Up very early to go car booting with one of the cleaners over at Hope Valley College.  She had a load of children’s toys and clothes to sell and I filled up her car with a few bits of mine.  Its been years since I’ve done a car boot, I used to help my sister a lot before we moved here.  Today though we must have been in one of the best car booting spots in the country, in the shadow of Win and Lose Hills!  Back home just after 1pm and it was nice enough to eat lunch on the patio.  Many farmers are still silaging so our vista is now more a patchwork of various shades of green.  One cottage arrived at our peak district cottages, they have been before. The hay field was cut today and after dinner Andrew was out in the field turning the grass for drying.  I’ve been taking the dogs out for an evening walk as well as their morning constitutional. I took my camera today as I noticed the setting sun on the last few evenings has been highlighting Froggatt and Curbar Edges but the sun was a bit hazier today so although the edges were visible they did not come out on the pictures.

As we had a dental appointment on Thursday we opted for a day out on Wednesday.  Today we decided to visit somewhere and as it was a nice day we went to Consall Hall Gardens http://www.consallgardens.co.uk/  I had sent some guests here a few years ago and they had enjoyed them.  They are just the other side of Leek so it did not take long to get there.  The gardens are spread over seventy acres and includes six lakes and various follies.  There are four miles of paths and I think we walked most of them and as dogs are allowed on leads they got a walk too. It has taken over fifty years to create the gardens as they stand and work is still ongoing.  The current owner has done a lot of the work and we saw him inspecting his creation from his buggy, he will be 91 this year!  It also has a tea room and we had a nice lunch there.  Took loads of pictures.  We came back a different way, via Ashbourne, although we didn’t stop there.  No sooner had we got home when we we went down and rounded up the cows for Ian.  It was warm enough to eat dinner al fresco at our peak district cottages.

Had planned to help one of the cleaners at a car boot sale but when woke up it was raining, so went back to bed after conferring and deciding to cancel.  After getting paper decided we would visit Monyash, a couple of miles away from our peak district cottages, later in the morning as it had an Open Gardens weekend.  Although there were about two dozen gardens open thought it would only take a couple of hours to walk round the village.  Got there about midday and didn’t leave until nearer 5pm!  Although none of the gardens were huge they were all different and a lot of the owners were on hand to chat about their garden.  During the course of conversations we met a couple who knew the owners who converted Bolehill Farm and also someone who remembered Bolehill as a working farm.  As usual the dogs were made a fuss off, we had brought them as dogs were allowed in most gardens if on their leads.  About half way round one family were commenting on how much Blue looked like one of their dogs and after a few more minutes we discovered they had our dog’s father as well as one of their sisters, as our two were born in Monyash.  We called into to see them later in the day and our two had a run around their field with their dad and sister.  Hence the pictures of our two with their dad and one of their dad with their sister.  Note the family resemblances!  There were a couple of light showers during the day but we got home before the rain set in.

A quiet Friday with one cottage out and none back in to our peak district cottages but one cleaner up. Spent some time planting out more plants and chatting to guests and popping down to Bakewell for the weekend’s provisions.  Saturday saw seven cottages out with eight back in and three cleaners up.  No problems and time for some odd jobs.  In the last couple of years I have been replacing fridges with easy to defrost freezer compartments and we have found this helps on a Saturday.  Everything completed by 3pm in time for the arrival of the first guests.  Four cottages arrived between 3&4pm, all of which have been before. Two more arrived between 4&5 pm with one more before 6pm and the final cottage arrived abut 9pm.  Had a take away for dinner!

Tuesday was a miserable day weather wise at our peak district cottages so a chance to catch up with housework.  Went down to Bakewell in the afternoon and then ‘treated’ myself to a couple of hours at the Peak Outlet in Rowsley.  Came away with a pair of sandals which hopefully I will get to wear this summer!  Wednesday was a bit drier but still dull.  Sally Mosley, who does guided walks in the area, came up for coffee and we chatted about some of the walks she be offering this summer.  I liked the sound of the one that involves a visit to a chocolate factory!  I will be putting details up in the leisure area when I get the posters.  In the evening it was WI and I collected Joanna and drove to Over Haddon.  This was the last WI meeting in the old hall before it gets demolished.  Tonight’s speaker gave us a fascinating talk on the history and meaning of surnames.  Thursday emerged another dreary day much to our disappointment as I had hoped to go for a walk.  Instead we visited some of the local towns looking at flooring, lighting and heating that we could use in the new laundry area.  We went to Buxton and then onto Whaley Bridge.  While in area we went over to New Mills as I wanted to see the Millenium Walkway.  Set in the Torrs gorge below the town, this aerial walkway, completed in 1999, is only 125 yards long but allowed pathways from one part of town to be connected to a number of long distance paths that pass the other end of the gorge.  It follows the near vertical railway wall and is over the River Goyt.  On the opposite bank is Torr Vale Mill which is recognised as the longest continuously worked cotton mill in the country, closing finally in 2000. There is also a hydroelectric power station on the river, a bit further along, but this has not been able to generate any electricity recently due to low water levels.  There are a number of mill ruins along the river bank, as well as a number of road and rail bridges which makes for some interesting architecture.  The river Sett joins the Goyt here too and a footpath along the Sett can be followed to Hayfield where you can ascend Kinder Scout.  By now it was time for lunch so we found a cafe for a quick bite.  We drove back along the Goyt Valley where we could see the rhododendrons on the opposite bank.  The water level is low.  Hopefully in the next few days we can get a walk in here.  Pictures to follow.

Wednesday was a day of potting and pottering as I called it.  No guests in or out of our peak district cottages for a couple of days.  Wednesday was forecast as a nice day so I washed another duvet, I’ve washed 3/4 of them now.  Chris did a number of odd jobs and we put the last of the hanging baskets up. Started planting out the remaining plants in the troughs and potted on a few plants.  In the afternoon we could hear that the cutter had starting silaging in Andrew fields.  The contractors have a new mower this year which is bigger than the previous one.  In the evening went to Joanna’s for the WI committee meeting.  Another warm day on Thursday but with our shopping list growing we did a Sheffield run.  First stop was Makro followed by B&Q and Dunelm before heading home.  By now the rowing machine and collectors were out in the fields and the cutter was in the fields behind us.  After tea we took a walk across the fields to watch the action just as the collector got jammed up.  Took a number of pictures which will appear shortly.  I was in one of the side fields with the youngsters who were inquisitive and I was sure one was trying to eat my skirt!

Monday started with a guest knocking on reception to say a cow was in the garden.  Chris was helping bring the last few cows over with Andrew so they came up as soon as they could and we put cow 650 back in the field with her mates.  We have given her an ASBO.  A day of departures with five cottages out and two back in to our peak district cottages and one cleaner up.  Two cottages cleaned for today and with a couple of cottages empty until tomorrow I took advantage of a dry (albeit overcast) day to wash some curtains and door mats.  Guests arrived between 4.30 and 5pm then a quiet evening in catching up on some admin like putting together a Viking order and we seem to be running low on cleaning materials so I have put together a shopping list.  Tuesday was supposed to be wet and although it started dry it soon turned to drizzle that came and went during the morning.  One cleaner up to prepare two cottages for today’s arrivals.  First cottage arrived at 3pm and second one just before 5pm.  Tuesday evening finished like Monday morning began, with a guests knocking on reception to say there was a cow in the garden.  Guests were treated to some free in house entertainment as Chris and I got cow 649 back with her friends and the did a bit of dry stone walling to mend the breach.  Two ASBOs in two days.

Sunday was bright and breezy – very breezy but with no arrivals or departures we decided to go for a walk from our peak district cottages.  First we went and got the paper from Bakewell and then Chris helped with ‘lollipop duties’ as a few more cows were brought across this side of the road.  The last ones to come this side of the road will be brought over tomorrow.  Tasks done we set off at 11.30am and headed across the fields towards Sheldon, picking up the green lane that comes out at the lower end of Sheldon.  We were going to pick up the path by Lower Farm that leads down to the River Wye, but changed our minds and crossed Kirkdale and picked up the path down to Ashford near Dirtlow Farm.  We had some nice views down to Ashford.  The path came out by the Sheepwash Bridge and from here we did a circuit of the well dressings.  The Church also has a flower display but we did not call in but we did call in at the couple who used to be regular guests and now live in Ashford before heading back to the River Wye on the other side of the A6.  We stopped for lunch, it was already 2pm by now, before carrying along into Shacklow Wood.  The plan had been to walk to and up Deepdale before heading back to Sheldon but when we reached the Great Shacklow steps we decided to take this route back to Sheldon.  We have never climbed them, and although I didn’t count, I understand there are over 200 steps.  I will have to find out.  At the top it was just a short walk back into Sheldon.  I was hoping the village hall was doing afternoon teas but it wasn’t, at first we thought we were too late, but then decided they hadn’t been doing them after all as we couldn’t remember seeing signs for it, I know they did teas last year on Bank Holiday Sundays.  Never mind it wasnt long before we were back home.

Words about the walk from our peak district cottages will follow.

Had expected it to start wet but it didn’t but it wasn’t too long before it was raining.  Four cottages out with four back in and one remaining for a second week at our peak district cottages.  Was at Farmers Market by 9.30 and back by 10.30.  Two cleaners up today and cleaning finished on schedule.  I hate change overs on rainy days.  I cannot hang out damp tea towels and bath mats to dry and even though there are barrier mats in the cottages I don’t like going in once they have been cleaned with wet shoes (even though I take them off).  Three cottages arrived between 3&4 pm, one has been here before.  The final cottage didn’t arrive until 10.30pm so spent some time doing paperwork and sitting down catching up on programmes recorded during the week.  We had a lot of rain today, more than we have had all month , but we have still had a dry month.  Andrew may have to start silaging sooner rather than later so that the quality of the grass doesn’t deteriorate.