Thursday was a bit more dreary at our peak district cottages after the warmth of Wednesday.  A quiet day at home with one cottage out.  No point in going down to Bakewell as many shops close on the Thursday of the Show.  When took the dogs out noticed that one of the branches of one of the trees had come down in the garden area. No dinner al fresco on Thursday!  Friday was a better day. By 9am the cutter was in one of Andrew’s fields behind us and silaging was under way.  One cottage out and one cleaner up which relieved the pressure of Saturday.  Popped down to Bakewell which was busy, not only from residents and tourists but also show traders who are packing up and going home. Having seen all the portaloos go down to Bakewell now they are all going back! One consequence of the show is that traders often call in with offers on goods not sold at the show.  After lunch we removed the branch from the garden with the aid of a sledge so it did not gouge the grass!  Chris had to pop down to Bakewell to get a tool bit but of course came back with more because some the agricultural suppliers still have show offers!  I took some pictures of the rowing up and then the collecting which started just after 3pm not realising Chris had hitched a lift with Andrew on one of the runs. They managed to finish by 8pm especially as rain was forecast for Saturday morning.  Had noticed over the last couple of days smoke from the Youlgreave area and at first just thought it was a farmer having a ‘bonfire’.  As it seemed to go on Chris asked Andrew about it and Andrew said it was one of things that farmers dread at this time of year – the hay combusting.  It can smoke for days and of course there is the loss of winter feed and hay to replace it as a consequence.  Not the first time round here that has happened in recent years. Got a phone call from one of my cleaners to say she couldn’t make it on Saturday and having stood down my relief cleaner for Saturday I had to make a number of phone calls to get another here which luckily I did.

Saturday was another fine day with seven cottages out and six cottages back in.  One was a last minute booking, just passing and saw the sign and phoned to see if we had any vacancies for a couple of nights.  Four cleaners up and no problems encountered especially as once again cleaning was well underway by 10am.  Four cottages arrived between 3 and 4 pm, three have been before, one arrived about five pm with final cottage arriving at 9pm, they have been before.  Two of the cottages have already been here once this year!  Sunday also turned out very nice again.  Did some tidying up around the house as well as some time to relax and Chris did some pruning around the gardens and grounds of our peak district cottages.

Thursday was supposed to be the worst day of the week weather wise but no one told Thursday that!  Turned out to be the warmest day of the week and month so that must say something about July!  Spent a little time in the morning out in the garden picking blackcurrants and a bit of tidying up. In the afternoon went to Buxton to do some shopping.  Friday saw one cottage depart and one cleaner up.  Popped down to Bakewell to get final bits for the weekend. Noticing how much busier it is too.  Weather held again and the forecast looks promising for the next few days.  As I am blogging in arrears this is a good a time as any to post July’s weather stats from our peak district cottages.

Warmest day 28th with highest temp of 23.1 and warmest night was 4th
Coldest day 18th with lowest temp 7.3 and coldest night 22nd
total rain  2.13in  (2010 2.78 ) with wettest days 6th and 17th tying with .39in.

Hope you like these pictures taken from the walk on the Edges that are easily reached from our peak district cottages and when the sun is in the right direction we can even see them!

The forecast for Wednesday was a cloudy start with it brightening up later so I decided it was a good day for a walk.  I had chosen the Edges as our destination but starting at one of the lesser known ones. A circular walk of about six miles we started at the Haywood car park.  Crossing the Sheffield Road by the Grouse Inn we picked up a path that went up to White Edge and then turned left.  At the highest point we stopped for lunch with views towards Carl Wark, Higger Tor and the Hope Valley to the right and Sir William Hill ahead and Calver Sough and Coombe Dale to the right.  Being higher than Curbar and Froggatt Edges meant we had some marveloous views even if it was a little more hazier than I thought. From the trig point we could make out some of the tall buildings in Sheffield.  We were at the furthest point from the car and just about to reach the minor road up from Curbar when Chris’s mobile rung.  It was Ian wndering if Chris could come over and help with a cow having a difficult delivery.  Unfortunately he couldnt! We turned right on the Curbar road and after just a few yards were at the Curbar Edge car park and we turned right onto Curbar Edge as the sun finally emerged.  Along Curbar and Froggaatt Edges we had views along the Derwent Valley.  We also noted that the heather is starting to come out so we will have to have a heather walk in the next couple of weeks.  Back to the car and we headed to Hathersage for a browse around the outdoor shops.  One of the straps on my rucksack had broken, I have had it for years, so we found me a new rucksack.  A quiet evening in at our peak district cottages and watched the Restoration Home programme that featured the local Stoke Hall a few weeks ago.  I remember when it came up for sale a couple of years ago and though how nice it looked from the outside not realising just what a state it was internally!

Monday saw some activity with one cottage out and two back in with one cleaner up at our peak district cottages.  Usual Monday activities and a warm albeit cloudy day.  Both cottages in by 4pm, both have been before.  On Tuesday we decided to have a day off as we have not had one for a while.  I thought it about time we visited Lyme Park.  It is probably the nearest National Trust property to us but being the other side of Buxton in Cheshire, we don’t have any leaflets on it. Like many National Trust properties it allows dogs in the parkland but not the gardens so we left the mutts at home.  I’m sure Smudge enjoyed his duvet day.  As we drove through Bakewell noticed the road/parking signs are up for the Bakewell Show.  Although it was forecast to be cloudy it turned out to be quite sunny and warm. Once we had parked we headed for he the ‘Timber Yard’ where we had coffee and cake.  There were a lot of families around, but then the school holidays have started but the main attraction seemed to be the play area.  Then a short walk across to the house and gardens.  We opted for a walk around the gardens first.  They were very nice and of course with Lyme Park being the setting for the classic scene of Mr Darcy emerging from the Lake in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice I did invite Chris to do a Mr Darcy but he declined!  After a walk around the house we walked up to the Cage, which is the equivalent of Chatsworth’s Hunting Lodge.  From here we could make out the centre of Manchester, worked out where the airport is but on the other side looked back to the Kinder Massif.  Drove back via Hayfield from where you can start walks up to Kinder Scout, one of our guests had suggested trying one of the pubs and we thought it would be nice to walk around the village but couldn’t find somewhere to park! (Hayfield was the birthplace of Arthur Lowe aka Captain Mannering).  Home late afternoon and as we hadn’t had lunch we packed a picnic and headed to our picnic spot overlooking Kirkdale and the Magpie Mine with the dogs for a late lunch/early tea.  They enjoyed the walk! The fine weather also means that we are having plenty of hot air balloons in the evening.  Enjoy the day’s photos.

I love car boot sales, used to do a lot of them with my sister before we moved up here.  So with the weather conditions in our favour I was up at 6am and met up with my friend at 7am and by 7.15 we were setting up the table at the Hope Valley College. We had to laugh as one of my cleaners had planned to go there too and we found ourselves next to each other!  It was an ideal day for a car boot, not too hot, not too sunny and with the nearby campsite showing a ‘no vacancies’ sign business was brisk and by midday we had managed to sell quite a bit of stuff.  One of the other local car boots describes their site as one with some of the best views in the area, which it does have, but I enjoy this one in the shadow of Win and Lose Hills!  Enjoy the pictures.  Back in time for lunch at our peak district cottages and then with a couple more cottages due in did my final checks.  It was quite a pleasant afternoon so we found time to relax and read the Sunday paper.  First cottage arrived just after 3pm with a dog called Blue!  Second cottage didn’t arrive until nearly 10pm but as he has been before he let himself in.

Another month another Farmer’s Market.  July’s is a week earlier because of the preparations for the Bakewell Show.  Cleaning was already under way at our peak district cottages by the four cleaners when I left for the market and I was back in time to see the final cottage depart.  Two cottages have already booked further holidays.  Seven cottages out with four back in today so no excuse for not being ready!  Chris cut the grass for the first time in a couple of weeks and it was nice to feel some warm sunshine!  Usually we get the 3 o’clock rush of arrivals but by 3.30 there were still no arrivals.  First cottage did not arrive until 3.45 with two further arrivals during the next hour.  Two have been before.  Final cottage didn’t arrive until 8pm.  At least I had time to load up the car for a car boot sale and take a picture of the edges lit by the late evening sun.