Boxing Day dawned bright and sunny so we were packed and off before 10am.  We headed to Flash,  England’s highest village at 1500 feet, which is only about twenty minutes away from our Peak District Cottages and just off the Buxton-Leek road.  We had planned a short walk from here to the bridge at Three Shires Head on the River Dane, where Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire meet.  We parked near the village hall and set off down the lane out of Flash turning down a drive into a farmyard. Here we came across a field of Alpacas!  We then picked up the paths and tracks to Three Shires Head.  Along the way we had good views back to the Roaches and Hen cloud.  We could also glimpse Shutlingsloe. As we approached the bridge there were a group enjoying lunch but by the time we reached the bridge there was only us and a photographer there to enjoy it.  I imagine it gets very busy in summer but during the whole of our walk we only passed another couple.   We started the journey back to Flash which had one steep ascent although it looked steeper than it felt.  The final lane back down to Flash was the worst bit as it was waterlogged in places and we had to edge our way along the wall at times.  At one gate Chris got more of a shock than he thought when he realised there was a live electric fence quite low down near the gate.  Unfortunately Smudge was following too close behind and brushed up against the fence and let our a real howl.  He was a bit shaken for a few minutes.  By the time we got back to the car it was quite overcast and by the time we got to Longnor, where we stopped for lunch, it was raining.  A quiet evening in and caught up with some emails.   Enjoy the photos.

Sunday was a bright day and time for last minute preparations at our peak district cottages as our friends from Yorkshire were arriving later in the day to stay for Christmas.   First down to Bakewell for recycling and Sunday paper and stopped at Green Cowden Farm on way back.  Ended up staying for coffee.  One cottage arrived about 4pm with friends arriving not long afterwards.  In the evening we went down to Felicinis in Bakewell.  Christmas Eve was unsettled so no chance of a walk.  When our friends are here we do like to get some walking done if we can but it was not to be so we went to Buxton and had a look at the house after which we had a wander round Buxton and some lunch.  Back home to one arrival. Christmas Day followed our usual routine except with the unsettled weather we didn’t walk down to the Lathkill at Over Haddon for a pre dinner drink but drove down.  We had a good day and it is the one day I put the closed sign up in the office and ignore the computer and try and relax! This is blog 1500 so another milestone reached.

Monday saw three departures leaving us a bit quiet for a few days.  One cleaner up to start on cleaning and preparing cottages for Christmas arrivals. Thought I might do three trees in the cottages but only ended up completing one.  In the evening I went to the Village Hall but this Monday it was for the Village Hall Committee meeting.  Tuesday was a different day with Chris over at Buxton clearing out the house now work is almost complete.   Went over too to help bring things back and also did a bit of shopping so very little got done at our peak district cottages although one cleaner was up to carry on with cleaning.  Wednesday I planned a blitz on trees and got two done before I collected my latest guests from Bakewell as they do not have a car.  They are from Singapore via London.  Although the forecast had been for a wet day it didn’t arrive until later in the day and Thursday was even worse with nearly an inch of rain but I got three trees done despite feeling grotty, Chris also has a cold so as long as we are better by the weekend that will fine.

For the second Friday running ice was a problem, in fact it was black ice.  After the cold weather of the last few days it started to rain on Friday morning and then it froze on the cold surface.  Luckily our departing cottage got away safely and our cleaner made it up without problems.   Went down to Bakewell late morning to get provisions for the weekend.  Postman was very late and I assumed it was due to volume of post, but apparently they weren’t allowed out until 11am due to the road conditions.  Two cottages due in at our peak district cottages, one arrived just after 3 pm, they have been before , and second cottage was here by 4 pm.  An early tea then I picked up Joanna and we went to Monyash Church for the local WI Group Carol Service.  It was well attended and Joanna did the reading on behalf of Over Haddon WI.  On the way there we had come across a part of the road under water, the rain had just been running of the hard ground and with nearly an inch of rain there was a lot of water around.  I had planned to turn the car round by the pub but the access was under water so we had to drive back almost via Sheldon.   On Saturday we started the day by going out for breakfast, something we rarely do on a Saturday.  This got me fortified so I could start decorating the cottages for Christmas.  Later in the afternoon we went over to Sheldon.  For a small village they make an evening of switching on their Christmas lights.  There were stalls along the Main Street and displays of traction engines and Santa gave sleigh rides pulled by a tractor.  Sunday was a quiet day with one departure.  Again most of the day went on Christmas preparations, mainly in the house, so slowly but surely they are getting done.

Woke up to -6.  Thought that can’t be right, no-one said anything about temperatures that low, but it was.  The warmest it got to was -2, but I am sure we had the best hoar frost for ages at our peak district cottages.  I took loads of photos when I took the dogs for their walk and then more during the day.  Otherwise a quiet day, I caught up with some more accounts and in the evening we went to The Church Inn at Chelmorton for a meal with the lads who are finishing at Buxton on Friday.  Driving over to Chelmorton the frost was still quite spectacular but driving back we noticed the temperature was starting to rise ahead of the rain to come.

Enjoy the photos

Woke up Friday to find snow – in the front garden, the garden seemed to be the snow line, so I was relieved that it was not worse and looked forward to the walk with the dogs and taking some photos at our peak district cottages.  How wrong I was.  Chris went out and decided the drive needed salting and had just got back when we got a call from our cleaner who was stuck on the cattle grid!  Chris went down and started to put more salt down just when the sheep started wandering into the field and decided he was spreading food so they all rushed over to him!  The cleaner had a couple of attempts at getting up the drive but found she couldn’t in her car so went back home to get the 4×4!  In the meantime I was keeping an eye on the departing guests, they had managed to get the car up into the courtyard but as the courtyard is mainly in the shade at this time of year it was quite icy.  They managed to get away with no problem and the cleaner managed to get up here with no problems second time round.  Two cottages due in later in the day.  Also did some preparations for cottages arriving Sunday and stocked up on logs.  First cottage arrived about 3pm and second one an hour later.  They we’re here quite recently and are here this time to see some of the Christmas events in the area but we still had a chat.

 Novembers stats – although incomplete due to the weather station not working here they are:

highest temp 12.4 on 20th which was warmest day with 13th warmest night. Lowest temp 0.4 on 17th with night of 17th being the coldest and 24th being coldest day.  2.19 in rain (11/2011 2.17 in) with wettest day 21st with .83 in.

Another fine morning with a dry day forecast at our peak district cottages so I thought it would be nice for a walk but taking dogs out for their morning constitution I wasn’t so sure.  The ground was still rock hard in places and icy too and the dales would be icy in the shade as would any tracks which limited options.  After a lot of debate we decided we would walk to Sheldon for lunch.  As we set off Chris could see what I meant about the state of the ground.  All through the walk there were icy areas where you wouldn’t expect them and clear patches in the shadiest of places.  From the top of Kirkdale, which I thought would be the worst bit but wasn’t, you could see a dusting of snow on the hills beyond Buxton.  We had already decided we would turn back if it got too difficult but we eventually got to Sheldon.  We could just about walk down the road to the pub without slipping over.  The walk back was just as hard going but at least we had got to Sheldon and back.   Quiet evening in making a start on Christmas cards.