21st June 2026

 

           Dear All,

We had another enjoyable week in Derbyshire after attending the penultimate service at Sutton Bonington where we were both interviewed.

En route we called in to open gardens at Middleton.

 

 

Middleton Old Vicarage

 

 

 Middleton Village

 

Monday is traditionally Bakewell market day studying the cattle a sales and the street market. After we drove to Castleton planning to visit the Blue John caves but discovered the last tour was 3pm.

 

 

Bakewell Cattle Market

 

Castleton

 

On Tuesday Kate and I called in at Bolehill to visit Phil, Mandy and Natasha catch up on family news then moved 500 yards down the road to visit Kate’s old school friend Elisabeth who has been battling cancer for many years. In the afternoon we visited Ashbourne and Tissington.

 

 

Ashbourne Football museum

 

 

Tissington

 

On Wednesday we did join the tour of the Blue John tour which was quite an experience involving 260 steps down and up with little in the way of safety measures.

 

 

Blue John Cave

 

Blue John Rocks

 

Wednesday was Sue’s birthday and Bill treated us all to High Tea at the Rutland Arms hotel in Bakewell where they had their wedding reception.

 

 

 

High Tea

On Thursday Kate and I signed in for a tour of Chatsworth house and gardens, we had done the gardens before but not the house.

 

 

 

Chatsworth House

 

 

Ceiling of Entrance Hall

 

 

The Cascade

 

 

 

 

 

The Rockery

 

We took Bill and Sue for a meal Thursday evening and got off to an early start Friday morning we were in Bar Hill Tesco’s by 9.40am.

Friday we had a visit to a local onion farm which was very interesting.

Best Wishes

 

 

Mike & Kate