Peak District cottages

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A little bit of this and a little bit of that

That’s the weekend at Bolehill summed up then.  Saturday was another dry sunny and spring like day.  One departure and one arrival and one cleaner up. So by mid morning everything was ready which gave us the rest of the day to get with lots of jobs.  Chris cut the grass for the first time and touched up some paint on door thresholds and outside furniture as well as more power washing of outside furniture.   I did some more jobs on the spring cleaning lists in empty cottages, nearly finished this years jobs now, as well as a bit of plant culling.  Two weeks to the plant auction!  I also did a number of jobs around the house which gets neglected during the first couple of months when we concentrate on the cottages.  Guests arrived at 4pm, they have been before.  In the evening I took the dogs for a walk, noting just how cracked the earth is in the fields and enjoying a peaceful sunset.  Initially I had hope we would get a walk in on Sunday but the closer to Sunday we got the quicker the rain was forecast to arrive.  So as Chris had a few jobs in the cottages to get done it was another day of a little bit of this and that.  In the end the rain didn’t arrive until late afternoon so we could have gone for a walk but never mind.

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Busy bees!

Wednesday was a breezy day at Bolehill, starting misty but brightening up.  A busy morning for the cleaner and me, washing carpets, curtains and other cleaning jobs.  In the afternoon I collected the hanging baskets from the garden and put them in the garage as we’ll be taking them to the nursery soon for filling.  Also popped down to Bakewell to get provisions for the next few days.  The hoardings are down from Costa Coffee but no indication of an opening date yet.  Back home Andrew was up fertilising our fields and called in to say he had found a canary in the fields.  Well we do get all types of wildlife here!  Wednesday night was very breezy as was Thursday morning.  In the morning I went to the Village Hall for a Hallmark 2 Meeting which the Village Hall is trying to attain. One cleaner up to carry on with jobs.  After lunch Chris went to the Village Hall for the digital workshop and with it being so pleasant I was tempted outside to do some jobs.   Quiet day for phone calls and emails until I decided to sit down for the evening but at least I got a last minute booking for the weekend.  Friday was another pleasant day but with a chill in the air.  No departures but three arrivals.  No cleaner as her mum had been taken ill so that left me to finish off making up a couple of cottages.  First of all I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  A couple of bookings during the day too.  Electrician up again as well.  Two cottages arrived between 3.30 and 4pm, both have been before, with final cottage arriving about 9.30pm.

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Spring is here?

Monday was a lovely day at our Bolehill cottages.  Two departures and one arrival and one cleaner up. Took advantage of the mild weather to wash some door mats and the cleaner found time to wash some carpets.  Electrician was back to carry on with his testing work.  I also did some jobs from my spring cleaning list in the cottages.  Guests arrived about 4pm and I then did some paperwork .  Andrew started fertilising his fields, a sign things are getting ready for the cows to come out. In the evening Chris went to the photographic club in Bakewell and I caught up with some TV programmes I wanted to watch (that Chris didn’t).  Tuesday was yet another lovely day.  Again one departure and one cleaner up but no arrivals.  Electrician back again too.  After guests departed I headed off to Over Haddon where I collected one of the WI ladies and we headed to Ashford where we attended a WI event.  Here along with 100 or so other Derbyshire WI ladies we had a morning learning about fruit growing with an afternoon session on baking fruit dishes (with a lovely WI buffet lunch) in between!  Back home had a number of phone calls and emails to deal with and found time to talk to my friend in Yorkshire.  Nice to look out and see green fields again and I’m sure the daffodils are finally starting to grow!

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A cooking weekend

Since we went to Tideswell, about twenty minutes away from Bolehill Farm, last May for the food festival I have been looking for a suitable course to attend.  In the end I opted for a weekend Foundation Course to brush up on my general cooking skills .  So on Saturday I left Chris in charge and headed off to Tideswell for the day.  Here with seven others, a mix of male and female. and ranging in age from 16 to 60’s we set about preparing and cooking a range of dishes, some of which we enjoyed at lunchtime and the rest I brought back for our tea!  Chris saw to the four departures and three arrivals with one cleaner here.  When I got back later in the afternoon I went and caught up with the guests who had arrived, two cottages have been before.  The sunny morning had given way to a wet evening, there is hardly any snow left in the fields now but I was surprised at how much snow was up at Wardlow near Monsal Head, but it is more exposed there.  Mind you with a mild Saturday night most had gone by the next morning.  On Sunday I had a second day at Tideswell and again came home with some prepared dishes that did us for both Sunday and Monday nights.  An exhausting but enjoyable weekend!

 sticky toffee puddings
 bread rising
 Thai chicken coconut soup
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Warning! A warm weekend approaches!

Well so we were told on Thursday.  Thursday was a quiet day with no arrivals or departures at our Bolehill Cottages.  The forecast had been for a wet day but all we saw was some drizzle although it stayed dreary. Took pictures of the remaining snow as I had expected it to go through the day but in the end it didn’t.  Made the most of the day to do some more accounts.  Chris went to Over Haddon in the afternoon for his digital workshop and later in the afternoon I popped down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  In the evening we went to the White Lion at Great Longstone for a meal.  Quite coincidentally our neighbours from Green Cowden Farm turned up for a meal too!  Friday started dreary again but brightened up enough for Chris to go out and get wet by jet washing patio furniture, although he did come in when we had a heavy hail storm.  Two departures and one arrival and one cleaner up.  I did some jobs in cottages and some more accounts as cottage didn’t arrive until 7pm.  A quieter week next week so planning to finish spring cleaning if can. By the time Friday evening arrived the forecast for the weekend had been downgraded.  Never mind.

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The first curlew

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.

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A walk in the dale

Sunday was forecast to be as nice a day as Saturday  so we thought we’d go for a walk down Lathkill Dale from Bolehill farm which we haven’t done for a while. With snow still piled up at the side of the road we cut across the fields but still had to climb over the gate onto the road as we could not open the gate.  The first snow on the path wasn’t until we got to the track from Mill Farm down to the dale at Haddon Grove. Once down in the Dale the only snow was on the north facing slopes so we had a nice stroll along the Dale all the way to Conksbury Bridge with a brief detour to Bateman’s House.  The river itself was running quite well and parts of the path that we would normally expect to be under water at this time of year were dry but there was also signs of plants emerging after their winter slumber.  For a while we walked with a family who also had two collies so the sight of four collies walking along the Dale in harmony must have been quite impressive.  At the weirs we found a pair of swans nesting so look forward to seeing their young soon. At Conksbury Bridge we picked the path up to Over Haddon, parts of this were still under snow, but parts were bone dry.  We stopped at the Lathkill for lunch and it was nice enough to sit outside and enjoy the view from the beer garden.  Another of the cottages were also enjoying lunch there.  On the way back we called in at our next door but one neighbours for a cup of tea and said hello to the cades (orphan/rejected lambs) so it was late afternoon before we got back.  The dogs had enjoyed the walk too so here are some photos.

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A busy weekend

Friday was another fine day at Bolehill.  Four departures and four arrivals and one cleaner up as a couple of cottages were already prepared.  With the snow last week my laundry wasn’t collected and to keep up with changeovers I have had to wash some bedding which also means I have had to do some ironing too! Luckily the laundry that was collected on Wednesday came back in the nick of time, just after 2pm, so still had time to make up final bed!  In the morning I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  Two cottages arrived between 3 and 3.30pm and the final two between 4.30 and 5pm, one has been before.  Chris arranged for Andrew to come and remove the pile of snow from the car park on Saturday. It will still be a few weeks before the cows come out, last year it was 14 April.  What farmers need now is some rain!  I noticed how dry and cracked the fields are when I took the dogs out for their evening walk. It was still light at 8pm!  Severn Trent have already issued a drought warning as although the reservoirs are 94% full because it has been so dry so far this year they are starting to get worried.  The Peak Park Rangers have also issued warnings but these are about snow overhangs, or cornices as I have discovered they are called.  Apparently along the Edges ones the size of washing machines have been falling off so they are advising walkers not to walk out onto them and if you are on a path underneath the Edges to be careful!  Saturday was a wonderful spring like day.  With no wind you could feel the strength of the sun.  One departure and four arrivals and two cleaners up and no problems encountered. We used the warmth to carry on clearing more snow and later in the afternoon Andrew came up and moved the pile from the car park to the field for melting.  More of my pots are visible but we have lost some shrubs.  Two arrivals between 3.30 and 4pm, one has been here as a B and B guest.  The remaining two cottages, both of whom have been before arrived between 4 and 5pm.  After tea took the dogs out and took the camera to get some shots of the sunset.  Here are some photos from Saturday.

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Midweek activities

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. 

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Hello April!

Sunday was a day to catch up with a few jobs round Bolehill but with an hour less!  Chris spent some time going round the cottages changing timers and clocks etc.  Another sunny day so more thawing but I have noticed that some of the drifts are now so hard that even I can walk on them.  Interesting to see how long they will be around for.  No departures or arrivals.  Monday was the first of April.   Would like to have put a picture of some new spring lambs here to cheer us all up, noticed Green Cowden have put some lambs out now but, have some more snow pictures instead!  Monday was cold and dull in the morning but brightened up in the afternoon.  Three departures and two arrivals and one cleaner up.  First cottage arrived about 3pm with second one about 6pm.  As the first financial quarter has just finished I have some accounts to catch up with, especially having been away for a week, and managed to get some done in the afternoon.  Here are March’s weather stats

Highest temperature 10.6 C on 5th, the day I was inside all day at the WI meeting!  Warmest day and night was the 3rd.  Lowest temperature was -5.1 C on 11th which was coldest day and night.  Wettest day was 15th with .39 in rain with a total of .94 for the month (.29 in rain 3/12).

 These two are of the Sheldon Road from our field