It’s time to meet up with my friend Claire who lives with her partner Sean in Derbyshire in a small village called Melbourne. I’ve known Claire and her sister Alex (in NZ) for many years. Claire and Sean have been holidaying in Tuscany and I’m meeting them at Gatwick airport so we can all drive up to Derbyshire together. “Welcome to England”, I greet them both as they come off the plane and we laugh and hug and it’s so wonderful to see them. I’m going to spend just over a week with them, hanging out in their village and having some ‘normal time’ before I start the next leg of my travels.
We have a few days before they both go back to work, so we make plans to visit a country manor the next day. I have no words to describe the opulence of Chatsworth House – it’s a 300+ room manor with a staff of over 150 people, it’s been in the family for several generations of Lords and Ladies, and the family still live in it. It’s jammed full of priceless frescoes, paintings, sculptures….you name it, it’s in there. Oh and there’s a bed that a King died in. Claire is laughing at me as I walk around shaking my head at it all. So many beautiful things and so much of it. After a good look around the house we head to the café for sandwiches and cake, and a walk through the gardens. Claire says Chatsworth House is one of the best country manors she’s seen and I can quite believe it. It’s stunning.
Melbourne village where Claire and Sean live is the prettiest English village. Everyone is so friendly and people stop to chat and smile. Before I know it I’m talking with the daughter of the lady who owns the deli about how she’s nervous to start high school the next day and hopes she doesn’t sleep in or miss her bus; I’m saying “orright” and “ay up” to people as they walk past; people are calling me duck and love; and it’s just the loveliest place to be. As an aside “orright” is a multi-purpose word which can mean virtually anything from are you ok to yeah I’m ok, to it’s not too bad, to it’s amazing. I spent 2 days amusing myself by only saying ‘orright’ as I walked around the village. There are flags strung across the main street, the roads are cobbled, original cottages line the roads (some with thatched roofs), the gardens are perfect, dogs walk quietly with their owners. I loved it. I took lots of photos of the village on my camera, only to later discover I had it on the wrong setting, so I’ll need to take more when I call in on my way home. Claire has loads of friends close by, some I have met before, and everyone is so nice and welcoming, I could totally live here!
The pub is the place to socialise over here and there are several in the village. It’s also the place to visit on Sundays for pub lunch. We have roast meals in NZ too, a tradition brought over from England, but the real deal is so tasty, and so huge I need a nap after!
Luckily the other highlight of the village is the number of walking tracks that wind from the houses into the fields, across fields, down lanes and just everywhere. My next destination is Iceland and I need to get my feet used to my walking boots again, so its perfect to have a few days to toughen them up. Claire loans me a book of local walks and I spend hours lost in the countryside, smiling and walking off all the wonderful food I’m consuming. It takes me a couple of days to feel comfortable walking in such isolated places by myself – it’s just not something I would do at home, or anywhere really. But it’s a small village and I’m quite safe. As long as I stay away from the stinging nettles….which really sting. Tip: hand sanitiser takes the sting and redness away.
Soon it’s time to pack up for my next destination. I’ve booked a tour in Iceland, and re-pack my bags to add waterproof pants and extra warm things, and take out the summer clothes to collect before I fly home. We drive to Luton where I’ll spend the night before my early morning flight. It has been so nice to have this time with my friends, and it feels like I’m leaving home all over again as I hug them goodbye. There’s so much fun to come, but goodbyes are always a little sad.
Claire and Sean in the gardens of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire seeing how the landed gentry live. Oh my word so much opulence! 
Love this cheeky girl! Sean’s orright too 😉 
Meals come with crisps and coleslaw 
Ba ha ha ha what were they thinking with their street names 
A walk in the woods 
Toad 
Mud and cow poo 
…..seriously who is in charge of naming these streets 
Thatched roof cottage 
Inside Chatsworth House 
Dinner for 30? 
Love this, miss my dog every day 
Chatsworth House 
Chatsworth House 
Canal boats – how cool would it be to hire one for a weekend or longer trip 
Crumpets with butter and honey 
Fish and chips with salt & vinegar and curry sauce yumm 
Pub lunch
That looks like a super posh roast! Love the pics and miss your face xx
Miss yours more xxxx