Matlock Bath

We probably won’t post this tonight, unusually there is no wifi here. We’re in a basic B&B above a fish and chip cafe, but at least they had 2 double rooms. The toilet in 1 room is so small that our knees almost touch the door. Really private too, with a louvre door that doesn’t shut fully. The shower is in a “room” the size of the small shower base with the bath mat outside the door, in the bedroom. High class because at least there is a bath mat. Both rooms are OK though. It seems that we’ve landed in a tourist town with spa(s). There are some amusement parlours and heaps of fish and chip shops.

We started the warm, sunny day with a 7 – 8 km walk from the delightful hotel we spent last night in to Chatsworth Estate and back.

The park belongs to Chatsworth Estate and is about 1200 hectares. Within the park there are 3 small villages. We walked to Edensor, a pretty little village with all the houses tied, but the occupants, most of whom work for the Chatsworth Estate, their widows and widowers may keep them for life. Reasonable coffee while we waited for the rain to pass. 

By now, it was early afternoon and we drove through Youlgrave, and Hartington, both attractive little villages with all of the buildings built from similar stone and looking quite uniform. We bought a selection of cheeses from “The Old Cheese Shop” in Hartington for tonight to go with our wine that has corks (so we have to find a cork screw. Last night, the owner of a little cafe near the hotel lent us one, we weren’t game to ask the pub for one so we could drink our own wine instead of buying theirs. We did have their wine with dinner though).

We stopped at a couple of pubs looking for accommodation before we were guided to “Charlie’s”, where we are now.

Footnote: Gary went into the pub next door to have a drink, to find out their wifi password, so here is the blog after all.