Every now and again you get one of those days where you feel nothing goes right. Friday 5th July was one of those. One departure and two arrivals at our cottages near Bakewell (see link) and one cleaner up. Had an appointment mid morning with veterinary nurse for Smudge for a check up on his teeth. We were a few minutes late because I had to evict Blue from the car, then I couldn’t find my car keys and then the traffic was busy. Just after I got there a kitten was brought in who had been run over so the nurse and vet saw to that first before Smudge was seen (and also weighed – he has lost a little more weight). I then went into Bakewell to get some bits and realised I had forgotten my shopping list and the banking so remembered as best I could what I needed. It was when I was on my way to Chatsworth Farm Shop I realised I had forgotten to pick up the Peak Advertiser. Got back and had lunch and did final checks in cottages. Chris has been doing some touch up painting in cottages and weed spraying. A contrast in arrivals with first one at 3pm and second one at 10pm. In between I did some preparation for Saturday and it was nice enough to eat al fresco. It was also warm enough to turn off the heating in the cottages!!! Saturday saw one departure with four arrivals and one cleaner. A hot sunny day so at least the Bakewell Carnival went ahead without worrying about rain. At lunchtime we had a cooked lunch as were going to the Military Tattoo in Buxton in the evening which meant an early departure. Due to the carnival I had advised guests that they could arrive before 3pm to avoid the road closures and all four arrived between 3&4pm, three have been before. Andrew came up to move some cows but two were in the wrong field with the wrong cows and although Andrew managed to separate them they did not want to go where they belonged. Joanna was there to help and Chris went out to help as well and after a while I could see the three of them were being given the run around by the cows so I went out as well. We managed to get one back into the right field by playing musical cows so in the end we got our secret weapon out – Smudge! Finally we got her back, so it took four humans and a dog to move one cow! At 5pm we set off for Buxton. This is the fourth year of the Military Tattoo at the Dome and they also had a matinee performance. As it is unreserved seating you have to queue and then bag your seats when you are let in. One of our guests had also got tickets and when they got in I saw them and there were two spare seats where we were so they joined us. It was very warm inside the Dome (and outside too!) it was an enjoyable performance, unlikely to rival the Edinburgh tattoo but nice to have one local to us.

Wednesday was a quiet at home day, chatting to guests, doing accounts, doing jobs in vacant cottages see here for details. I have been having a splurge on washing items such as cushion covers, mattress protectors etc. I have a rota for washing these but with a number of cottages empty for a few days it seemed a good idea to get some done, especially with some good drying weather. There was a number of jobs for Chris too. When he went to put up the new hanging bracket he found a number of bolts holding down the roof of the outbuilding had come loose so he bolted that back down. Later in the afternoon I went down to the Co-Op to get some provisions. After dinner I popped down to Joanna’s for this months WI committee meeting. Main topics of discussion were our entry for the Bakewell Show in the WI competition and the group meeting we will be hosting next spring. Thursday was a warmer day. A busy morning with two departures and one cleaner up. In the afternoon I did some more accounts and got cottages ready for Friday. We had an early dinner then headed down to Bakewell to watch the raft race and terrier racing. These are regular events held during carnival week but we never get to see them. We knew Ian was taking part in the raft race. We decided to watch the race from Scots Garden (the meadow by the bridge) as it was near the start and it was quieter and we found somewhere to sit! We took the dogs but as the first raft passed us and Blue barked we wondered if it was the wrong decision, but after a couple of woofs he settled. We thought there would be just a couple of dozen rafts but there were over a hundred. A lot of these were decorated and the rafters were in costumes. Most were children but there were a few adults including Ian. After the last raft had passed us we walked back into Bakewell along the river by Felicini’s and over the iron bridge which was very busy with people still watching the rafts making their way to the finishing point by the cricket ground. We walked over to where the terrier racing was and watched a few races before making our way back to the car. Other events during the week included the Duck Race on Wednesday and the wheelbarrow race on Friday (a circuit round the pubs in Bakewell!) and of course the carnival itself on Saturday.

After a few nice days the weather turned again at our cottages near Bakewell (see here). Thursday started dry but by lunchtime we had some light rain. A quiet day with no arrivals and departures so I popped down to Bakewell in the morning to get some provisions before the rain set in then spent the afternoon working on the accounts as the quarter end approaches. With Andrew back cows got moved into the front field again so Chris helped with the electric fence. The last of the cows were let out for the summer so there is more black and white on the landscape.  Friday saw showers on and off but it felt muggy. Two departures and three arrivals and one cleaner up. All cottages arrived between 4 and 5pm. Joanna popped up with a thank you cake for our help but Smudge did a lot of the work and although he did get a look at the cake he didn’t get any to eat! At least Saturday,29th June,  saw an improvement in the weather. Three cottages left with only one arrival and one cleaner up. I went down early to the Farmers Market and then onto Chatsworth Farm shop to get some picnic food for Sunday. I had just got back and was chatting to some of the guests when we heard low flying aircraft and suddenly flying over us were the Red Arrows with a Sentinel aircraft,  I knew they were doing a fly past at Nottingham ten minutes later and ten minutes after that they flew passed us again! Lucky me!  It brightened and warmed up during the day and Chris cut the grass. Cottage arrived just after 3pm, they have been before, so I got ahead of myself by doing some extra washing. The forecast is for the hottest day of the year on Sunday so roll on Sunday!

Wednesday was forecast to be a fine day so I had planned a walk.  We set off from our cottages to Carsington Reservoir and parked at the Sheepwash car park (free!)   We picked up the path that went into the village which we have never walked through.  It is always different when you walk through as you can stop and look at the buildings like the church and the houses that you just drive by.  There was an information board with snippets about the village and the thing that struck me most was the bit about the Flying Coffins that flew over for the D Day landings (if you had seen the recent D Day programmes with Dan Snow you will know what I mean). From here we picked up the lane that became a track heading towards Brassington. With a steady ascent we had some wonderful views over Carsington Water. The landscape was pockmarked with old lead mining heaps and also limestone outcrops. Typical White Peak landscape, but the whole of this walk is actually outside the Peak Park.  Soon Brassington came into view and we trooped down the hill into the village by the school. As it was lunchtime the children were out playing. Like a lot of old lead mining villages their used to be many pubs but now there are only two. The walk took us through the churchyard and as we left the village on another ascent we had some lovely views back and could just make out Carsington water in the distance. I thought this would be a good spot for lunch. It was quite warm by this stage.  The path carried on to pick up the road to Longcliffe but before we reached this we could make out Rainster Rocks, which is the site of an ancient settlement. Luckily the road wasn’t busy and after we passed under the High Peak Trail we walked through the old station yard to pick up the trail heading to Harborough Rocks. The first part of the walk had been through fields but this part of the walk was the ugly part as we passed the various quarries and works so it was also quite noisy but these are an essential part of the area. We also saw the old aircraft lookout post from the war. The trail wasn’t busy and after a cutting Harborough Rocks came into view. We can see them from Bolehill and we had walked along this part of the trail the other Christmas when our friends were with us. Further along we picked up the path back to Carsington. We passed an old windmill and a big but apparently abandoned construction site but we could not find what it was about. We also passed a rocky formation called the kings chair from which there was a lovely view over Carsington Water, although the rock will have been there long before the reservoir.  A steep descent back into Carsington then back to the car. On the way home I had an ice cream from Monyash and then Chris and Smudge did their final herding in of the cows. We discovered afterwards that the construction site is where the contested wind farm is being built but that construction has been halted as under the base of one of the proposed turbines they have found an old lead mine working! We will be keeping an eye on developments.  Enjoy the photos.

Monday was a fine day with the promise of some warm weather on     the way for our cottages near Bakewell (see here). One departure  with two arrivals and one cleaner. Handyman here for a few days to help with some outside jobs. Now that spring has shown us what has and what hasn’t survived the winter some shrubs and an old tree need removing. Cottages arrived between 4and 5pm. As I was still feeling unwell I thought I would rest on Tuesday and have a little lie in but with the first phone call at 9.15, then 9.20, it looked like it wasn’t going to be so I got up. It was warm outside and I pottered around a little, making a note of any more bedding plants required, and prepared a cottage for today’s arrival. Had time to go down to Bakewell early afternoon to get provisions for the next few days getting back in time for guests arrival, they have been before. Later in the afternoon I went down to help bring in the cows with Smudge. Wednesday was a warm and feeling better I spent most of the day putting in the remaining bedding plants and helping out (mainly providing cups of tea!) as Chris and the handyman continued with their jobs around the place. It was nice enough to eat tea on the patio in the evening and linger for a while. That’s summer over for the time being with a breakdown forecast overnight.  So long as that was not the last of summer!