Hardwick Hall

On our way home from Ashover we took a detour to Hardwick Hall, a 'prodigy' house built by Bess of Hardwick We didn't intend to go inside but just walked round the gardens.

Past clumps of cyclamen, and the ruins of the old hall, with glimpses of the new, to the entrance.

The gardens form a square round the house, filled with lots of seasonal flowers..

The park outside the gardens was too tiring to contemplate - perhaps one day ...

 

Holiday at last!

At long last my husband agreed to us going away on holiday. Not for long - a weekend - and not alone = all the family came too. 

This was our long-delayed 'Mayfest' weekend which should have taken place at Bank Holiday but got postponed due to my stroke.

We picked a converted barn in Ashover with a downstairs bedroom,  old fireplaces and velvet sofas.

The garden backed onto fields and open countryside, but we mainly stayed inside, playing board games, apart from dinner on Saturday evening.

It was idyllic. Especially after such a bad summer.

 

A longer trip to Calke Abbey

Next step was to take a walk at Calke - with the stick. We caught the buggy from the reception desk to the gardens, walked round, then caught it back again. Much easier!

The gardens were quite quiet, the noise of the Summer of Play being contained behind walls. This meant sitting in the walled garden or orchard was peaceful.

From the walled garden we went to see the dahlia display.

Then into the walled garden at the end, where we sat under the trees for a while before heading back to catch the buggy.

 

A Short Trip to Carsington Reservoir

We went to Carsington at the end of July. My first time walking with a stick instead of rollator, which was exciting, but tiring. I walked round the visitor centre, had an ice lolly, and walked a little way towards Stones Island, which was far enough!

The grass was parched, but the water looked high. I muct go back soon and check this, as last September the water level was drastically low, and the met office are saying we need 120% of normal rainfall! Things sound still desperate.

 

Kedleston Hall

Next, I went out to Kedleston Hall with my trusty rollator.

We went down to the cafe first, then wandered into the pleasure grounds.

It was nice to see the flowers but it soon began to feel like too much, and I was glad to get back to the car.