Tuesday February 2 was a cold day at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  It stayed overcast and the keen wind made it feel quite bitter.  Work carried on in the cottages, mainly Honeysuckle, with handyman and a cleaner here.  In the afternoon I went to Sainsburys in Matlock via the Peak Village.  In the evening we had some wintry showers and we woke up to about half an inch of snow.  There hadn’t been anything on the ground at 3am when I looked out and as white as it was when we got up it went very quickly when the sun got on it.  Chris went out and took some pictures before breakfast but by the time I went out after breakfast it was already melting.  At least it stayed sunny.  No departures but one arrival with cottage already prepared. Had some curtains to iron and put back up.  Took a number of bookings but I also managed to get more jobs done around the cottages.  Chris carried on in Honeysuckle.  Cottage arrived just after 4pm.  Thursday was dull with a few showers and milder than the last couple of days.  No arrivals or departures and one cleaner here to carry on deep cleaning in the cottages and some preparations for the weekend.  I was back in the laundry room as well as undertaking jobs around the cottages ahead of a busy weekend.

Weather stats for January: Highest temp 11.9C on 24th with lowest -1.3C on 17th.  Warmest day and night 24th with 16th coldest night and 17th warmest day.  3.07 inches rain (no wonder the ground is soggy) with 7th the wettest day with .57 in rain. (Rain Jan 15 was 3.1 in).

Saturday was cold but sunny at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  Three departures including our long term guests and as they all departed early Chris came down with me to Bakewell to visit the Farmers Market.  After this we had a walk around town and stopped for coffee and cake at the Lavender Tearoom.  When we got back I had a number of bookings including a last minute one for Saturday.  The cottage was already prepared, we just had to make up the bed and do the last minute checks.  Cottage arrived just after 3pm.  The afternoon went on emails and bookings and we stocked up on logs.  During the afternoon we had a number of wintry showers but nothing settled.  In the evening we went down to Over Haddon and had a meal with Karen and Mark from the tearoom along with another couple from Over Haddon.  A lovely evening and by the time we got home there was a dusting of snow on the ground.  This had disappeared by Sunday morning as it was raining and Sunday turned out wet but milder.  After getting the paper from Bakewell I did some housework and after a late lunch we had a quiet day with a few more bookings.  Monday was very breezy to start with.  Struggled with the wind when took Smudge out for a walk.  One departure and one cleaner here to keep up with cleaning.  Tuesday handyman also here to help Chris with painting jobs in Honeysuckle.  A last minute booking meant some beds to make up but with the cottage already cleaned a quick spruce and final checks soon saw everything ready.  Most of the day went on cottage related jobs and cottage arrived just after 5pm.  In the evening I went to Over Haddon for indoor bowls and caught up with local gossip.

The forecast for Thursday morning was dry and sunny at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  With showers and rain forecast for the afternoon I thought about a walk on Curbar Edge to take advantage of the clear skies.  Chris thought it might be too windy having taken Smudge for a walk in the back fields but overall we were walking out of the main winds.  We parked on the hill rising up from Curbar and walked up to the top to pick up the path along the edge.  To start with it was still very clear and with blue skies it made for some nice photos.  As we gradually made our way along the edge it did start to cloud up.  At the point where there was an animal enclosure we took the path down the face of the edge, a bit rocky in places picking up the level path at the foot of the edge.  This path was a bit boggy in places and eventually it arrived back at the road so we had a short walk back up to the car.  A total walk of just over 3miles. It had clouded over completely by then and we headed down to Calver to have a late lunch at the Eating House beside the Craft Centre.  After lunch we called into one of our cleaners then headed over to Hathersage for a browse around the outdoor shops before driving home.  By now there was rain in the air and later it did get quite wet and windy.  By the evening there was a weather warning for wind on Friday and it was windy overnight but it decreased during the day.  Friday was a pleasant day with sunny spells and a light shower every now and then.  One departure but no arrivals and one cleaner here to keep up with cleaning and for me a day of jobs in the cottages and around the house.  Enjoy the photos from Thursday.

Monday was another mild day at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  Another  photogenic sunrise but after that the day stayed overcast.  No departures but one arrival and one cleaner here.  Chris started painting in Shippon and I spent most of the day on cottage jobs although I also made time for a walk with Smudge in the afternoon.  Cottage arrived about 4pm.  In the evening I went to Over Haddon for bowls night but I didn’t do so well.  Tuesday was a very windy day, taking Smudge out in the morning was a case of two steps forward and one step back.  Also spotted our first snowdrops!  Hopton Hall opens for their snowdrop display next week, always worth a visit.  No departure or arrivals but handyman here to carry on with painting in Shippon.  Had a new oven for Shippon delivered.  I spent time on laundry and cleaning jobs.  The forecast had indicated a wet day but overall it stayed dry with drizzle later in the afternoon by which time the wind eased although the Woodhead Pass had been closed as a couple of lorries had overturned in the winds.  Wednesday started breezy and dry and apart from a few showers it stayed dry most of the day.  Chris finished in Shippon and I spent the morning washing and ironing curtains and putting them back up.  Also went down to Bakewell in the afternoon to get a few provisions for the next few days.  Looks like we can expect some more mixed weather in the next couple of days.

Saturday was a lovely day weatherwise at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  No departures but one arrival with cottage already prepared so just final checks to perform.  The morning went in catch up jobs as I had got little done on Friday afternoon.  After the cottage arrived just after 3pm, they have been before, we completed and paid the VAT return and paid our taxes.  After an early tea, by which time it was raining, we headed to Over Haddon Village Hall where there was a good turnout for a fine performance by the Bakewell Silver Band.  Sunday was very mild for the time of year although it stayed cloudy for most of the day.  One departure then down to Bakewell to get the Sunday paper.  Chris then went round to Over Haddon to sort out someone’s computer while I took Smudge for a walk and did a few jobs around the house.  When Chris came back he suggested lunch out so we headed to Cromford to try the new wharf cafe.  As it was nice the cafe was very busy and we had to wait a long time for our lunch.  We then had a little stroll by the canal and a look at the Cromford Mill complex.  We always remember how derelict the complex was when we first visited over twenty years ago and now a lot has been restored.  We drove back home via Middleton Top so we could have a look at the new wind turbines that have been erected by one of the quarries.  Although outside the park, like the ones at Carsington Pastures just along the road from Middleton, they are visible in the peak park.

Thursday was a transitional day at our Bolehill Cottage near Bakewell (see here).  A cold frosty start gave way to fog as the milder weather arrived and later in the afternoon the rain appeared.  Another day spent in the cottages with ironing curtains main job in morning.  One cleaner here.  Chris finished in Magpie and in the afternoon I spent some time in there putting curtains back up and other tidying up jobs.  Friday got off to a damp start.  No departures but one arrival and one cleaner here to keep up with cleaning.  Down to Bakewell first thing to get provisions for the weekend.  By lunchtime the rain had cleared and by early afternoon the sun came out and it turned into a bright sunny afternoon.  After lunch I went down to Joanna’s as she had arranged a meet up of the old Over Haddon WI and we had a nice afternoon of tea and chatting.  Joanna and I have decided not to return to Bakewell WI this year, this will be the first year since I moved here that I have not been to a WI and for Joanna she has been going to WI forever!  I am planning on trying something else so watch this space!  Cottage arrived while I was down at Joanna’s, they have been before.  As I was at Joanna’s  longer than expected we decided to eat out in the evening and went to the Lathkill in Over Haddon where we enjoyed a nice meal.

Finally last Sunday we woke up to snow at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  Only an inch or so gave a nice covering without causing any problems.  Down to Bakewell to get the paper and twhen we got back took Smudge for a walk so I could take some photos.  Thereafter a quiet day.  It was the film night down at the village but we decided not to go as although the main roads were fine the side roads were unlikely to be.  The snow was still there on Monday but despite the fact it stayed overcast and was cold a slow thaw set in.  A day of paper work and accounts and in the evening Chris went to the Photograpghic Society in Bakewell and I could have gone to bowls at Over Haddon but decided not to in case the roads were too icy.  Tuesday saw a lovely sunrise and the colours hung round for quite some time.  A misty morning but it gradually lifted during the day.  Cleaner and handyman here to carry on with work in cottages.  I was back to cleaning and washing as well and also took Smudge for a walk to see if I could get some photos.  Wednesday was the last of the cold days in this cold snap.  Started misty again but by mid morning we had a lovely winters day with glorious blue skies.  Down to Bakewell in the morning to get my hair cut and get provisions for the next couple of days.  The afternoon went in a variety of  jobs around the house like stacking up of logs and also jobs in the cottages.  At least the list of jobs to do is getting shorter.  Enjoy the snow photos, the one above is Tuesday’s sunrise.

So, despite the forecast woke up to no snow on Thursday at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here), although there was a slight covering further north in the Peak District.  Chris carried on with his work in Magpie and I did some more washing of pillows, throws and cushion covers and after lunch I took Smudge for a walk around the fields to view the distant snow-covered hills.  Also spent time on bookings and paper work.  Friday was mainly dry and sunny but cold.  No departures of arrivals and one cleaner here to carry on deep cleaning.  Chris carried on working in Magpie.  I also did various job as around the cottages in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to Bakewell timing it to get back before the forecast wintry showers.  As it happened I could see the snow approaching as I drove up from Bakewell and it started snowing just as I got to the bottom of the drive.  It left a dusting of snow overnight.  No further snow when woke up on Saturday.  One departure and Chris carried on in Magpie while I carried on with paperwork and housework.  It stayed sunny and cold until late afternoon when there were more snow flurries and a yellow warning for snow was put in place.  The one upside about these sunny days is the nice sunrises and sunsets which make for nice photo opportunities if you catch them at the right moment.

Friday 8 January was a mainly dry day at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  No departures but one arrival and one cleaner here to keep up with cleaning.  Down to Bakewell later in the morning to get provisions for the weekend.  Cottage arrived just after 4pm, they have been before.  Jobs around the house before a quiet evening in.  Saturday started dry and remained so until later in the afternoon.  No departures but one arrival with cottage already prepared.  Relatively mild to start with so I went out and planted some bulbs, still have some to do.  Spent the afternoon on housework.  By the evening it was raining heavily again and there was another half-inch before the day was out.  Sunday was colder but stayed mainly dry.  No arrivals or departures and after getting the paper from Bakewell I took advantage of the sunny morning to plant out the last of the bulbs. Chris did some more painting in Magpie (he is painting the furniture as well) and I spent time on personal jobs.  Monday stayed mainly dry and overcast but got off to a misty start.  One departure and one cleaner here to start the deep cleaning regime we do every year.  Over the next few weeks I will be spending a lot of time on cleaning as well washing curtains cushion covers etc.  I also did some accounts.  In the evening I went to the village hall for the village hall committee meeting.  Tuesday started fine and sunny.  No arrivals or departures but cleaner and handy man here to continue work in the cottages.  In the afternoon I went to Buxton to get some bits from town and also a trip to Morrison’s.  There were a few showers in the afternoon but I had gone to Buxton prepared in case the showers turned wintry!

Tuesday 5th January saw one departure at our Bolehill cottages near Bakewell (see here).  First (and only night for a while) that we had nobody in.  One cleaner here to keep up with cleaning and handyman here too and he and Chris took down the Christmas lights.  I spent the morning in odd jobs around the cottages and in the afternoon I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the next couple of days.  The river was very high and fast flowing, the highest I had seen for a while.  Wednesday saw two arrivals with cottages already prepared.  They are here for the rest of the month and stay here every few years as they live on a mobile home site and have to be off site for January.  The morning went in final preparations for their cottages and they arrived mid afternoon.  A quiet afternoon catching up on jobs and Chris spent most of the day painting and working in Magpie.  At least it stayed dry during the day but half an inch of rain saw Thursday off to a damp start.  We had planned to go shopping to Chesterfield and set off as soon as we were ready.  It felt a lot colder after the rain passed through but it did brighten up too.  We started with an amble around Currys as we have to buy some electrical goods for the cottages but we wanted to see them first. We also had a look around Debenhams where we had a late coffee.  Around to Screwfix then into town to visit M&S and Wilkinsons amongst others.  Finished off the trip by calling into Dunelm of course.  In the evening we decided to visit Il Lupos in Baslow as we haven’t been there for a while.  We had a really nice meal there even if it was raining again.