Thursday started off badly with the news that the Chatsworth Horse Trials had been cancelled due to a waterlogged course. We had a couple of cottages booked in for the weekend to attend the trials so I checked with them in the evening that they were aware of the situation and they both confirmed they were still coming. I feel sorry for any B&B’s who have suddenly found themselves without bookings for the weekend. We’ve been there when we did B&B. With no departures or arrivals it was day to catch up on jobs in the house, garden and cottages. Having washed some more curtains there was some ironing and hanging up to be done. In the afternoon I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend. Despite the forecast it stayed mainly dry but it was very mild. Friday was similar but fresher. Two cottages out with two returning later in the day. One cleaner up. Spent some time in the afternoon doing accounts. First cottage arrived about 3.30pm. They have been before. Most cottages have dogs and we have had a wide range of dogs staying at our dog friendly cottages in the last few days from Yorkshire Terriers and Jack Russell’s to Briards and Weimaraners. Second cottage arrived about 7.30pm after which I took the dogs for an evening walk in the evening sunshine admiring the Edges that were lit up by the setting sun. At least the day finished with a bit of good news the drought order in Derbyshire is being lifted and it looks like my cheery blossom tree is about to burst forth with colour.
dog friendly peak district
post Easter
Monday was Easter Monday. It rained. It rained most of the day. Typical bank Holiday Monday! One cottage out and two back in with one cleaner up. No problems encountered and both cottages arrived just after 3pm. Rained eased off late afternoon so took the dogs for a walk. We have quite a few dogs here again this week at our dog friendly cottages. Tuesday was a lot brighter with the threat of showers. With no arrivals or departures we decided to go to Ashbourne as we haven’t been there for a while. First stop was the recycling centre then the garden centre where I bought some plants of course! Then we had a wander round town. Disappointed to find one of the deli’s closed but still many food shops remaining. A few new shops to browse as well and luckily only saw one shower which made us wonder if we could have gone for a walk but some of our other guests said they had been caught in a few more showers so it did depend on where you were. On the way back we did a detour to call in at Bakewell to pick up some supplies from the agricultural store including some compost for my hanging baskets. I also called in at our WI President as I needed some cheques signing. Wednesday was similar to Tuesday weather wise. In between showers did some gardening and Chris added some shingle to the paths. Some evening showers produced a nice rainbow display. After dinner Chris and I collected Joanna and Andrew and us ladies went to the monthly WI meeting while the men went for a drink at the Lathkil. First they had to help our speaker, a cousin of Andrews, who had come to give us a cookery demonstration, bring in all the goodies from her car. The advantage was at the end of the evening they were also able to sample her cooking just like the ladies!
One of those weekends!
Saturday saw two departures with three arrivals and one cleaner at our pet friendly cottages. One cottage took a little longer to clean but all was ready in time for the next guests who arrived between 3 and 5 pm. Most cottages have a dog so Smudge is happy as he has more cottages to investigate. Sunday saw one departure and one arrival with one cleaner up. Gremlins struck with a non working TV (aerial in wrong socket) and a dead microwave. Luckily we have a spare. Eventually popped down town to get the paper. Cottage was ready by lunchtime and guests arrived about 3pm. A few hours on housework and paperwork in the afternoon. There should have been a film night at Over Haddon but the projector wasn’t working so it was a quiet night in.
Canine visitors
Monday started bright at our dog friendly cottages but it clouded over during the afternoon. Three cottages out with three back in and two cleaners up. All cottages here by four pm, two have been before and for the next few days we have as many canine guests as human guests. Spent a little time on accounts and in the evening went to Over Haddon for indoor bowls At least I played better this week. Left Chris babysitting the dogs. Took the dogs out for their usual walk on Tuesday morning and it ended up with three mistresses and six dogs. Our two enjoyed themselves running around with the other dogs and playing catch, going for a walk with me will seem boring in the future. Tuesday was a catch up day with a lot of phone calls and finishing February’s accounts in advance of receiving March’s bills. Early evening we went to Rowley’s at Baslow where we had been invited along with other accommodation providers in the area for a drink and canapies to hear about their new menus. A chance to have a chat with others in the business and pick up this years menus. Wednesday was another catch up day and one cottage in later in the day having booked late on Tuesday. Another mild day and with March knocking on the door we cannot get too complacent as the snow word has reappeared in the weather forecast.
Bonfire weekend
Friday started dull and damp with mist rising from the dale. Three cottages out and four back in with two cleaners up. Later in the morning Chris and I started our rounds of the cottages to make a note of what jobs need doing over the winter. After all the work we have done in previous years there will not be as much this year, but having said that once we start we always find more jobs to do. The afternoon turned quite sunny and warm and it was one of those days where the arrivals were spread over a large period. None have been before and with it being bonfire weekend we have a number of dogs here at our dog friendly cottages escaping the fireworks. First arrivals at 4pm, then 5pm. Waiting for arrivals I started on this months accounts and as it turned dark we had a heavy shower with some thunder. Blue wasn’t keen on going out in the evening as he could hear some fireworks in the distance. Final guests arrived between 7 and 8 pm. Saturday was the first one for ages with no arrivals but one departure, but they have booked for next year. Chris went down to Over Haddon to help with the preparations for the Bonfire evening (he and Andrew were helping collect material and build the bonfire) leaving me to have a couple of hours to immerse myself in bits around the house. Like Friday, after a dull start it brightened up in the afternoon and we had a nice sunset by which time it had turned chillier. Took dogs out after dinner but they did not want to go into the fields because of the fireworks in the distance. Collected Joanna and Andrew and took them down to Over Haddon. It was busy on the fields where the display was and we watched the bonfire before the fireworks were set off, From our elevated position we could see the bonfires and displays on the opposite hillsides, at one stage we were watching four others plus our own. Went back to Joanna’s for a hot chocolate before coming back home.
The storm before the calm!
Despite the busy day I was off first thing to the Farmers Market. Back in time to see the last guests depart. Seven cottages in today so a full house with four cleaners up! Two have been with me previously and having lost one recently one of those up today may be able to help out a bit more. Two new bed bases also arrived late morning so plenty to keep us occupied. Chris also managed to cut the grass to keep it tidy and ‘hoovered’ some leaves from the courtyard. First guests didn’t arrive until nearly 3.30 then three more during the next hour and a final surge between 5 and 5.30pm. After a few weeks with a high number of repeat guests this week there are only two cottages with returning guests but we do have a lot of dogs here this week at our dog friendly cottages including the Great Dane back for another visit. It was quite cloudy in the afternoon after a sunny start but it stayed mild and of course the forecast shows warmer weather ahead. In fact the forecast I printed off showed the temperature reaching 24 C here on Wednesday! We’ll wait and see. Sunday started dull and after a bit of rain at lunchtime the sun finally came out late afternoon. First thing though took dogs for usual walk and helped a group of DOE students who were in our front field and not sure where they were! One cottage out with one back in so Chris and I turned the cottage round. Guests arrived just after 4.30 (WI member!) by which time the sun was shining! Got a phone call from Joanna to remind me of the new season of films starting at Over Haddon. Had forgotten about that but we went and saw the latest version of ‘Brighton Rock’. We had a good chat about the film afterwards as a lot of us had read the book at school as it was on the curriculum. They are still talking about the temperatures being in the mid twenties this week and perhaps lingering into next week which would be helpful as we still have a couple of vacancies next week. Next Saturday will mark the end of our busy change overs being on a Saturday as we will be into the time when we have a mix of weekly bookings as well as short breaks.
a couple of different days
Tuesday was a lovely day weather wise so shame I was cooped up for most of it. Collected Joanna and we set off to Chesterfield for the Derbyshire Federation WI Spring Council Meeting. This is the first one I have attended and I was attending as Over Haddon’s delegate so I had to take notes. It was a very interesting meeting. After singing Jerusalem we had a speech from the Chairlady and Treasurer then the first of the two morning speakers, the first being the Editor of Derbyshire Life Magazine which is 80 years old this year. She gave us the history of the magazine and told us about how the magazine gets published each month with a small team. The second speaker was the Operations Manager of the National Trust for the Dark Peak and he told us about the work being done on Kinder Scout (old Saxon name meant water over the edge) to restore the peat bogland to its proper state. Time for lunch and time for a bit of fresh air before returning for the afternoon session. First there was any official business with various prizes and certificates before our afternoon speaker. This was Mr Stephen D Smith aka ‘the Rumpole of Rotherham’ who gave us an hilarious account of how he became a Solicitor and some of the more famous clients he has represented. Wednesday was mainly cloudy with a cold north easterly wind at our peak district cottages but it did brighten up later. Not that it mattered as we went to IKEA then onto the outlet centre at Junction 28 (to stock up on choccies!). In the evening it was WI committee. Chris is going to be a WI widower this month!
The White Stuff
My fault for making the comments last Saturday. We deliberated and decided the forecast of rain, snow then rain meant there was no point in salting the drive but when we woke this morning at our peak district cottages it was snowing quite heavily. With a couple of cottages due out and three due back in we were out clearing the drives and paths. Cottages away without any problems and luckily the cleaner due to come up managed to get here. No major problems encountered. We reckon there was about 2 inches of snow, which of course hampered me in my tasks. Two cottages arrived between 3 & 4 pm with the remaining cottage, who has been before, arriving about 8pm. Supposed to be milder and brighter on Sunday. Hope so as I planned for a walk! Lots of friends here at the moment for Smudge and Blue.
Guests!
A lot of arrivals and departures at our dog friendly cottages on Friday & Saturday. Friday started a bit dreary but the sun came out mid morning and it felt quite mild. Two cottages out (one gave me a cheesecake from Chatsworth!) with four back in. Always nice when more in than out! Some cottages already prepared but one cleaner up to do necessary and all ready for guests arrivals. Chris was finishing last bits of carpeting by replacing carpets in wardrobes. Three cottages arrived between 3.30 and 4pm with final cottage arriving about 7pm. One set of guests are regular visitors. Time for a little bit of accounts. With all the work done last month I have a bumper set of bills to pay this month! Saturday was a sunny mild day on the whole, in fact pleasant enough to have coffee on the patio with fleeces on! Last time we did that on a February morning we were punished by six inches of snow a week later. One cottage out with two back in and one cleaner up. Both cottages in by 4.30. One has been before. Did some housework and accounts and Chris did some work on the dogs en suite. With more guests in over the next couple of weeks we shall be turning our attention to our home!
A hectic weekend
After scraping the windscreen on Saturday morning headed down to the Farmers Market. Last one was before Xmas so it was nice to stock up again. When I got back Chris noticed Smudge was licking his paw and on closer inspection noticed a claw had broken so Chris decided to take him to the vets. While he was there Smudge got the first part of his annual booster jab so I will take Blue on Monday for his! One cottage out with two due back into our dog friendly cottages. One cleaner up and first guests here by 3pm and second one by 5pm. Both with dogs and both been here before. Chris spent day on various jobs including more carpet laying. From now on we have increasing occupancy in the cottages so less opportunity to get things done in the cottages for the time being but I think we have achieved a lot in the last few weeks. On Sunday we had one cottage depart and despite the dull weather we decided on a walk. I devised an hour glass shaped walk based on Calver so we had an escape hatch if Smudge was limping or if I wasn’t getting on with my new boots. The ground was still hard at Bolehill and having worn the boots around the house for a few days I felt it was now or never for a proper walk. We parked near Calver Mill and set off along the Derwent Valley Heritage Way towards Froggatt. At New Bridge (don’t know why it is called that as it looks very old to me!) we made a short diversion to look at the recently restored Calver Weir which is an 18C Grade II listed structure. Back at the bridge we picked up the footpath up to Hare Knoll from which we got some nice views of the Edges although the pictures did not come out as well as I hoped. From here we took a (muddy) track back down to Calver and as my boots and Smudge were holding up we walked through some of the ginnels of Calver to emerge on the other side of the village. Here we picked up a path to Bramley Woods from which we could hear the road to Hassop but see across to Chatswrth House. I planned to have lunch up on this ridge, the trouble was there was a wall that prevented us from seeing the views if we sat down! We carried on through to Bank Wood where strangely enough in a clearing we came across a bench which meant we could have lunch with a view, but it was a view of the Hassop Road. Never mind, its not often we have lunch on a bench. From our lunch spot we walked down to a minor road that cuts cross from Hassop to Bubnell. We took this road for a short while then picked up a path heading towards Bubnell and Baslow. Our views now were of Baslow, Bubnell with the Edges again as a backdrop. At Bubnell we picked up the Derwent Valley Heritage Way back to Calver then home to a nice bath! Both boots and Smudge survived the walk although both were a bit muddy and needed a clean!