My blog for Monday & Tuesday has slipped in before Saturday in case you cannot see it. One cottage arrived on Wednesday. Thursday was another murky day and the lads finished off the pointing on one part of the wall before the rain started. They were able to cover it with a hessian sheet to protect it. A quick dash to Buxton in the morning and a trip to Bakewell in the afternoon, primarily to get my hair cut. Friday was busier with four cottages out of our Derbyshire cottages and two back in. Chris and the handyman did some more work on the pointing before doing some internal work. The forecast was for bad weather to be here by lunchtime but in the end it did not arrive until the evening. Both guests were in well before then. Friend and I headed off to Dunelm at Chesterfield in the evening but I had to drive back in the pouring rain.
derbyshire cottages
Chesterfield and Bakewell Puddings 13 & 14 October
Tuesday dawned sunny bright but cold, but it was colder in Bakewell than here! Went to Chesterfield with one of the cleaners with a long shopping list and we went to Bookers and Dunelm and came back with lots of bits! Chris had popped down to the farm and mentioned the stag and apparently Joanna had seen it on Sunday in the field behind us so I must keep an eye out for it. Spoke to my sister in the evening who has just had a break in Barcelona, lucky her. Wednesday was a lot cloudier but still dry and mild. One cottage out of our Derbyshire cottages with one back in so one cleaner up today. A busy morning with lots of calls and some bookings for next year. A chance to put up some new curtains in the vacated cottage. After lunch spent some time on accounts and new guests arrived just after 3pm. They have been here before. About 4pm a car arrived with some people looking for accommodation from tonight but I was not able to help. Saw a balloon later in the afternoon which had take off from Bakewell. There have been plenty of balloon sightings In the last few days and another set of guests said they had seen a Hercules fly along Lathkill Dale. This evening was a WI outing instead of our normal meeting and we had an evening booked at the Original Bakewell Pudding Parlour. Too make up numbers other halves were ale to come so Chris and I picked up Joanna. Andrew did not come as he was still milking. They are also in the middle of a spate of calving and Joanna said they have had a good run of heifer births – good news for them including a set of heifer twins which is unusual. They are running out of room in the nursery pens! Our evening at the Pudding Parlour included a meal but first of all we were able to make our own Bakewell Pudding. First we had to flatten our pastry ring to make sure there were no air bubbles. Then we added a small dollop of jam and a generous spoonful of the pudding mixture. We still were not told the secret ingredient but having assemble our puddings they cooked whilst we eat our meals which was very tasty. We then were able to see the results of our handy work. Chris’s was better than mine as I had put a little too much filling in and it had overflowed! Guess you can see which is mine!
Here we go again! Friday 11 September
Another bright start and another busy day. Four cottages out of our peak district cottages this morning with two back in this afternoon. Two cleaners up this morning and a chance for some inventory checking. With the changeover spread over two days this weekend I am having a look at what kitchen items need replacing. One set of saucepans was replaced today and a number of utensils are down to be renewed. I have a long shopping list for next week already! First guests arrived just before 3pm. They have been here before. I then had to go down to Bakewell for a hair appointment so also did the banking etc and bought provisions for the weekend. Bakewell was still very busy but I guess a good forecast for the weekend will have brought more visitors to the town. Back home in time for the second cottage to arrive. They have two collies so our dogs have some new friends this weekend. A lovely sunset and actually sat down for 8pm, by which time it was getting dark. The nights are drawing in, another sign of the changing season.
yet more comings and goings Sunday/Monday 4/5 September
Another bright day, at least to start with. One cottage out with two cottages back in to our Derbyshire cottages and one cleaner up. Both cottages have been here before and arrived just after 3pm. Time to do a number of jobs around the house. Later in the afternoon it started to cloud up and then rain again. We had tickets for the Wholigans, a Who tribute band at Buxton, so we went early and had a bite at the Tapas restaurant that had an early evening special on. The show as good but loud, just as the Who would have been. Monday dawned sunny and turned into a warm day. Two cottages out with two back in and one cleaner here. Both cottages arrived just after 3pm at which point with the weather being so fine Chris and I tended to some jobs in the garden. An early dinner as it was the first meeting of the Bakewell Photographic Society and Chris has a new role as projectionist and score keeper! I caught up with some odd jobs but also for the first time in ages a balloon went by – a woofing opportunity for the dogs and photo opportunity for me!
Comings and goings 2-4 September
On Wednesday there was one departure and one cleaner up. We moved a suite into the vacated cottage. On Thursday we had one cottage in, arriving late as they were setting up for the Chatsworth Country Fair which starts tomorrow. Apparently the ground is very wet (not surprisingly) and tractors were having to pull vans around. By Friday morning the wind had deposited a lot of leaves in the courtyard. Its at this time of yrear we want south westerlies so the leaves blow into the fields. Chris had to go out and clear the leaves with the leaf sucker. I went down to Bakewell in the morning, it as noticeably emptier than previous weeks but still busy. One cottage out of our Derbyshire cottages with two back in. One cleaner here today. Both cottages arrived about 4pm. Time for housework and preparing for tomorrow.
It’s all happeneing here! Tuesday 1 September
The first day of the month dawned sunny. One of our Peak District cottages out today. A busy morning with laundry and rubbish to be collected. Also my half lamb for the freezer was ready to be collected from New Close Farm at Over Haddon so I drove over there and collected it. Just before lunch we also had delivery of our two new suites (the older ones are being freecycled). After lunch I set off for Buxton. Chris had gone to York to visit his mum. As it was still sunny and warm in Bakewell I didn’t bother taking my jacket although showers were forecast. As I headed to Chelmorton the sky was very dark and the next thing I knew the heavens opened and I found myself in the middle of the storm. The hail was so hard that I thought my windscreen would break and the road disappeared under the rain and hail. I was really quite worried. Luckily it stopped by the time I parked the car in Buxton. Did my chores then went over to Morrisons and when I emerged it was already starting to rain again and I got caught in another storm driving home – luckily not as bad as the earlier one. When I got home I found two traumatise dogs as they don’t like storms and they stayed close to me for an hour or so until the rumbling finally finished. Chris had unplugged the phones bearing in mind our tendency to suffer near lightening strikes, but I was able to plug them back in later. I spoke to Joanna who had had to get the cows in during the storm and Andrew had been worried they might have a power cut during milking but luckily they didn’t. Chris was home by 10pm. Phew what a day!
A mixed week ahead Saturday 29 August
Arrived back late Thursday and Friday went on catching up. After a cold night woke up to a cold morning and a quick trip down to the Farmers Market. Today we had seven cottages out with five back in to our Peek District cottages between Bakewell and Monyash. One arrived last Monday and leaves tomorrow. For the rest of the week we have guests arriving and departing most days. Three cleaners up and apart from the usual minor repairs no problems were encountered. Even managed to finish with time to spare! First cottage arrived just after 3pm and final cottage arrived just after 5pm. Time to catch up on the days emails and post and a steak and kidney pie (from the market) for tea.
Buxton & Buxton again! Thursday/Friday 20/21 August
Chris went to York again on Thursday afternoon and I went over to Buxton to get some bits but other than that a quiet day. One of our cottages left this afternoon as they also run a holiday business and have to be back for the morning. On Friday a cleaner came up and cleaned the vacated peak district cottage. In the morning I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend and got caught in a heavy down pour, as did the bride just as she turned up at the registry office! I spent some of the afternoon preparing for tomorrow and making some arrangements for next week as I plan to go down to my sisters for a few days next week. In the evening we went to the Buxton Opera House for a performance of The Pirates of Penzance. This was a part of the annual International Buxton Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, which follows on from the Buxton Festival, and we went with a group from the WI. Picked up my name sake, Shirley, from Monyash on the way and she was able to update us on Monyash gossip! A full house and a rousing performance.
Out and about Tuesday/Wednesday 18/19 August
Went to Sainsbury’s in Matlock on Tuesday morning and had a little wander around Matlock too. It was busy with holiday makers as expected. Chris came back in the afternoon and I had hoped we could have a BBQ but it was too breezy by the evening. On Wednesday it started off cloudy and it wasn’t until midday the sun finally came out and the temperature shot up. We needed a new oven for one of the cottages in time for the weekend and I was able to reserve one at Currys in Chesterfield so we zipped over there and collected it. Whilst in Chesterfield we called in at a furniture store and half an hour later had ordered two sofa suites for two cottages and to finish of our ‘shopping trip’ we bought a couple of rugs. So a few odd jobs to do at the weekend in our Derbyshire self catering cottages. As the weather stayed nice we decided on a picnic to Lathkill Dale in the evening. We parked at Over Haddon and walked down to the dale. For the time of year there was a lot of water in the dale. At Conksbury Bridge we took the path back up to Over Haddon but stopped at ‘our’ picnic place overlooking the dale. While we ate our picnic we also watched the hay making at Meadow Grange farm on the other side of the dale.
The heather is on its way Friday 14 August
Decided to go for a walk today as we haven’t had any real time off for two weeks now. Had thought about Froggatt Edge but it was a bit hazy so opted for a walk from the Longshaw Estate near Hathersage which included Padley Gorge. Although we have driven past the Longshaw Estate we have never stopped or walked from there. Longshaw Lodge now is private but it was a former hunting Lodge of the Duke of Rutland before it was sold to the National Trust. During the first world war it was used as a military hospital. The walk started at Woodcroft car park and we headed to White Edge Moor. From here we could make out Higger Tor and Carl Wark and in the haze Win and Lose hills. We were surprised to find that heather was starting to bloom and on closer inspection could make out swathes of purple covering the lower slopes of the moorland. This means the heather will be early this year. From White Edge we headed towards the Haywood car park and then down towards Grindleford skirting the edge of Nether Padley. At Grindleford station we stopped for lunch at the cafe, although we had brought sandwiches with us, but the bacon bap had four rashers of bacon and was very tasty. From here we walked up Padley Gorge and though the path was not always beside the gorge Chris found a number of spots to take some photos. I took some too. At the top of the gorge it was quite busy with families enjoying the warm day beside Burbage Brook. We headed back towards the Longshaw Estate and being a National Trust property stopped at the tea room for tea and cake with Higger Tor and Carl Wark as a backdrop. On the way back home we stopped at the Calver Garden Centre to get some bits. In the evening one of the cleaners came up and cleaned a cottage. The German family who had been with us for a fortnight went today and with a busy day tomorrow one cottage less to worry about at our Bakewell cottages is always helpful.