen Armstrong, as she stands on the site of the new cafe, which is currently under development.

"We’ve definitely seen an increased appreciation for our lovely outdoor spaces throughout the pandemic.

"As soon as restrictions allowed, back in the spring, we saw a swell of people coming to walk and enjoy the fresh air.

"Every day here has been like a bank holiday."

Work on the new cafe project never ceased throughout lockdown, as contractors did their best to stick to projected timelines, extending the site, and removing the front wall of the existing cafe and replacing it with floor to ceiling windows, to help people connect with the scenery.

Helen says: “The old cafe was quite pokey, with small windows, and the truth is that you could have been anywhere when you were sat inside it.

"We wanted to bring that stunning view in, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

"In adding so much space, we’ve also been able to double the number of original covers we had, meaning we have space for about 180 inside, and then probably the same again outside in our new outdoor space.

"So many people who visit us here have dogs, or prams, and we really wanted to cater for everybody, and ensure everyone had somewhere to sit and enjoy a drink or some food, and drink in the surroundings.”

The cafe project is the latest in a long line of improvement works that has been carried out at Longshaw in recent years, starting with the new car park in 2015, and the creation of new and accessible paths around the site.

Helen says: “The National Trust looks after 14 per cent of the Peak District National Park, which takes a lot of work.

"There are a lot of really valuable habitats we look after in the Peak District, and we’re quite reliant on grants to pay for the restoration of the moorlands and upkeep of habitats for the special species we have around here.

"The new cafe will help us increase and diversify our income, and connect with more visitors – to help give them a better understanding of why the Peak District and connecting with nature is so important - whilst also helping to fund our really important works within the Pea District.

The new cafe is on schedule to open before Easter 2021.

Visit the National Trust’s website for more details.