Monday was another dry day, nearly three weeks without rain at Bolehill Farm if you ignore the snow.  Two departures and two arrivals and one cleaner up.  Both cottages here by 4pm which gave me time to phone a friend, cook dinner and then head off to the village hall for the committee meeting.  Tuesday was a quiet day at home catching up on paper work.  One departure and one cleaner up.  In the afternoon popped down town to get some provisions for the next few days.  On Wednesday there was another departure and a cleaner up.  We headed over to Macclesfield as I wanted to look at some furniture shops both for us and the cottages.  We were surprised at how little snow there was on the Cat and Fiddle road. On the way back we came via the A54 rather than Cat and Fiddle which gave us a change of scenery and the opportunity to see Blaze Farm near Wildboarclough, a farm now famous for its Hilly Billy ice cream it makes from its dairy herd (keep suggesting to Andrew he should go into ice cream!)  The farm was very busy with families enjoying the milder weather and the new lambs!  We stopped for lunch at the cafe in Monyash where we enjoyed our bacon butty al fresco!  Back home we spent a few hours tidying up in the garden and courtyard and made a note of casualties I will need to replace.  Luckily the plant auction takes in a few weeks time.  Whilst out in the garden I heard the first curlew of the season so spring must be on its way!  In the evening we went to Buxton House to see a back to back performance by Acker Bilk (in his wheelchair) and in theory Kenny Ball, although his son performed in his place.  Still it was an enjoyable evening.

Tuesday saw no departures at Bolehill but one arrival later in the day.  Time to catch up with accounts and kept busy with emails too.  Guests arrived about 6pm and after an early dinner we headed to Buxton for a evening of short films from the Kendal Mountain Festival.  Each year a selection of short films shown at the Festival are selected for a world tour and Buxton Opera House was one of the venues.  It was quite amazing looking at the limits some people push themselves to.  Mind you the journey to Buxton was interesting enough bearing in mind the snow drifts at the side of the road.  Still some milder weather is forecast for later in the week.  Wednesday was technically one of our days off but I couldn’t decide what to do so we went to Chesterfield for a look around the shops.  First we said goodbye to one cottage. Another sunny day but the wind took the edge of the temperature again.  After a walk round Chesterfield we had lunch then I had a stroll round Dunelm before we headed home.  We came back via Over Haddon to see what the road conditions were like.  As with other roads around here parts of the road were passable with care and in other parts there was nothing there.  There was evidence of melting during Wednesday so hopefully this will continue.  In the evening I went down to Joanna’s for this months WI committee.  Thursday was another dry and sunny day but with a cold wind again.  One departure and one cleaner up.  The morning whizzed by and in the afternoon we went to Sainsbury’s in Matlock as I haven’t done a supermarket shop for ages.  Enjoy the photos from Wednesday. 

So how did you spend Good Friday?  Chris and I spent a couple of hours in the morning clearing a paths through the car park and into the courtyard at Bolehill.  It meant that our departing guests could get their car up into the courtyard to load up.  It was the first car in the courtyard for a week!  When I took the dogs for a walk a farmer was clearing more snow from the road meaning cars can now drive on both sides of the road.  One cleaner up and the three cottages due in arrived between 3 and 4pm.  One is a regular visitor and the other two had not been here since we arrived.  At least the sun had shone for a lot of the day and helped loosen more snow where Chris had spread salt.  Saturday saw one departure and three arrivals.  Chris dropped me off in Bakewell, as my car was still snowed in,so I could go to the Farmers Market which was quite busy. Time to chat with some of the regulars and exchange snow stories.  The farmer from New Close Farm had been one of the tractors clearing the road earlier in the week as his son was stuck in Monyash and they are in the middle of lambing so they wanted him home!  Green Cowden have almost finished lambing, slightly earlier than expected, but the barns are getting very full as they can’t put any sheep out.  Andrew normally starts to put cows out mid April but as grass hasn’t started to grow yet he is going to be feeding them indoors for a lot longer.  On the way back we called in at Haddon Grove Cottages to see how they were doing and also I haven’t seen the state of the road from the cottages to Monyash since I’ve been back.  All cottages arrived between 3 and 4pm, two have been before.  During the afternoon stocked up on logs, still have to wheel them down by barrow as drifts are blocking the garden entrance and log store.  Also had a chance to chat some of the guests.  Another sunny day so more snow has gone and we can now get cars in and out of the car park and courtyard.  In the evening watched Dr Who as well as the Channel 4 programme Walking through History with Tony Robinson walking down the Derwent Valley having started off at Bakewell.  Spotted the Lathkil Hotel from his stretch from Ashford to Rowsley via Magpie Mine and Haddon Fields.  Here are some photos from Friday.

Friday was the calm after the storm. Bright sunny and dry!   One cottage departed and four due to arrive. One cleaner up and no problems encountered.  Had some potential guests drop in to look at the cottages with a view to making a booking for next year.  Chris spent some time clearing gutters, one of those lovely jobs that has to be done.  Three cottages arrived between 3 and 3.30 pm, one has been before.  A short sharp shower left a wonderful rainbow but couldn’t take a photo as showing guests in.  The final cottage arrived about six pm but final guests arrived about 9.30 pm as they were sharing a cottage with other guests who had arrived earlier.  Saturday started quite foggy but it had settled in the dales and it made for some good photos and other guests were out there in the front fields taking photos too.  I went down to Bakewell for the farmers market in a still foggy Bakewell.  Also taking place was the first day of the Bakewell Christmas Weekend so I went into Bakewell and wandered around the stalls and displays such as classic motorbikes. The lights on the tree were going to be switched on later in the day.  Back at our Peak District cottages two cottages departed and one cleaner up.  Two cottages arrived just after 3pm but in the meantime we stocked up on logs and Chris cleared some more gutters of leaves as more rain was forecast. Rain arrived about 3pm too but the mist never really cleared.  About 6pm we could here the fireworks in Bakewell which I would have thought would have been cancelled due to the wet weather so I missed out on that display.  Never mind. Enjoy the photos.

Wednesday was on the whole a dull but dry day at our peak district cottages.  No departures but two arrivals, but both are here as they are showing at the Chatsworth Christmas Fair this weekend.  Time for a trip down to Bakewell to get bits for the next few days.  In the evening I collected Joanna for this months WI meeting.  It was the AGM and I will be Treasurer for another year.  After the business we had a tea prepared by the committee (I had already made some sandwiches earlier in the afternoon) and we played some board games.  We also cut the cake to celebrate our 80th birthday!  Thursday started quite misty but by late morning the sun was shining so we were lucky as in many places it didn’t clear.  One departure in the morning and one cleaner up with one arrival later in the day.  Chris and I did a walk round the garden looking at  jobs to do and as it was so still he decided to clear the leaves from the back lawn.  In the end he cleared about six trailer loads and as a breeze started to pick up I ended up helping him.  Cottage arrived at 3pm, they have been here before.  The afternoon went in many jobs, I am still pressing the new linen, nearly finished though.  One thing I can say about Thursday is that it turned into one of those lovely autumnal days, I stopped a couple of times to look at the various colours and the setting sun cast some different hues on the landscape.  So entranced forgot to take photos!  By late afternoon we could see the mist settling in the dales again.  Chris went off in the evening with Andrew and the lads from Buxton for a drink and I had a quiet evening in.

Monday was very windy first thing, could barely keep on my feet on the back fields at our peak district cottages.  The power went off briefly just after 9am but came back quickly.  The holiday cottages next door were without power for most of the morning and they had a big clean up to do as there had been a wedding party in over the weekend.  One cleaner up as one cottage out and back in.  Power off briefly again late morning as it seemed we had to be switched off so everyone else could be switched on.  A little bit later got a call from Joanna, it looked like they were without power.  Laundryman said he had to be diverted because of a fallen tree near Tideswell.  Guests arrived about 4pm. Wrote up the minutes from the WI committee meeting and made a list of things to get on my planned shopping expedition.  Later in the afternoon James from Haddon Grove called in.  They had been without power since early afternoon having had power restored for a couple of hours late morning (as had a number of local villages) and hadn’t managed to finish the hoovering before they lost power and next guests arrived.  Joanna had also been without power all afternoon but at least they have a generator so they could do the milking.  Power went off then on again about 8pm so hopefully the surrounding area had their power back as it was getting dark but here is a nice sunset picture.