Camping at Rowsley

Another camping weekend over, this time our annual trip to the Grouse and Claret at Rowsely. A lovely pub just through Chatsworth which conveniently has a campsite at the back of it. Normal routine on Friday - get there, pitch tent, have minor argument about how to do it, fill tent with all gear, and join friends in sunshine for drinks and nibbles. Dinner in the pub, and back to gazebo for nightcap. I have new, solar powered fairy lights for our tent, whch was very exciting!



Saturday morning was a communal fry up, then the bus to Ashford in the Water and a walk to Bakewell, partly along the Monsal tail which we joined at Thornbridge station.



Then walked to Hassop station where there is a lovely tea room and book shop. Lots of wild flowers along the way,



and lots of bikes. Groups of hikers and groups of bikes on fairly narrow trails don't exactly mix well, but not sure there's an answer. Arrived in Bakewell in time for lunch at The Peacock and a look round the shops and a visit to the ducks of course



Where we saw some interesting coloured babies



before starting the walk back, which involves a bit of a climb but gets you some lovely views.



More early evening sunshine and a BBQ - normal stuff, chicken, burgers, sausages, gammon, lamb - and a bottle of chef's privilege (Prosecco) for the two cooks.



Got some good pictures of the "supermoon"



Next morning a leisurely start, mainly because we could hear it raining, so stayed in the tent Then we went to Rowsley station and caught the steam train at Peak Rail which goes to Matlock and back several times while you have Sunday lunch in their Palatine cars.


Joined by some of my family including my Mum and Dad who were celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary, so the Queen came too.


Lunch is excellent, roast beef and all the trimmings followed by a real sweet trolley! And you get to see the steam train .




Luckily it stopped raining for the walk back to the campsite, and we sat around a bit or played on the now empty campsite


and then had another BBQ.
Next morning we were up and off early, leaving a couple of wet tents so we could get to work by 9. But the sun Shen all at, and when we went back to get them in the evening they were dry. Apart from the inside of ours, and we seem to have sprung a leak!

Another great weekend, good company and some sunshine.

Peregrines

I've loved watching the peregrine falcons who've been nesting on St George's Church thanks to the webcam. Their behaviour has been fascinating, and captured brilliantly in this blog about them. There's also some great pictures on there - much better than the ones I'm going to share which are either taken with my little camera, or screenshots from the webcam. I saw two interesting bits of beahviour today whcih I wanted to share.

this morning, two of the chicks maaged to flap their wings and jump enough to get onto the top of the platform. the other, who seemed slightly more nervous, edged out along the perching rod:

This was the first time they'd been out of the nest, and what was fascinating was Mum and Dad were watching them - perched on the church, slightly lower down. You should be able to see them on this picture, about a third of the way up, on either side:

They stayed there for ages, just watching, presumeably waiting to help if the chicks flew and got into difficulties, or maybe give them flying lessons.

The other thing that fascinated me was tonight. Two of the chicks were back on the roof of the platform, having come down to eat, but one was in it. She was desperate to join them. She flapped her wings like mad, got to the end of the perching pole and flapped. Even at one point, ran along  the nest flapping. Every so often she gazed up at them. Then finally, she laid down and went to sleep on her own, looking rather sad. Here's some screengrabs, so not brilliant quality:

I felt really sorry for her - she looked quite dejected and sad when she couldn't join her siblings, and kept looking up at them. And yes, I know it's a bird not a person......
I'm not surprised she's keen to get out. Isn't the nest a mess - wouldn't want to be the person taking that down later this year!

Interesting times

Well, today was interesting! Set off for a Garden Centre/Nursery extravangza with my friend Rebekah this morning. Knew the EDL were planning on holding a march in Sheffield, and also knew that there was to be a counter event about multiculturalism in Sheffield - our wonderful students led by president Abdi  produced a great video about it:



Didn't think it would affect us particularly although we do live very close to the City Centre. How wrong I was. As I was on my way home, Stuart sent me this photo:

Right outside our house. Apparently things were kicking off - the EDL had marched up West Street and the police were trying to keep them away from anti-facist demonstrators who were also close by.

I had real trouble getting anywhere close to the house as all the roads were blocked off. I had to sweet talk my way past two police blockades, and eventually got close to home to see this at the end of my road:

Talking my way past police on motorbikes was one thing. Decided that getting past 10 horses might be harder, so parked car and walked home!  But, then I had a chat with a lovely police officer in full riot gear who told me that it was his job to ensure business as usual for local residents, and moved the horses sideways so I could get the car past.

The horses were very impressive in their protective gear, and all the local residents were out on the street supporting the police

 

All of the roads nearby were blocked  as the police did a fantastic job:

The EDL had overrun one of our local pubs just up the road which promptly closed, called the police, who came and cleared the pub, and the thugs (scum, racist b******ds, whatever) started throwing bottles and glasses at anyone nearby. Suddenly they marched down West Street, and the line of police strengthened:

and they held them off, until the police decided to march them down the street under heavy escort. Suddenly all was calm again. It had all been a bit surreal. Police in riot gear, horses, motorbikes, and the EDL thugs. And all the time me and my neighbours were out on the street chatting to the police and taking pictures. I have to say - the police were fantastic. They knew exactly what they were doing, and I never felt anything other than safe. They were also very funny and chatty. My favourite comment was one of them telling me, when I asked where they were walking the EDL to, was "Grimsby, then we're going to keep them walking till they're all in the sea"

So, the EDL showed themselves up for what they are - racist thugs, and the multicultural event in the Peace Gardens passed without  hitch and was a calm and fun place to be.

Sheffield 1, EDL 0.

The curious incident.....

Last weekend's camping trip to Hope will be remembered for more than it's fair share of incidents! Friday we arrived and with the tent half up found ourselves being battered by a hailstorm. After a quick retreat to the car, we managed to stay fairly dry getting the rest of it up. Then the sun came out, so we were able to have an early evening tipple before walking into the village for dinner.

The next day dawned bright and sunny, with more than the sun shining for one of our party, who had a very fetching shiner of her own following the curious incident of the iPad in the night-time. So, after a communal breakfast we set off on our walk, through some lovely lanes with hedgerows covered in wild flowers,

through Aston and Thornhill,  past an interesting sign

then back to the Rising Sun in Bamford for lunch.

 In the afternoon we walked through Shatton (you'd be amazed how many jokes you can get out of that....), past the ford,

 and got back to the campsite late afternoon, in time for a BBQ.

Although it had been warm during the day, the skies were clear and it was very cold in the evening, so we had to wrap up well in the awning. All of our wonderful slankets came out!

Another sunny morning, another communal breakfast (we all cook something and then share it out), and we had our airbed out on the grass trying to find the leak that meant we were constantly sinking in the night. Applied a patch to the hole and we thought the job was done.....  Then we set off to walk to Castleton - a route we've taken many times along the bottom of Lose Hill, with stunning views over to Pevril Castle and Winnats Pass.

 There's even a playground along the way, and a farm shop with animals to feed.

Lunch was in the Bulls Head, where we witnessed a medical emergency as a man collapsed at the next table. Two of our friends are very experienced nurses and leapt into action to throw chairs out of the way and get him on the floor. I was very impressed with the emergency services, as a volunteer first responder was there within minutes, closely followed by a doctor, then a paramedic. It  was like being on the set of Casualty. I'm pleased to say the man was conscious and seemed OK.

A mooch round Castleton and the shops followed, and I managed to buy some jewellery, and we had an excellent Bradwells Ice Cream, and then some left for the campsite, but some of us were staying to see a concert - The Everley Pregnant Brothers playing in The Devil's Arse.
We had a nice early dinner, and wandered up about 7 for the concert

Amazing venue for a concert, but slightly underwhelmed by the two portaloos for the hundreds of people there!

We got reasonable seats, and as usual, the Brothers were amazing. So funny.
All the old favourites - No Oven No Pie, Hendos, and a new one written to the tune of Elbow's One Day Like This, called One Day on't Piss" - a charming A-Z of Sheffield Pubs in song format. Fagan's got the biggest cheer!

Thinking we'd be able to get the last bus back to the campsite, we hadn't thought about booking a cab, but we missed it as the concert finished later than we expected, so we ran to the pub, got there just in time for a drink and contemplated how to get back. Couldn't get a cab as all were booked, so set off to walk, but then hijacked a taxi heading to pick someone else up on the road. We were only going a few miles so didn't detain it long :-)  Got back for a nightcap in Andrea and Donald's van, and in the night there was a frost. And a flat airbed!

Monday was another glorious day (was it really a bank holiday weekend?), so we got the bus to Fox House, and walked through Longshaw,where we saw deer

 and then down Padley Gorge

where we passed the Money Tree which I'd not seen before, despite having walked that route many times.

Got to Grindleford station cafe for a coffee and a read of the notices, which seem to be a bit tamer than they used to be.  Then along the river where we passed some lovely bluebells

to Hathersage for lunch. After a look round the shops, and another drink we caught the bus back, where three of our party got involved in a heated argument with some very obnoxious people who got on the bus and argued with the driver, who turned his engine off. As they were clearly in the wrong, this was pointed out to them, but they didn't appreciate it. Almost a fight, but not quite.

Another BBQ, which had to be in our friends awning as it had started to rain

 and a night in the van as it was cold again, and then an early rise on Tuesday as some of us were back at work. Unfortunately it had rained all night so we took down a very wet tent and stuffed it in the car. The airbed went in the bin.

Another great weekend!