Shopping!

Monday was a day of sunshine and showers at Bolehill including a heavy hailstorm.  Three departures and two arrivals and one cleaner up.  The morning also saw laundry collected, rubbish collected, oil delivered and leaflets from the Chestnut Centre delivered.  First guests arrived at 3pm and second guests arrived just after 7pm.  One of those afternoons that seem to fly past with nothing to show for it.  When I took the dogs out for their evening walk the air was crystal clear but nippy!  At least Tuesday was not as bad as forecast.  Chris was able to mow the lawns in the morning even if he got caught in a hail shower.  He has also had to put up the electric fence to stop the cows from getting into the paddock area.  One had already found her way in and was given an Asbo.  In the afternoon I had an excursion down to Bakewell to get some provisions, petrol and compost.  It started to rain just before 4pm.  One cottage in arriving just before 5pm.  They are from Australia.  It was wet overnight into Wednesday and cold too, but at least it didn't snow.  We opted to go shopping and usually at this time of year we go to Lea Gardens and Junction 28 but today we ventured a little further and went to Lakeside Outlet at Doncaster.  This is just off the M18 and took an hour to get to so no longer than going to Junction 28.  It is bigger than Junction 28 but it has  a Thorntons and Cadburys so I was happy.  When I took the dogs out in the evening one of the other guests said they had been to Lea Gardens and had enjoyed it.  Our cherry tree is usually in blossom by now but I reckon it is still another week before it flowers.

Tissington Well Dressings

It's that time of year again.  The season of well dressings begins with Tissington.  Friday saw one departure with three arrivals at Bolehill and one cleaner here.  I popped down to Bakewell in the morning to get some provisions for the weekend.  A dull and wet morning turned into a brighter afternoon and after the last cottage arrived at 5 pm (one has been before) we decided to head over to Tissington.  The wells were up to the usual high standards but arriving later in the afternoon meant there wasn't the crowds.  We wandered round with Chris subjecting Blue to sitting in front of the wells as it was his blog.  We also called into the butcher who was still open and while we were chatting the heavens opened so the poor dogs, especially Smudge, had to endure the rain whilst looking in at all the meat on display!  Heading home we decided to call in at Carriages, an Italian restaurant at Newhaven.  The dining area consists of two old rail carriages decorated in period style on either side of the bar area.  The last time we ate there was before we bought Bolehill so it was time we paid it another visit.  They have a good choice of pasta and Italian dishes and a bar menu and luckily for us they had a table available.  A nice meal and a chat with the owners before driving home.  Saturday was a mixture of sunshine, dullness  and showers.  Four departures and three arrivals and two cleaners here.  All cottages here by 3.30pm, all have been here before so it gave me the rest of the afternoon to research some products as I need to look at replacing some items in the cottages such as crockery.  Sunday started dry but by mid afternoon the rain had set in and it felt a lot colder so a day of jobs around the house. 

Here are some photos of Castleton that I found when I downloaded the well dressing photos.

 Looking up to Back Tor and Lose Hill

 Looking up to Win Hill

 Looking up to Mam Tor

 Tissington Hall

Spring slides away

Tuesday remained spring like at Bolehill and with less of a breeze it felt warmer.  One departure and one cleaner up.  Took advantage of no arrivals to go out for a few hours.  Had thought about a short walk but risk of showers had appeared in the forecast so we had a little drive out to Castleton where we had a wander around.  As it was sunny and warm we couldn't find a place to eat lunch outside with the dogs as all the tables were taken so we headed to Hassop Station for lunch via the agricultural stores at Brough where Chris picked up some weed killer.  Back home I found a little more time to plant out some plants and tidy up as rain was forecast for Wednesday.  Wednesday started dull and dump but it brightened up in the afternoon.  One cottage out and I headed down to Bakewell to get some provisions for the next few days and get my hair cut.  A quiet afternoon and in the evening I collected Joanna and Lynne for the latest WI meeting.  May's meeting always sees the voting on the resolutions to be tabled at the National AGM. We also had a speaker, a local lady, well known in the area, who spoke to us about the voluntary double mastectomy she fought to get many years ago as she was convinced breast cancer ran in the family after the death of many close female relatives.  With medical advances, particularly in genetics, it has been discovered the females in her family carry a faulty gene that results in breast cancer so her daughter has had the operation too.  She was instrumental in setting up a national helpline for hereditary breast cancer. Thursday was more autumnal with over half inch of rain in the afternoon and evening.  One departure and one cleaner up.  One arrival about 3pm and spent the afternoon on accounts.  In the evening I went to Over Haddon again this time for the Village Hall AGM.

I wonder what they are discussing.

I shouldn't be let loose at auctions!

On Saturday morning we said goodbye to three cottages at Bolehill and two cleaners came up to turn them round. I drove down to the Auction House at Bakewell and had a look at what was on offer at the Garden and Plant Auction.  I decided there were some lots of interest but they were not due to be sold until the afternoon so I came back and had coffee and an early lunch and checked on the progress of cleaning before going back.  I bid for a number of lots and at the end of the sale when I rounded up my purchases I realised I was not going to get them all in the car!  When I phoned Chris three of the cottages had already arrived so he came down and collected the rest of the plants.  I bought a mixture of shrubs, some pots which were already planted up for the summer and some bedding plants (see picture below). We were back by 4pm and the remaining two cottages arrived between 5 and 6pm.  Of the five arrivals three have been before.  Sunday was a lovely day and after getting the paper from Bakewell Chris and I spent most of the day doing bits around the courtyard and gardens.  It was the first real chance to do some pruning, take out some dead shrubs and start planting in the new ones, after all I have about six dozen plants to find a home for.  Chris also cleaned out our pond, luckily the fish survived the winter.  It was nice enough to have coffee and lunch outside.  Monday was similar, a lovely Bank Holiday Monday for a change, bearing in mind that five weeks earlier on Easter Monday there was still plenty of snow around!  There was one departure and one arrival and one cleaner up.  Guests arrived about 3pm and then some more planting !  It was even nice enough to make the trip to Monyash for one of the ice creams from the Old Smithy.  Worth the petrol!

Spring has sprung!

Short sleeve tops, washing outside and cows in the fields at Bolehill!  Swallows swooping overhead and the sun not setting until 9pm.  Well spring has truly arrived and there may be more to come.  No departures but one arrival and one cleaner here to keep up with cleaning.  A pottering day for me and Chris oversaw the installation of a canopy over one of the cottage doors.  He also went to the dentist. Early in the evening we went down to Bakewell to vote and came back via Over Haddon where we had a beer tapas enjoying the views over Lathkill Dale and beyond before heading back home.  Friday was a bit cooler but still pleasant.  Three departures with two arrivals and one cleaner up.  I went down to Bakewell to get some provisions for the weekend, it was busier than it has been of late.  Chris was busy doing a number of painting jobs and cutting the grass.  First cottage arrived at 3.30pm and second one at 5pm. Had a minor diversion in the afternoon when a kite being flown by one of the guests got caught up in the power cables crossing Andrews fields.  I phoned the Electricity company and they sent someone out to cut the kite down!

A walk on the Edges

Wednesday had been forecast to be a fine day at Bolehill but by Tuesday it had changed to clouding up by lunchtime with the possibility of showers in the afternoon.  Despite this we opted to go for a walk.   I had chosen one of the classic Peak District walks based on the Edges but with an extension should the weather hold.  It was certainly a warm morning, we even removed our jackets on the walk.  We parked at the (currently free) car park by the Robin Hood Inn and picked up the path below Birchen Edge.  We haven't done this walk for a number of years and last time we did it was winter and the ground was boggy in places so I thought with it being so dry we wouldn't have to worry about wet boots.  We kept to the lower path although we could have climbed up to the ridge and had a closer looked at the Nelson monument and the Three Ships Stones (named after Nelsons Three Ships).  The area that could have been boggy was fine and we crossed the Baslow-Sheffield road and picked up the bridleway leading up to the Wellington Monument.  On the way we passed some Longhorn cattle, the guide stoop on the old Chesterfield road and a new stone sculpture.  By the time we got to the Wellington monument it had clouded up but we decided to add Baslow edge to the walk rather than head back to the car.  First we admired the view to Chatsworth and considered it an option to watch the Red Arrows from when they appear at Chatsworth later in the summer.  By the time we had walked along Baslow Edge the sun had come back out again.  We picked up the path below Baslow Edge which again can be quite boggy but apart from a few little damp spots it was easy going under foot.  We lunched at a nice sunny spot on one of benches along this part of the walk, if we stood up we could see Chatsworth. We then started walking back up to the Wellington monument but before reaching it picked up the path that descended through Yeld Wood to the Sheffield Road.  We had to pass the couple of houses that have their own bridge from the road.  As we walked up to Gardoms Edge it felt very warm again we had some lovely views of the local area including Nelsons Monument and the Three Ships.  As it was such a nice afternoon we stopped at Hassop Station for afternoon tea and had a nice piece of cake.  Some more cows were out out and stayed out overnight.  In the evening it was my turn to host the monthly WI committee meeting.  Enjoy the photos.

I've never felt so disheartened...

...on letting the cows out Andrew said on Monday morning.  Well it was a dreary morning at Bolehill although it did brighten up. So the cows are now out during the day time with what little grass there is. Monday saw one departure and two arrivals, both have been before.  One cleaner up and the day just seemed to fly past with no opportunity to get much else done.  Guests arrived between 3.30 and 4.30pm. At least I took some bookings in the evening.  Tuesday was a fine day.  Chris went over to Buxton in the morning for some gas safety check and when he got back I went to Sainsbury's in Matlock.   Spent the morning catching up on WI accounts and housekeeping duties. One departure in the morning.  Early forecasts indicate we could have some nice weather over the weekend.  That would be nice but here are Aprils weather stats anyway.

Highest temp 15.6 deg C on15th with lowest temp -2.2 on 2nd
Warmest day was 24th and night 15th with coldest day 2nd and night 1st
Had a mere .65 in rain with wettest day 12th with .14 in rain compared to 3.21 in rain April 2012
The sun is getting stronger with a UV of 7.7 on 24th

Here are some pics from Monday

 Cows in the field

Blue finds something interesting in the bushes