Friday was another fine day at Bolehill.  Four departures and four arrivals and one cleaner up as a couple of cottages were already prepared.  With the snow last week my laundry wasn’t collected and to keep up with changeovers I have had to wash some bedding which also means I have had to do some ironing too! Luckily the laundry that was collected on Wednesday came back in the nick of time, just after 2pm, so still had time to make up final bed!  In the morning I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  Two cottages arrived between 3 and 3.30pm and the final two between 4.30 and 5pm, one has been before.  Chris arranged for Andrew to come and remove the pile of snow from the car park on Saturday. It will still be a few weeks before the cows come out, last year it was 14 April.  What farmers need now is some rain!  I noticed how dry and cracked the fields are when I took the dogs out for their evening walk. It was still light at 8pm!  Severn Trent have already issued a drought warning as although the reservoirs are 94% full because it has been so dry so far this year they are starting to get worried.  The Peak Park Rangers have also issued warnings but these are about snow overhangs, or cornices as I have discovered they are called.  Apparently along the Edges ones the size of washing machines have been falling off so they are advising walkers not to walk out onto them and if you are on a path underneath the Edges to be careful!  Saturday was a wonderful spring like day.  With no wind you could feel the strength of the sun.  One departure and four arrivals and two cleaners up and no problems encountered. We used the warmth to carry on clearing more snow and later in the afternoon Andrew came up and moved the pile from the car park to the field for melting.  More of my pots are visible but we have lost some shrubs.  Two arrivals between 3.30 and 4pm, one has been here as a B and B guest.  The remaining two cottages, both of whom have been before arrived between 4 and 5pm.  After tea took the dogs out and took the camera to get some shots of the sunset.  Here are some photos from Saturday.

Monday was a busy day with two departures and one arrival at Bolehill.  Plenty to do and one cleaner up. Monday was a bit like Sunday, dry and sunny.  Guests arrived just after 3pm, they have been before.  In the evening I went to Over Haddon for indoor bowls and Chris went down to Bakewell for the Photographic Society.  Tuesday was another day of wall to wall sunshine and it felt milder although it was a bit hazier.  One cottage departed and one cleaner up.  As the forecast was good and we had no arrivals we headed off to Hopton Hall for our annual viewing of their snow drops.  They’re almost at their peak and with the weather about to turn colder we thought it was the best day to go.  Although you can’t take dogs around the gardens we took them with us so we could go for a short walk afterwards.  After lunch in the cafe we headed to Carsington Water just down the road from Hopton Hall.  As it was such a nice day and half term in Derbyshire it was very busy.  The dogs had to stay on their leads but we walked along the dam wall all the way to Millfields car park and back again.  It is the first time we have walked this far on this side.  We did try this walk a few Christmas’s ago but it was icy and we didn’t get so far round.  It took longer than we thought to reach Millfields and get back to the Visitor Centre and as it was still sunny and mild I was brave enough to have my first ice cream of the year!  We then popped into Ashbourne before heading back to Bolehill.  Wednesday felt a lot colder and it was very over cast.  A quiet day at home catching up with accounts and and also checking inventories in the cottages.  In the evening we had a Chinese take away with some friends so that was a nice end to the day.  Here are some photos from Tuesday.

Friday was a bit cooler but it stayed dry until later in the day. Later in the morning I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  With a couple of guests due in over the next couple of days there was a number of jobs to do.  One cottage in about 3 pm, they have been before. For a Friday it was busy with bookings and emails.  Although there are just a few pockets of snow left now (there were a few in the car parks in Bakewell where the piles hadn’t melted) I read in the Peak Advertiser how the Edale Rescue had had to rescue a couple of sledges on Mam Tor the previous weekend after sledging accidents. Saturday was a bright but cold day and time to catch up with jobs around the cottages and house.  One couple called in and ended up making a booking.  One cleaner up and one cottage arrived just after 3 pm. They have been before. Sunday was dull but a bit milder.  After collecting the paper we went round and saw a couple who manage a local holiday complex but who are moving on to another complex.  A quiet afternoon but a few bookings.

January’s weather statistics at our peak district cottages
There was 2.09 in rain (4.51 in 2012).  Wettest day 26th with .78 in rain. Highest temp was 11.6 deg C on 29th with 3rd being warmest day and 2nd warmest night.  Lowest temp was -4.8 deg C on 16th with 16th being coldest day and 15th coldest night.

Sunday was a bit dull to start with at our peak district cottages.  No departures but with three arrivals I was kept busy for a while in the afternoon.  In the evening we went to Over Haddon for the latest showing at the film club and we watched The Artist which I enjoyed.  Monday was a quieter day with one arrival and one departure and one cleaner up.  Guests arrived about 5 pm, they have been before.  I went to Over Haddon for my indoor bowls session in the evening driving carefully in case of ice.  Tuesday was very cold and it stayed a very cold day with temperatures barely above freezing.  We had decided to go over to Macclesfield to get some bits for Buxton so it meant a nice drive over the Cat and Fiddle.  Luckily it wasn’t icy.  We ordered what we needed then we went shopping finishing with lunch at my favourite deli. Back home via Buxton and Tuesday evening was my only evening in this week!  Wednesday was another quiet day but at least I have my weather station back.  A beautiful sunrise and another frosty start so real hard underfoot when taking the dogs out.  Time for some accounts and in the evening I collected Joanna and Lynne and headed to the Over Haddon hall again this time for the WI Xmas party and a good evening was had by all!  Enjoy the photos of the sunrise and the morning walk.

Sunday was forecast to be a pleasant day on the whole, at least in our area.  Three departures and one arrival and one cleaner up to turn cottage round.  With the car park in Bakewell being used for the Christmas weekend we went to Ashford to collect the paper and could see the water on the flood plains. After the cottage had been cleaned we decided we would go to the Chatsworth Christmas Fair.  We weren’t sure how busy it would be so thought we would see how far we could get.  We were surprised that we were able to get to Carlton Lees car park without encountering any queues for Chatsworth.  We thought we would park at Carlton Lees because we did not want to pay £10 for the car park.  So we walked from Carlton Lees to Chatsworth, it took about 30 minutes, but the fields were very soggy and the sound we heard the most was splash! The dogs did not enjoy all the water either.  When we got to Chatsworth we could see why one of the car parks was closed, it was under water!  The place was not as busy as we thought, despite a few coaches being around, but we later found out it had been announced that the fair was closed for the day due to the wet conditions, but we had not seen or heard this despite checking on the website before setting off.  The exhibitors had decided to go ahead anyway as they were told the house and gardens would still be open, so our trip wasn’t in vain.  I did buy a few things so it meant I had to walk back to the car with them.  Back at Carlton Lees we thought we would also have a quick amble round the garden centre before heading home to our peak district cottages to wash the dogs!  Guests had already arrived, they have been before.  After an early tea we went with Joanna and Andrew down to the village hall for the latest film night.  The film offering was Salmon Fishing in Yemen, don’t be put off by the title, it is a romcom with more com than rom! Enjoy the latest photos.

By Monday morning Chris realised that having replaced the temperature probe and batteries that perhaps the problem was even greater with the weather station than we thought.  A number of phone calls and switching on and off of various switches led to the conclusion that the master board was no more.  Luckily by Tuesday the new part had arrived and by lunchtime it was back in place. We have lost about two weeks of data and some values need resetting (I don’t think we had a temperature of 40 degrees C this October).  Anyway, here are Octobers weather statistics.

Warmest day and night (but no temperature available) 23rd, coldest day 27th and night 26th with lowest temperature of -0.5 deg C.  Wettest day 11th with .61 in rain with total 3.61 in for month (2.41 in Oct 2011).

Apart from the weather station Monday and Tuesday were otherwise quieter days.  No departures on either days and no arrivals on Monday so cleaning commenced on the vacated cottages.  Found time to pay this months bills too.  It was quite murky on Monday but brighter on Tuesday.  On Tuesday there was one arrival at about 4pm.  We have had our quietest couple of days for a long time but from Wednesday for the next couple of weeks it will be a lot busier at our Peak District Cottages.

Monday was a relatively quiet Monday at our peak district cottages.  Two cottages out with one back in and one cleaner up.  Time to do some extra cleaning tasks.  Monday was also another bright and sunny but cold day so on went the fire in the afternoon.  Cottage arrived just after 3pm, they have been before.  In the evening Chris went off to the Photographic Club again and I had a quiet evening in catching up on some recorded programmes that I like (but Chris doesn’t!).  Tuesday was a bit more dismal again and with no arrivals or departures and Chris not at Buxton he treated me to a day out at Junction 28.  I enjoyed my bit of retail therapy and after Junction 28 we came back home via IKEA. Chris survived the experience! Wednesday was another fine day, a little milder and a lot sunnier.  For me it was a day of catching up after Tuesday and preparing myself for the evenings WI committee meeting at Joanna’s.  For Chris it was a case of fixing a central heating valve, probably disturbed with all the work he did at the weekend.  One cottage arrived about 3pm, they have three collies.  It had already been cleaned.  Hope you like the picture, the leaves are nearly all off the trees now but we do have a number of ash trees.  I am hoping they wont be affected by this die back fungus but only time will tell.