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Many residents will be familiar with the Limestone Way that traverses through Parwich but few will realise that 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of its formal adoption as a long distance walking route. Much of the path has been used for 100s of years but it was only in 1970 that the route gained recognition as a long distance path. The trend to recognise such paths gave rise to the formation of the LDWA (Long Distance Walkers Association) in 1972. To mark the 50th anniversary of the path the LDWA have been looking for ways improve the walker experience and facilities along the route. As you are no doubt aware the recent activity by OpenReach around the area has resulted in upgrades to cabling into the village with fibre optics, FTTC and FTTP technologies and the new GFast making the old telephone exchange obsolete. BT and OpenReach estimate that the exchange will no longer be needed from late 2019. This has presented the LDWA in partnership with the National Park, Derby Dales and Staffordshire Moorlands councils the opportunity to provide a much needed new facility along the Limestone Way without the need for new building work in a conservation area. According to information on display in the National Park office in Bakewell the telephone exchange will be converted into an information centre providing an exhibition of the history of the limestone way, a small franchised coffee shop and ladies/gents toilet facilities. The latter particularly important for the large number of young families and older ramblers passing through the village since the closure of the public facilities on Creamery Lane.
There are also plans to involve villages along the route in celebratory events throughout 2020.