After a few hectic days at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here) we had a quiet day ahead of us on Tuesday so with a nice day forecast we opted for a walk with the dogs in Chatsworth Park.  We went first to Edensor for coffee and cake (they allow dogs inside the cafe as well).  There were plenty of families out enjoying the snowy conditions and sledging down the slopes by Edensor.  We walked over the hill to the bridge at Chatsworth then along the river for a while before heading back to the road.  Chatsworth House has been open since Christmas for the first time and judging by the number of cars streaming in it was proving popular.  There were plenty of sheep and deer around too. We enjoyed our short stroll before driving onto the garden centre and then the farm shop then had a late lunch at Hassop station before returning home.  New Year’s Eve was milder and cloudier and the day went in housework and odd jobs.  Later in the afternoon Chris’s brother arrived to stay the night.  By the time we went down to Bakewell for an early meal at the Peacock the snow was starting to thaw.  By the time we woke up on New Year’s Day the snow had gone, never seen it disappear so quickly.  Mild but dull we decided to go to Cromford for a walk along the canal.  It was still icy in places but the dogs enjoyed their short walk from the Wharf to the High Peak Junction and back.  We had lunch at the Wharf  Cafe (outside with the dogs!) and then went over and had a look at the mill itself.  We came back a scenic way showing Chris’s brother some of the local highlights.  Back home just as the rain started and it was quite breezy too.  Chris’s brother went home later in the evening.  Enjoy some of the photos from Chatsworth.  I will save some for later blogs.

Not as cold as forecast overnight into Sunday at out Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  One departure and Chris out early to check the condition of car park and drive and salt where needed.  Down to Bakewell to get paper, car parks were quite icy so I imagined there would be no Monday market.  On the way back but decided to drive onto Sheldon to see what the road was like.  The snow covered scenery made for some wonderful photo opportunities.  The road was passable in a 4×4 or a car with winter tyres as one of our guests discovered.  Back home and after coffee we cleaned the cottage required for later in the day and I did the final checks on the others where we had guests arriving.  At least we had time for lunch.  Three arrivals with first one here at 3pm, and before the next arrival we went to admire the sunset.  Next cottage was here at 5pm, they have been before and two hours later the final cottage of the day arrived, they have also been before.  Monday 29 December again was a fine sunny day but feeling milder even though it was still cold.  A thaw seemed to be setting in and for the first time in a few days I could use the courtyard without wearing wellies. Rubbish was collected as was laundry although in many areas with no rubbish collected on Saturday collections were falling behind.  Four departures and three arrivals and two cleaners here.  Everything ready for guests arrivals and all here by 3.30, two have been before.  This gave me the afternoon to catch my breath and start on all the jobs that I hadn’t had a chance to do over the previous couple of days. Enjoy the pictures.  I will save some for another day.

Sunday 21 December was a breezy and mild day at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see link). One arrival so after getting paper did final checks.  Out for lunch at the Lathkill with Andrew and Joanna.  Most of the cows have gone into the sheds for the winter now with only some of the in calf heifers out.  A nice meal and back with time to ice the Christmas cake, see guests arrive and do a few more jobs in cottages.  Then I was out again.  This time back down to Over Haddon for the carol service as I had agreed to read one of the lessons. It was nice to see so many villagers there.  Monday saw three arrivals and one cleaner here.  Another mild day and not too wet until the evening. Morning went in cottage preparations and got final tree up at last.  Time in the afternoon for some personal Christmas preparations before guests arrived between 4 and 5pm.  Two have been before. Tuesday was another mild day.  Down to Bakewell early to get last provisions before Christmas.  It was busy in Bakewell.  After lunch some more personal preparations as our friends will be arriving on Wednesday. Final cottage for Christmas arrived at 3pm so no more work in cottages until later in the week!  We then went down to Ashford to see the once regular guests who have moved to the area and after tea we invited some guests over for a drink so a nice way to start our own Christmas festivities. Pictures of the last trees to be done, Derwent and Shippon.

Last blog before Xmas so seasons greetings to you all.

I always enjoy a trip to Ashbourne which is 20 miles from our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  Thursday 18 December saw a break from all the hard work with one cleaner up to clean Magpie now that work has finished for the time being.  We had friends over for coffee before setting off late morning to Ashbourne.  One thing about Ashbourne is the number of independent shops that seem to thrive, there are hardly any empty shops and there are plenty of food shops too.  Yum.  We had a light lunch and a further stroll around the shops before heading home to the dogs.  Another mild day although not as wet as forecast but it was breezy.  Friday was a pleasant day, a bit cooler than Thursday.  A few showers made it our way and there were a number of rainbows too. One arrival, our first for Christmas, here just after 3pm.  They have been before and were here only a few weeks ago too!  One cleaner up to continue preparations in cottages for Christmas which is where a lot of my day went too.  Had hoped to get up last three trees but only did one.  A quick trip to Bakewell to the kitchen and bathroom showroom to confirm final order for Derwent bathroom.  Up early on Saturday to go to the Farmers Market in Bakewell.  Cool and drizzly the market was filling up quickly and we also bumped into our guests.  Wasn’t buying much with Christmas being a few days away.  We also had time to walk up to the church and have a look at the Christmas Tree festival.  Almost a hundred to admire, perhaps inspiration for the remaining trees I still have to do!  Back home and as our guests were also back from the market so we invited them over for coffee.  Afterwards I did the final preparations for the cottage arriving later in the day.  He has been before.  In the afternoon I managed to get two more trees up and did some preparations for the arrivals over the following days so deserved my quiet night in!  Here are the pictures of the Lathkill, Honeysuckle and Magpie trees.

After a busier Friday at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here) we had a quiet weekend.  Friday 12 December  saw two departures and no arrivals and for the first time since January we had no guests in.  One cleaner here to keep up with cleaning. I wanted some shopping from Buxton so we set off to have lunch and do some shopping.  We had seen a snow shower before we departed although nothing settled here but as we approached Buxton some had settled.  We headed to the old baths for lunch where a new cafe had opened and while we were there we could hear a couple of passing hail showers.  The pavement was very slippery when we left and a few wintry showers added to the problem. Shopping complete we headed home stopping off briefly in Chelmorton to see friends.  At home there was no snow at all.  Saturday was a cold but sunny day with a frosty start.  When I took the dogs for their morning walk you could still see some snow on the hills to the west.  Chris did some finishing touches to the new website and I put up our Christmas tree.  Only eight more to go!  In the afternoon our neighbours from Green Cowden came over as Chris had taken lots of photos for them from Thursday so it was nice to stop for a cup of tea and a

monyash nestled in distance

chat.  Sunday was a bit milder but wetter.  We went down to get the paper and some other bits of shopping before calling back in at Andrews on the way back.  We should have gone out for Sunday lunch with Andrew and Joanna but she was not well.  That left us with a quiet day, me doing housework and odd jobs and Chris publishing the new website and dealing with any issues arising.  In the evening we went to Over Haddon for the film night.  This months offering was ‘About Time’, a rom com.  My type of film!

hail on ground with passing wintry shower

Wednesday 10 December was a fine day at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see link).  Was expecting some wet and windy weather but it seemed to have stayed further north.  Spent a lot of the day preparing for the WI party in the evening.  One cleaner here doing a bit more painting and carpet cleaning.  We stocked up on logs in the afternoon and the windows were cleaned for the last time before Christmas.  Collected Joanna at 7pm and headed for the village hall where we started to set up the hall for the party.  Soon thirteen of the fourteen members were there to enjoy our final evening as a WI.  Having said that we have already organised some outings as friends.  We had a good spread and my quiz went down well.  Overnight I was woken up at 2am by a hail storm and again at 5am except this time it was much heavier and accompanied by thunder and lightening.

Rainbow from Dove window

Don’t know how Chris slept through it.  When Chris went down in the morning he was worried as he couldn’t find Blue and even worried he might have panicked and jumped through a window.  Eventually Chris found him in the utility room where he could get in but not back out.  The first thing I saw when I looked out of the window was a covering of hail which soon went.  The day deteriorated with showers, some wintry in nature.  For Chris a day of more web work and me a lot of odd jobs.  Later in the afternoon we went down to the Lathkil where we watched John, our neighbour, have his moustached shaved off for Movember.  After dinner we went over to one of the cottages for a couple of pleasant hours to help celebrate the birthday of one of our guests.

We were expecting some wintry showers on Sunday at our Bolehill Cottages near Bakewell (see here).  Two departures but no arrivals.  After getting the paper from Bakewell I checked the vacated cottages.  We spent some time going through the new website before a late lunch.  By then the first of the wintry showers had passed over and left a dusting of snow.  Housework in the afternoon and kept an eye on the weather as there was a probability of snow falling over night.  I was relieved when we woke up on Monday 8th December that there was only a dusting of snow at Bolehill although Andrew was still green!.  One cottage was able to depart and two cleaners to arrive, one to clean and one to paint!  Laundry was collected as was the rubbish even though the lorry drove over a part of the field to get here.  The sun managed to melt what it shone on but there was a very cold wind.  Glad I went to Bakewell last Monday.  One arrival here about 5.30, they have been a few times before.  The afternoon went in preparations and cottage jobs.  Tuesday was another cold day with some showers in the afternoon.  More painting in the cottages and one arrival in the afternoon.  A morning of odd jobs and after lunch I went down to Bakewell to get some provisions for the next couple of day. In December the Derbyshire Dales car parks have free parking in the afternoons.  The wind started to pick up in the afternoon and it was noticeable when I went and got a barrow load of logs.  Having just lost the snow and ice weather warnings, weather warnings for wind were about to take effect.