A whole week this time… On Friday, April 17 it was mainly sunny and dry, with coolish wind. Up in good time to prepare for haircut – shorter at front, since you ask. Had bath. After lunch drove up to Rosary to put small bunch of flowers that Dot had picked on my father’s grave – it’s his birthday. Also checked Andrew’s and inserted a couple of bluebells. Then proceeded to Mulbarton by a circuitous route and left a flask and Tupperware with Carin Gazley: she had given us soup and other stuff when Dot was ill. Drove back home and had a street meet with quite good attendance: Des, Chris, Mark, Ciara, Jon, Matt, Sam and Joe. Cooked duck legs for supper having cancelled fish and chips option. Watched Race Round the World and Beyond Paradise, which is a bit bland.
Saturday – Dry and quite warm but with a coolish wind. Dot and I went for a walk after lunch, upriver to St James Quay. Both felt quite tired by the time we got back – just before kick-off at Bristol City. Norwich went 1-0 down quickly but came back in the second half to win 2-4. Later Spurs drew 2-2 – very unlucky; opponents scored both their goals in added-on time at the end of each half. Spurs looked good. Later I cooked moussaka and tikka masala: I had the moussaka. Both very tasty. Afterwards watched two episodes of a thriller, Missed Call, about a girl going missing in France. Pretty good. And then Match of the Day. Got cases down out of the loft. Oliver is in Manchester, ready for his marathon tomorrow.
Sunday – Warm and dry with a slightly cool wind. Spent much of the middle of the day tracking Oliver on his marathon in Manchester. He did really well despite injuring himself a week ago. Caught a glimpse of him at the finish on YouTube. Did most of our packing and preparing for our visit to Buxton starting tomorrow. Watched the rest of Missed Call, which was pretty good except that we didn’t feel drawn to the heroine. Quite a clever plot. Also watched some football and Songs of Praise, which was the Maundy service at St Asaph’s with the King and Queen in attendance. All the pomp and ceremony didn’t really fit with the theme of the service, but there you are. I guess if all Songs of Praise were like that, I’d soon stop watching. Ended the day by eating half a raw lemon with sugar – delicious!
Monday – Mixture of cloud and sun, with a few drops of rain towards the end. Left Norwich at about 10.20, and Dot drove to Cambridge Services, where she bought a coffee and we used the facilities. Then I drove the rest of the way, along the A14, up the M1 and along the A50, then up to Ashbourne and along Derbyshire’s beautiful roads with their ludicrous, frustrating speed limits. Arrived at the hotel about 3pm after filling up with petrol at Morrisons.
Unpacked, then Dave and Julia drove us down into the town centre, where all the parking meters were not working, and the online alternative failed to work too. Eventually Dot popped into coffee shop, where they said parking was free at the moment. So we had a drink and cake, then returned to the hotel for a rest. Drink at 6.15pm – I had gin and tonic – then very nice meal, though I had to leave some. Tea afterwards for me while others had an additional drink. We managed to avoid getting blocked by a coachload of elderly people. Ha! Dave is obviously in difficulty with his hip and can’t move quickly, though he can drive. Julia also moves slowly after her operation. They make us feel quite brisk.
Tuesday – Bright, sunny later and dry, but quite a cold wind. Wore my heavy coat. Up in time for breakfast. Spoke to waitress Ellie – the hotel is being sold to a walking group company! So this could be our last visit, though Julia refuses to accept that they can stop us coming. I think they can. The end of another era, like Adrian leaving Corwen. After breakfast (no connection) Dot had a sudden attack of diarrhoea, though she didn’t feel ill. This delayed our departure for Castleton.
We went by a roundabout route to take in a view of the Goyt valley and parked in the town centre. We then had a drink at a small café before moving into town and visiting a few shops. Dot bought a small blue bracelet, and we looked at the shop where I bought a cap on an earlier occasion. Then back down to the main street, where we had lunch in another smallish café – coincidentally next to a woman who was close to us in the first café. There was something about her that reminded me of my grandmother, who was born not far away in Sheffield. I thought of asking her if she was called Booth or Duckenfield, but didn’t go through with it. As usual.
Dot and I walked a different way back to the car and found what we believe is the hotel we used to stay at when we visited Castletown many years ago. The Ramblers’ Rest. The alternative valley route got us back to the car about as quickly as the others, and I got some lovely pictures of ducklings. We drove back to Castleton via the stunning Winant’s Pass again, and got held up by heavy traffic as we entered the town. Back about 3pm for rest before evening meal. Had a bath: felt very tired, but revived for meal, which was good: I had sea bass and Dot fish and chips. Afterwards we talked quite a long time in bar while Norwich City beat Derby 2-1. Bed just after 10pm.
Wednesday – Bright and dry, but again with a cold wind. Finished reading H is for Hawk: poetic and very unusual, about a young woman’s relationship with a goshawk after her father dies. Don’t think I would get on with the woman, but I now know 100% more about goshawks than I did before. After breakfast drove to Leek past some spectacular rocks and a traffic snarl-up.
Beyond Leek went to Rudyard Lake, where we had tea/coffee in the hotel and walked down to look at the quite spectacular reservoir. Then drove back to Leek and eventually found a parking space. Had lunch – toasted teacake – in the White Hart tearooms. Very nice. Then walked round town centre including market: bought chocolate but decided against a handbag and walked back to car. Obviously hard going for Dave. Drove back to Buxton taking a detour through some high moors and reached high point of about 1600ft. Of course our hotel in Buxton is over 1000ft.
Considering Rudyard Hotel for future meetings because of rumour already mentioned that Lee Wood is being sold to a group specialising in walking tours. Sharing hotel this week with large number of coach tourers. Nice food for supper – staff very considerate. I had steak and ale pie, and tea instead of sweet. Dot had curry and crème brûlée. Made speculative date for Blakeney in September.
Thursday – Sunny, slightly warmer. Our last day at Buxton. Took picture of Ellie and paid bill, over £700. After farewells, Dot and I walked down into town and bought some chocolates for Anne and Bridget, and for us. Dot also had a cup of tea. Dot felt tired after the walk back; so I drove first, and we went down the A6 and across on to the M1. Think the other route is quicker. Certainly easier.
I was feeling very tired by the time we reached the A14; so we stopped at the McDonald’s at Rothwell. Dot asked for help with ordering, and we were assisted by a delightful woman who took us through the whole process. Food was cheap and tasted good, but I did have an upset stomach later. Not the woman’s fault – she went out of her way to help. Dot drove from there, and we made a rare decision not to stop at Cambridge Services.
Usual hold up on A11 just outside Norwich, but not as bad as I thought it might be. We got home about 4.30, and Bridget was cleaning. Nice to see her. Had a bit of a stomach upset – not sure why, but obviously suspicion fell on McDonald’s, although the bacon at breakfast wasn’t great. Didn’t feel well for most of evening. Got copy of unpleasant letter someone at the hospital sent to my doctor, implying I hadn’t followed instructions. Quite untrue.
Lay down and rested with Dot, then had a bath, followed by some soup. Watched University Challenge final, which was predictable, then Twenty Twenty Six, then Race Round the World, which was surprisingly good because of the unfamiliar setting (Turkey and Georgia) and the fact that all contestants were likeable. Felt a bit better at the end of the evening.