A day off from our peak district cottages. I had planned a walk with a difference today but we didn’t set off until nearly midday just to give the weather a chance to brighten up which it did. The plan was to start the walk at Calver but there was nowhere to park so we drove over to Curbar near the church and started the walk from there. Initially we walked along the Derwent River before heading into Calver. We had never explored the village of Calver itself so it was a very pleasant surprise to find some quiet streets behind the busy A623. Out of the village we headed into the countryside before taking a path down into Stoney Middleton. Again we were surprised to find a lovely village ‘blighted‘ by the A623. We came across a house for sale and the owner happened to be nearby so we chatted for a while. We then took a steep lane out of the village to the minor road that leads to Eyam although at this point we picked up a path that went back down to the River Derwent. Before we headed down we stopped in the field to have lunch. We enjoyed a wonderful view and of all days I forgot my camera! From where we were sitting we had a panorama from the Chatsworth Hunting Tower along Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt Edges to the Lodge House o the Longshaw Estate. We then set off towards the river crossing the B6001, a road we have travelled along many times, before reaching the river which we followed back to Curbar. Back home to our Bakewell cottages and a quick bite before we went and picked up Andrew and Joanna and headed to Over Haddon Village Hall for the first film of the season. This was Quantum of Solace which I have to admit I did not enjoy as much as I thought.

There was a distinct autumnal smell in the air today although we did have a warm and mainly sunny day. So eight of our peak district cottages out with seven back in to our Bakewell cottages (and one back in tomorrow). Three cleaners up and no major problems encountered. Most weeks we have little snaggly problems to sort out, usually items mentioned on our feedback forms, which we find useful. This year though I have noticed we have been buying more tea towels and oven gloves than usual. Sometimes I find burnt oven gloves where they have bee left too close to the cooker rings. I also seemed to have had to replace more shower curtains than usual too. Chris did his usual Saturday jobs, lawn mowing and at this time of year leaf blowing. All guests arrived between 3 and 6 pm, of which two cottages are in for two weeks, both of these have been here before, and three other cottages arriving today are previous guests as are the guests arriving tomorrow so three quarters of our guests here this week are returning guests! A fish and chip supper then off to the Over Haddon Village Hall for the performance by the Bakewell Silver Band. Another enjoyable evening with the audience singing along to some of those proms favourites and I won a raffle prize!