289 – Feeding Frenzy

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Clunegapyears

May 30th 206 – 12th June …. Repairs and Seeing People

Bristol for Chardonnay’s visit to the motorhome surgeon

From the Wildcamping.co.uk Rutland meet we stayed on Bristol Marina for 2 nights, courtesy of a friend. Great location, right on the harbourside. Dentist for K (just a filling), picked up my car from Mercedes, who had kindly agreed to do a bumper paint job FOC, and we dropped Chardonnay in for her repairs. These were jobs that Family Leisure Travel in Brislington (Bristol) had not had time to do in April, had not been able to get hold of the parts and to deal with the dreaded damp they had found on her habitation service. We did manage to catch up with quite a few friends in one sitting and had a great meal out.

On one of our morning runs, J spotted a cyclist that had been knocked off her bike at a roundabout … he checked she was OK, whilst I got to control the traffic flow around the roundabout …. oh the power. I was quite disappointed when the Policeman thanked me and told me he could take over! But if I ever need a job, it fair beats teaching!

Surprised to spot this advert! And on a newish truck.

Ash Vale – Home!

Having left Chard in Bristol, we were now homeless. So we moved into our ‘official’ residence. Post comes here. The car and Chard are registered here. Our Brexit Postal Vote came here. We have occupied half the attic with a lot of our stuff. We keep a wash kit here. K’s parents are very long suffering! Whilst here for a week, we managed to catch up with a few people and had a few days out with the Aged P’s.

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Al & Mark, Bron & Dave and Gill & Gordon in Kingston

Aged P’s impression of the stone Eagle at The Vyne, National Trust

Maddy Munchkin – this is apple juice, honest.

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Lunch out – “Was I sharing the Black Sambucca? Better have one of my own!!!”

A Basingstoke Canalside run … this poor swan had 9 cygnets. Could have been all hers or perhaps it was a cygnet Play Date.

More canal wildlife, which gave me an excuse to pause in my running!

We also managed to squeeze in a tea, and thanks for the homemade scones, with Sharon and Katharine and K had a great fish BBQ with Bev, Mike and Lottie, whilst James met up with his youngest daughter and eldest son in London. The week past in such a blur and we did not manage to do everything we’d planned. I think there may have been 11 loads through the washing machine!

We collected Chard on the Friday …. all repairs completed 🙂 and drove back to Surrey … I followed J in the car and received a phone all from an unknown number – Candida, an ex colleague, had recognised my car as she overtook me on the M4 …. great to have a catchup.

We park Chard at my sister’s house as she has room on the drive. They also fed us and we fed the fire pit! A bit of a later night than planned, but after a long day, we deserved a bevy.

I don’t know how, but we filled the car removing our sacks of washing etc from the Aged P’s house to take over to Chardonnay. Dad came with us to take the car back to its official residence. We arrived at Clare’s and the gate code would not work. Clare, Chris and family all out! Bugger – I’d got frozen foods that needed urgently to go into the freezer. My hero came to the rescue … we lobbed James over the fence (his crown jewels took a bit of a beating whilst he balanced on the top) and he drove Chard down the drive to activate the gates … we then nipped through whilst he reversed several bendy hundred feet.

Feeding Non-stop in the New Forest (Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June)

We’d originally planned to meet Penny, a motorhomer we’d met in Italy and kept in touch with, but she had to work. So J had got in touch with Geoff and Carole, who gave us tea, cucumber sarnies and scones! They are both petrol heads who are celebrating their Ruby Wedding next weekend …. between them they have 3 MGs and two other cars … we both fell in love with this 1993 V8, which was Carole’s new toy …

The pic does not do it justice … it really is a thing of beauty and given their wedding anniversary and the colour, it’s name …. Ruby!

We arrived in New Milton to be fed a BBQ by Frances and Edward … this is the amazing couple we met twice in Sicily and then again in Naples … they, like us, like food, travel and can knock back a glass or two …. no wonder we get on so well! Not only had they offered us their driveway for two nights, but the electric hook up cable was ready and waiting for us. The Sunday plan was to picnic at the town Queen’s Birthday celebration with another couple, but as you know plans do not always get stuck to. We started on the sherry at 11.45. Lunch was leisurely. So leisurely that we did not finish until 10.00 pm …. I think this must have been the longest lunch record for us all! The closest we got to the Queen’s festivities was the program of events that Edward printed off! We did raise a glass to her Majesty.

Would that be the bottle of Benedictine we’re battling through?! Was I posing for the photo, or can’t I sit up straight?

Inspired by Frances and Edward, I too wore red, white and blue. Being Irish, J was absolved.

289 – Monday 13th June: Back on the Road again

The feeding did not stop … we were breakfasted on smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, followed by a choice of three homemade marmalades! I would declare that we will stop this feeding frenzy and get back onto a carefully controlled diet (well for me), but I can’t quite see the end of it yet. We have driven up from the New Forest to Scotland – just over the border to a wild camping next to Gretna. Tomorrow we will visit a good friend of J’s from when he worked in Jordan … I suspect that more good food is to come our way … I have managed to remain tee total tonight.

Whilst it is absolutely brilliant to spend time with friends and family (and I am missing Maddy and the Aged P’s especially), we are both very happy to be back on the road heading for places, scenery and adventures we don’t yet know.

Our nosey neighbours on our overnight pitch.

376-381: Bristol Rugby, Exploring and National Trust in Cheshire.

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Clunegapyears

376 – Wednesday 18th 2016: Bristol Rugby v Doncaster Knights … VICTORIOUS

Doncaster in 2016 will now be famous for – giving Bristol Rugby half a leg up into the Premiership! We met Tracey and John as arranged – and had a couple of beers before the game… the first half was inconsequential – but Brizzle opened up after half time and got clear by 15 points at the end. These points will be carried forward to the second leg on Wednesday 25th in Bristol – we must find a pub to watch the return to top flight rugby – after 7 years of waiting… But, many a slip betwixt cup and lips….

Before the game, we caught the 81/82 bus into the city centre. The terminus was at the modern shopping centre; you could have been anywhere in the country! Doncaster does not feature in any of the guidebooks, but google had revealed that there are some fine Georgian buildings, a Mansion House and a Museum. The visit to the TIC revealed that they were all … shut today! Ho hum. There are the well renowned markets to see … but again, today mostly shut. Obviously the RFU, Sky and Doncaster city did not liaise about what visitors might be able to see.

Doncaster has been the victim or poor urban planning, but the historic markets are renowned for their fresh foods … just not fully operational today.

The Minster was burned down in 1853 and rebuilt in gothic revival style. The architect was the prolofic George Gilbert Scott; amongst his works are Westminster Abbey and the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park.

The Edmund Schulze organ was installed in 1862. I KNOW we’ve seen another Schulze somewhere, but can’t for the life of me remember where and can’t find it on the web either.

What a nerve racking first half.

377 – Thursday 19th May 2016: Three Reservoir Bike Ride

Good parking near the Ladybower reservoir – and we set off with our silent bikes (we are missing the dragging hum of J’s rear brake that has followed us around Europe for a year … he’s not missing the extra effort of the constantly on brake though!) – for an estimated 18-mile tour of the waters. How can you have inclines, declines and reclines around flat water? But, it was mostly flatclines to be fair. An early stop for coffee and a cake – consumed, despite the attentions of the entire Mallard family! Good easy cycling – and a lunch stop at the Slippery Stones – I managed a huge cheese and ham bap that was more like a cake! Apparently they are called cobs up here. Back at Chard, we calculated that our trip was more 20+ miles than 18 – good training…..

Lady bower was completed during WW2, despite materials scarcity as the need for water was great. The three reservoirs supply most of Derbyshire and Sheffield.

The Derwent Rexevoir Dam, began in 2902. Some was quarried in Grindleford and a specially built train line brought the stone up.

During WW2, Squadron 617 – The Dam Busters – practised low flying manoeuvres here with the bouncing bomb.

At the head of Howden Reservoir – Slippery Stones, our lunch spot.

Nowt so beautiful as nature.

378 – Friday 20th May 2016: Hope and Castleton Walk Broken By A Pub Lunch

That good old British (and Clune family) tradition of the Pub Lunch had to feature sometime this week…..a perambulation to Castleford – and the welcoming arms – of the first pub we encountered. Wine, crab cakes, soup and cheese board (a bit steep at £43 pounds) – set us up for the return leg – across gently rolling fields – see the convenient stone steps instead of a stile. Hope village – and rest….. Casterton though has little to recommend it. We were ‘nicely’ accosted by some students conducting a survey: “Did we feel that Castelton’s economy relied on Tourism?” A resounding YES.

Clouds playing across the hills.

This tin hut is one of the few remaining workers’ huts of which there were thousands, used to house the workers on the Reservoirs we cycled round yesterday.

379 – Saturday 21st May 2016: Shopping and Drive to Knutsford

I love Aldi! A full trolley, including meat (lots) and booze (some) and the bill …. £114. Remaining ingredients from Waitress – 1 bag …. £65. Message to self … menu plan ONLY what can be bought at Lidl and Aldi!

We have left the rolling hills of Derbyshire and entered Cheshire. It seems very flat and more built up. Well, it is close to Manchester. We are here for two nights as Kerstin and her mother are flying out of Manchester on Monday, but coming to supper with us on our CL on Sunday evening. Our CL seemed to be on the flight path into Manchester Airport…. but it does not bother the numerous rabbits that are grazing near us. The CL had a short fixed hose, so we could not fill our 95ltr tank. It also had recycling bins, but no general waste. A fellow camper told us we had to sort everything …. GRR what to do with composite materials and things that don’t quite fit into Plastic, Glass, Paper, Card or food waste? We did what we could and resolved to find a normal bin on the morrow.

380 – Sunday 22nd May 2016: Tatton Park

Prior to greeting Kerstin and her Mum, we thought – why not Tatton Park? National Trust – free to us via our Italian FAI membership – and parking with the coaches. Although owned by the NT, it is run and financed by the local council, so we had to cough up £6.00 just to enter the hallowed grounds. More coffee and ice cream awaiting the 1:00 pm house opening time. The house is nice but not spectacular – neoclassical style. But the gardens are quite something – Mr Joseph Paxton’s influence again…

Minton masquerading as Sevres, with the family initials. A lot of great porcelain on view.

The last Baron had to build a massive hall to house all his hunting and collecting trips … animals like this right the way around the Tenants Hall.

We preferred the gardens … wacky topiary.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas were amazing.

The Japanese Garden is considered one of the finest in the UK … but then it did actually have Japanese workers create it.

We had a lovely evening – with lots of stories from Scotland where Kerstin and her Mum had just been – and tales of our adventures. They had been in Scotland in search of puffins. The puffins had been absent, but we were able to inform them that we’d see hundreds, nay – thousands, nay – hundreds of thousands of them off the Northumberland coast near Seahouses.

381 – Monday 23rd May 2016: Quarry Bank Mill

We expected a nice museum with used engine bits and bobs…… What we saw – was a working mill! Amazingly friendly staff – demonstrations of spinning and weaving taking you through from the cottagers to about 1920 machines. Most of the machines were fully restored and about half were demonstrated for visitors today … a heating issue meant some were not running. Really easy to see how the small children worked underneath the big machines cleaning the fallen materials and re-fixing broken threads … all in 5 seconds before the boom moved back again. We saw the spot where one child had been crushed and were told of another who wrenched himself free, leaving behind his ear and half the skin on his face. The workers suffered from the incredible noise of the machines, bone deformities from the constant crouching over them, throat cancer and bulbous eyes from the lint in the air.

Yet on a tour of the Apprentice house we were told they were well cared for by their kindly employer compared to other mills. The first factory doctor ever was employed here, they had plenty of food and only two to a bed! Punishments were never beatings, but having to work overtime, or in severe cases isolation. The Gregg family believed that the healthy workforce should also be educated. The question is … were they cynically looking after the workforce to get more labour out of them or was it true philanthropy? We did not see it but the Channel 4 series ‘The Mill’ is loosely based on characters from here. The working water wheel was majestic. This is one of the best museums we have seen anywhere! Top marks to all involved.

After leaving here, we’ve headed back to Derbyshire. We are on a site just south of Matlock and very near where we’ve cycled and walked before.

There is actually a Steeplejack up on the chimney. The heating in the mill was off so some of the machines were not running … they only like it warm. We know two other people, who are still in layers, coats and scarves … whilst so many people have gone to T-shirts. Is it because we did not experience the really cold British winter?

Cottage Industry – Carding the cotton. Usually performed by children.

One of the multiple bobbin spinners … I think it was a spinning Jenny.

As you walked through the mill, the industrial revolution developed and some of the machines were just huge.

90 apprentices were indentured at any one time. They arrived from Workhouses and were ‘enslaved’ / owned by the mill owner until they were 21. This mantra was in the Apprentice House – my grandmother had this written into her school leaver’s book – guess it must have been from about 1920. I’ve not seen it elsewhere and it really reminded me of Nanny.

373-375: White to Dark Peaks and Come On Bristol Rugby!

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Clunegapyears

373 – Sunday 16th May 2016: Foolow (not low) to Eyam Walk

Trundling our way through Foolow, we inclined steeply to a ridge – with a wing and a prayer – the prayer was answered at the top – a PH! Resting on our laurels briefly – a glass of cold lager for J – and ginger wine for K. Fortified, we inclined a bit more and then declined to Eyam village via the well. The museum taught us lots about fleas, flies, rats and the Bubonic plague – Eyam sacrificed 280 of it’s 800+ inhabitants so that the rest of Derbyshire could survive – “no greater sacrifice than this…”. Lunch included chips – and a modicum of wine. We inclined back to our CL – and rested…..

We’re heading up to that ridge…

… fabulous rolling views from the top …

… now that’s a good view …

… ginger wine for me 🙂

The heather clad moors looking north.

Eyam is known as the plague village due to their self imposed quarantine when a bale of cloth brought the bubonic plague with it. Neighbours would leave food and supplies by the well.

Would that be Mr C with a glass of red whilst waiting for chips (which we shared!)

Tractor procession as we left the pub.

Eyam Hall is let to the National Trust. The poor owners can no longer afford to live in it as it needs too much work and they only inherited in 1990! The line died so the inheritance line went back to 1731!!! It’s on a 20 lease to the NT, but the NT will not take it on fully without a £1m behest!

374 – Monday 16th May 2016: Monsal Trail Bike Ride

Parking in Bakewell for Chard proved impossible – we just found a space at Hatton Station. Bikes readied cyclelogically, pedal power commenced. But – there was a clear and present problem! My bike was silent! Neither the brakes nor gears would speak to me! Young Nigel in Matlock had silenced the blighters! Smooth or what? I was ready to be indeclined – up or down… It was brass monkey weather – arctic wind and it just seemed like freezing – we had all our layers on including my wooly hat – a long way from Punta Braccetto, Dan… If it was cold in the open – the 6 tunnels were littered with deceased brass monkeys! But, after about 5 miles, a sight for cold eyes – not a PH – a “Tuck Shop”! Hot coffee, a scone and flapjack of the chocolate variety… The indeclines were flattened and the brass monkeys danced around the tunnels – we Charded back to Eyam CL – and rested…..

View across the Wye Valley

K: Why shouldn’t we touch the sides?

J: Because you’d fall off!

End of trail coffee and cake stop. So cold, J sporting a hat under his helmet.

Litton Mill where Ellis Needham infamously ‘indentured’ (enslaved) children from the overflowing London workhouses until they were 21. Conditions were truly appalling and some campaigners stated that there was opposition to the black slave trade, but little was done for the English slaves.

Young Jade – almost 1 year old…..

375 – Tuesday 17th May 2016: Longshaw Estate and Padley Gorge to Grindlesham Walk

More full car parks – lots of Derbyshireans looking for Paddy Gorge…. But we succeeded at the Longshaw House – free for us as National Trust members. The walk declineated steeply passing Paddy G and lots of twitchers – some with very big ones! Lenses – for those with doubting minds… At the bottom – The Cafe – highly recommended by a ‘Bongo’ owner we had met yesterday at Hatton Station. For the uninitiated, a Bongo is a VW-sized camper van – grey import from Japan – we had one for 2 years and loved it! It led us ultimately – to Chard. Sausage, bacon, hash browns, beans, chips – and tea fuelled us for the last incline of the day. A lovely shorter walk – and we journeyed to Hope village for our CL overnighter. Thanks to K’s brilliant idea, we will travel to Doncaster tomorrow to see Bristol Rugby hopefully complete leg 1 of the Final – and return to the top table of English rugby – go Brizzle !

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Amazing views across the National Trust Longshaw Estate. This is now the Dark Peaks – moorland and rockier.

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Yes that is a cuppa tea. Lunch was bacon, sausage, hash browns and the biggest place of chips ever! Why is it the chips up here are so good?!?

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The National Trust do a lot for children here. I wonder who lives here?

So excited … just need to find somewhere to park our 8m+ van! have checked with the farm owners, they don’t mind us arriving back late.

366 – 372: Poetry in the Peak District

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Clunegapyears

366 – Sunday 8th May 2016: A Peak District Pastoral Scene

UK weather is so good at the moment – 25 C has been achieved – it makes everywhere look definitely Summer-ish – bluebells are still in evidence… En route to our next CL some 20 miles away, we drove to Bakewell. You cannot visit Derbyshire without getting a Bakewell tart! Well, actually a Pudding as they are here. The first car park was crammed – but a helpful attendant gave us directions to another near a large car boot sale. Loads of room there – and we lunched al fresco. It was absolutely steaming hot and Bakewell was teeming with people – all good for business but not so good for navigating the little streets – thankfully pedestrianised. Why is it that as soon as the sun comes out, the English strip off virtually all they can and then burn? We saw very interesting sock and T-Shirt red marks. Forays into Boots and a little craft market yielded some goodies – and K sent Maddy a Bakewell tart (pudding) by post!

We motored on to a CL farm – in the most picturesque setting. Our pitch looked out over an uninterrupted view across rolling fields and pastures. Our booking was for 3 nights and we immediately asked if we could stay for longer – yes was the answer. The cattle were being herded in for the evening and we looked out over the setting sun. Our year-long journey has seen some spectacular sights – but the English countryside in Spring and nice weather does take some beating. Bucolic ?

“The curfew tolls the knell of parting day

The lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea

The ploughman homeward winds his weary way

And leaves the the world to darkness and to me”

Perfect for our scene – Thomas Gray – 1745-ish.

From the bridge into Bakewell: hordes of people!

More hordes and several ‘The Original” Bakewell Pudding shops!

Our Certificated Location near Fridem. Immaculate….

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… with rolling views.

367 – Monday 9th May 2016: Tissington Trail Bike Ride

Another stunning day greeted us in the a.m. The plan was to take to the bicycles for the first time since Rome. There is a series of cycle paths in the area based on disused railway tracks – thanks to Dr Beeching in the 60s. The Tissington Trail looked promising – and not too hilly. I undertook some bike maintenance – tyre pumping, lubricating gears and chains, etc. I donned cycling leggings complete with nappy (padding) – proposed distance was about 20 odd miles after all…and my saddle could take part in a BDSM fashion show! Now James – there may be young people reading… Mummy – “What’s BDSM?” “Well dear – it’s short for “Bedroom Display of Social Maintenance” – a sort of restful activity for husbands and wives…”

Back to cycling… the track was flat and well gravelled – lots of fellow wheelers out and about – we had the perception that we were travelling slightly downhill… A pee stop at Hartington and on towards Tissington, gently. (I will find a cycling poem, later maybe…). Now, Tissington is famous for ‘Welldressing’. hen K told me – I thought I would be quite disgracefully underdressed – especially in my nappy leggings… A series of water wells in the village are decorated at this time of year as an ancient ritual to pray for water. They commemorate various events – war memories, religious themes, etc. Unusual and quite attractive though. Lunch in the sun sitting against a stone wall – excellent K-made soup as always. A pint and crisps in the local pub completed our repast – and we saddled up for the slightly uphill return.

A very gentle uphill cycle homeward – accompanied by a bracing crosswind – and meeting the cyclists whom we saw on the downward trip earlier. A super supper awaited – slow cooked whilst we meandered our ways… we finished the evening watching the rest of “The spy who came in from the cold” – and thence to the nuptial bed…..

“The curfew rolls the bell of parting wheels

The blowing bard winds slowly o’er the lea

The wheelers homeward weave their weary way

And leave the path to Katherine and to me”

James Clune – circa 2016 – apologies to Thomas Gray – and to our reader !

The dressing can take a week to complete. Clay has to be kept wet so petals, stones etc can be inserted. The frames are then moved to the wells.

The Tissington well dressing was this week so a sign pronounced ‘Tissington is Open for Business’. Temporary car parks, cafes and the coach loads were shipped in. A super day out for the Womens’ Institute … J and I felt very young! This cafe was doing a bumper trade in tea and lunches … no pub in the village! We had to cycle to of the village to find a pub with ‘tourist’ prices :(.

The thing about the Peak District is that is just rolls on and on … dry stone walls, fields with cattle or sheep and a sheer sense of space. You can certainly breathe up here.

368 – Tuesday 10th May 2016: A ‘Down’ (Pour) Day

Weather has done an about turn: Cloudy to start and the it has just rained and rained, and rained some more. One of the joys of not having to cram everything in on a two week holiday is that you can be guided by the weather. Today we were … a late start … first opportunity for a serious lie in since arriving in the UK. A few leisurely jobs:

Organised CL sites to stay on whilst in the Peak District.
We are all sorted to meet up with Kerstin and her mother for a night near Knutsford.
Booked onto some Wildcamping.co.uk meets: Rutland and the Highlands.
Organised our trip back to Bristol to drop Chardonnay for more works.
Booked into the ever accommodating Aged P’s
Booked to see motorhome friends, Frances and Edward, who we just kept meeting up with in Italy
And to have lunch with another motorhomer, Penny.
And, and booked … and several CL sites in between. We have not taken the plunge and wild camped yet in the UK and have been conscious that a lot of the CLs seem to get booked up now, especially around the weekends.
Chardonnay is now sparkly clean on the inside too … a good day’s work.

What did I just say about allowing weather to dictate our activities? I think it just did! And K’s not set a foot outside!

The Storm by Christopher Bunton

A Storm rolled across the field,

Flashing lightning and thunder pealed.

The rain came crashing down,

and I almost nearly drown,

cause the top of my tent was not sealed.

Fortunately, Chardonnay is snug and water tight!

369 – Wednesday 11th May 2016: Quintessentially England Walk

A Walk (again) in Middle England……we parked in Ashbourne neatly overhanging the grass and taking up only one space. Part of the Tissington Trail – lots of ups and downs – plenty of bluebells and wild garlic – and nearing (sensing?) the end of our tour – a PH ! – yes – a Public House, the Okeover Arms – for some post picnic lunchtime sustenance.

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Ashborne: once the confluence of 6 major couching routes, which generate a pub plethora … if there is such a thing! This is the rare scaffold sign of the Green Man & Black Head Inn. Too early to stop!

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Sorry tickled me …of course fold don’t business hours when they die.

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The village of Thorpe kindly provided benches for our lunch stop and this was our quintessential English view.

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Tour Leader.

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The River Dove. Or is it the River of Love? Loving the area.

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We have been reminded how so much of England is mixed tree varieties.

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The Tour Leader spots a detour by way of the Okeover Arms PH.

370 – Thursday 12th May 2016: Cycling the High Peak Trail

Creaking brakes, dodgy gears – didn’t prevent me from launching on to the High Peaks Trail… K’s bike is fine though – mine needs some professional TLC soon. We appreciated the major engineering and construction works that were necessary to build these railways – good old British engineering, again. Fresh air lunch overlooking the village of Cromford and beyond to Matlock – this is England in the Spring! And it can’t possibly get any better.

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The Hight Peak Trail, once a railway track needed serval steam powered engine houses to haul the trains up steep inclines. This one at Middleton Top houses a restored working beam engine. We had an ice cream!

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Lunch view looking down onto Cromford. The large house in the middle was built by Arkwright but he died before it was completed. Top left and hazy is Matlock.

371: Friday 13th May 2016: Derwent Valley and Cromford Canal Walk

AM – short run along part of the High Peak Trail and then we dropped J’s bike off in Matlock for repair. Having driven through Matlock and Matlock Spa, we don’t feel the need to return. We then motored to Cromford and walked – uphill steeply! Pretty fields and houses – and everything seemed uphill – to the Black Rocks – near our lunchtime spot of yesterday. We declined to walk a very steep downhill section – question – if uphill is an ‘incline’ – why is downhill not a ‘decline’? I was declining uphill all day, somehow… In the PM, I reclined for a while, dreaming of inclines. Was I inclined to decline any more inclines? Never !

The STEEP climb back up to the Black Rocks and passed the outside privy … hope there is a window the other side for the view!

Water was pumped from the River Derwent by the Leawood Pump House into the Cranford canal

372: Saturday 14th May: A Move a Little Further North & Eurovision

We had to leave our amazing CL site, as it was fully booked. Plan A: We planned to walk from Ilam Park to Dovedale, but the place was heaving. Really dense with bodies. The campsite managers told me there must be some serious walking event on as the National Trust car park was full by 7.00am. We could have attempted to park on rough ground up the hill, but decided to abort as there were just so many people. We drove to our next CL at Eyam via Buxton … to buy a cheap radio so we could listen to Eurovision. Buxton also had no appeal, (it had not appealed to J when he visited years ago either) so we did not linger.

This site is also on a working farm and there is the constant baying of the cattle and the bird song … and another lovely view … rolling away from us. We decided (actually J did!) that we would not walk from here as Plan B. So Plan C evolved …. slowly. A leisurely afternoon pottering. We did not want to exhaust ourselves with the up coming excitement of Eurovision! We attempted a score sheet, but it soon became irrelevant as J gave all performers a minus number, until challenged and then they received a big fat Zero. All nonsense and rigged, but still very good fun. We understand that America would like to join in. We suspect they would take it seriously.

Late in the evening, as K rediclined horizontally in the NB (nuptial bed), I threw in the Eurovision towel as Australia batted to an exciting victory – only to discover in the am – that Ukraine had bowled them out in the final innings! UK had trailed in – not quite last – Ireland had not even qualified!!

361- 365: UK Tour Commences in Derbyshire – Yipee!

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Clunegapyears

361 – Tuesday 3rd May 2016:

We are in year 2 !!! Just to recap – France, Holland, Scandinavia, Russia (briefly), Slovenia, Italy, Sicily (feels like a different country), France again – and (wait for it) Derbyshire!!! But first – the M3 – the good old M3 has not changed much – apart from the fact that it is being transformed into a “Managed Motorway”. This means more lanes for more cars and trucks to get stuck in. I suppose it’s a form of management. Never mind that other (more) enlightened countries spend on public transport thus reducing the motorway traffic – whilst the UK becomes increasingly congested.

Anyway, we commenced our UK journey in Chardonnay by leaving the wonderful hospitality of K’s family – to head north into the English Spring… M3, M25, M1 – not too bad considering it was just after the Bank Holiday. Lunch on board somewhere along the M1 – and then the blessed A-roads and a few B-roads – to arrive at the pre-booked Certificated Location at Old Brampton in Derbyshire where our Bristol neighbours Stephen and Kay had landed earlier, together with their gorgeous canines – Tazz and Gemma. S and K are recent motorhomers in their van “Phoebe”. Tea was consumed – and later, supper – with wine! From the little we had seen thus far, the countryside of Derbyshire is really pretty – in that quintessentially English way – gently rolling hills and nice villages.

Note to selves: avoid motorways as much as possible! M3 – gotta love it … NOT!

362 – Wednesday 4th May 2016: Lineacre Reservoirs

Not quite the crack of dawn – but we headed of for an early run – around one of the reservoirs – a bit muddy and hilly but excellent to be away from vehicled traffic. 4-5 kilometres in all with K’s Pilates to follow – and a hearty breakfast. Late morning saw us repeat the route walking with S and K and k9s. A walk extension to the village pub. Toiling up the last hill, we sought directions from a local walker – the pub had closed some time ago – and our maps were out of date! The nearest PH was some miles away, unfortunately…. Back to vans to rest – and later – supper – with wine? Yes.

Our Certificated Location for 5 nights

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Stephen and Kay with Taz and Gemma

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Is that a Morecambe and Wise moment?

363 – Thursday 5th May 2016: Chatsworth House

A rest from walking – Stephen piloted us towards Chatsworth House and Park – home of the Lords Devonshire since the 16th century. We took a guided tour of the gardens – entry to the house is rather expensive and the weather (in the English Spring) was beautifully sunny. Our guide has a passion for the principal gardener who designed the verdant area – Joseph Paxton. Others including Capability Brown were involved but Paxton’s the man! His glasshouses are stunning and the garden areas are quite diverse – see K’s photo of his ‘Convservative Wall’. An excellent walk for all.

Supper included water (and wine!).

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One gardener is employed full-time to look after the vine house.

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Twenty five full time employed gardeners and about 50 volunteers maintain the gardens.

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Joseph Paxton’s ‘Conservative’ Wall

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The Cascade built in 1696 to a French Design and fed by the waterfall above.

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A tiny part of the huge rockery.

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The maze in what was the Great Conservatory. It fell into rack and ruin during the Great War so the family had it dismantled.

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364 – Friday 6th May 2016: Hardwick Hall

“Four times the nuptial bed she warmed

and every time so well performed

that when death spoiled each husbands billing

he left the widow every shilling

fond was the dame but not dejected

five stately mansions she erected”

(Not my penmanship, but William Walpole…..)

That’s our Bess! And Hardwick Hall is a fitting monument to the second richest lady in England in the 16th century. The Old Hall (now ruined) was her birthplace – the nuptial bed performances were scattered across the country… and she produced 8 children!

Looking at the manor, the views across Derbyshire – there’s no doubting we were in Middle England – not a Labour voter within gunshot ! Except possibly for the man who engaged us profusely in anti-EU vituperations! “Served it’s time – job done – out we go!” Just a brief summary. He also lectured Kay on training Border Collies – we think he narrowly avoided a punch in the EU!

The house Bess restored using the latest technology, but then she built the New Hall next door. Ruins were popular, so half of this was pulled down!

Gone to rack and ruin!

The ‘New’ Hall

The most amazing interior – largely left Elizabethan. As Bess had aspirations for her granddaughter to follow Elizabeth I as queen, the tapestries particularly were amazing. This main hall had the most unusual 3d reliefs.

365 – Saturday 7th May: A Race!

For some time – including in mainland Europe, I had been looking for a short road race to test me – and I suggested to K that she should take the plunge. In Euroland, you need a doctor’s cert to demonstrate your fitness to run. I can probably be certified for lots of things on the road, but… Whilst resting in Old Brampton, I navigated the pages of “Runners World” magazine – and guess what I found? A 5km race in nearby Chesterfield on the coming Saturday! A proper club event meaning some serious runners. We agreed to enter – my first race for 3 years and K’s first race ever! For the days leading up to the event, a strict training regime ensued – a little running, some Pilates, lots of food and plenty of wine! It’s important to be relaxed for these races… My pace in recent running had been 8:30-9:00 minutes per mile – not exactly earth shattering. For the 5km, I set myself a soft target of 27:00 minutes – and a hard target of 25:00 mpm. K sensibly had a target of not running out of steam. I had researched previous results (it’s a monthly event) and I thought I could finish about halfway in the field. Like all finely-honed athletes, we slept badly in the nuptial bed and fretted about our performances (unlike Bess!). Up and at ‘em in the early dawn, we satnaved into Chesterfield – found good long parking for the team bus and walked the short distance to the race HQ (cricket ground) to register. Not surprisingly, we were the first to arrive! Keen or what? I couldn’t eat but K managed a yoghurt pre-race. The route was 4 circuits of the park – thankfully, free from any motor traffic. I managed to go to the toilet only 7 times before the start.

The starter shouted “3-2-1 Go” – and off we went. I had no idea how fast my pace was as there were no km markers (K had her GPS app on her phone (with Michael Jackson through the earphones also for company). I felt I was running a bit quick on the first lap and moderated my pace – K was steady all the way. One short hill at the back of the course – otherwise flat. It was good to be racing again – the adrenaline flowing. On the 4th lap, some 400 metres from the finish, I accelerated and finished quickly – time 25:40 – close to my hard target – very pleased – K finished well and certainly not last as she thought previously. 36th place for me – of 63 was respectable and K was in 57th place – excellent for a first event! Second in my age group – later I noted that the first placed man was a mere 11 seconds in front. Both brekkied, we met S and K at the Chesterfield market.

Chesterfield is a nice town – with a crooked church spire. We browsed the markets and window shopped along all the usual High Street stores – noting the prominence of BHS which seems to be at some risk. Lunchtime found us in a Weatherspoons pub – 2 pints of lager and crisps – wine for K – the post-race effects fatigue was diminishing….. A round of drinks for 4 people with crisps for 2 – £9.00!!! Excellent Derbyshire value.

Saturday evening (our last for now with S and K) – Stephen piloted us to the nearest pub from our CL – the Royal Oak. We fell on the food – Scampi and chips, steak, liver and mash – and … wine! The dogs as always were beautifully behaved.

It had been a lovely week in Derbyshire with S and K who would depart in the morning. We are so impressed with the area that we resolved to stay and explore more of the county! Another race might also be sought.

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels

Category Archives: UK Tour 2016