We've been lucky to have some wonderful sunny days for the last week, and, with a forecast threatening proper autumnal weather, I wanted to take full advantage of it while keeping up my weekly walks.
For a change of scene I suggested a trip to Calke Abbey, another local National Trust property, though a little further away than Kedleston. normally on our visits there we stick to the gardens, but being in the mood for a longer walk we decided to explore the park this time.
From the car park, the path drops steeply to a string of ponds then rises again to wooded areas beyond. I was prepared for exploring with a map showing various colour-coded walks, but Covid restrictions encourage visitors to follow the routes in reverse order, and we managed to, not quite get lost, but certainly end up doubling back and retracing our steps a couple of times to head in the direction we wanted to go.
Like the house, the parkland was neglected and not managed 'properly' for years and as a result has lots of old trees - gnarly and lumpy, or straight and reaching for the sky.
Dappled shade under the trees was most welcome in the hot weather.
Eventually our zigzagging route took us to the edge of the estate to a point where you can look over farmland towards Staunton Harold Reservoir and, beyond it, Melbourne.
From here the path follows the edge of Calke's deer park, and close to the fence quite a number of young deer were feeding. They weren't really disturbed by our presence - I suppose they're used to living by a footpath - but they did move further away among the trees. There are probably half a dozen or more of them in this photo but hidden by their colourings and the shade.
It's quite a short distance to the car park from this point, but we decided to take a diversion, back past the lily ponds and a little way through the more open park nearer to the house - where we spotted longhorn cattle.
Calke is definitely another of those 'on my doorstep' places that I haven't explored fully, and with some good weather (and not too much tightening of covid restrictions) I hope to be back again this autumn.
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