Journey to the River Trent

Our sleep last night was disturbed when our samsung tablet decided to suicide and proceeded to enter into long and very noisy death throws. In the end it had to be wrapped in towels and locked into the bathroom to keep the noise down to a barely acceptable level. I was hoping it would suffocate, or at least overheat. But no, on and on it went all night, dinging and wailing away every few seconds as it turned itself off and on. So this morning we had a couple of hours to kill whilst a technician investigated. While we waited we purchased some essentials to deal with the English weather - a beanie, umbrellas and a couple of towels.
The samsung restored to us working again, but wiped wiped clean (there is another little job for you, George, when we get home!) and so totally useless for the rest of the trip, we set off , travelling through more of the beautiful Peak District

to reach Harwick Hall, built by Bess of Hardwick btw 1590-1597. about which Elizabeth the 1st advisor Robert Cecil quipped "Hardwick Hall? More window than wall."

 Bess is primarily remembered for two things: having survived 4 husbands and getting progressively more wealthy with each one (with the demise of no.3, it was estimated that her annual income was the equivalent of $30+million in today's terms and no.4 was the wealthiest of the lot) and in doing so had progressed from being the daughter of a squire to a countess and the second richest woman in England, Queen Elizabeth 1st being no.1. Her other claim to fame was the building of Chatsworth house and Hardwick hall and the tapestries therein.

Having spent too long at Hardwick Hall it was back into the car, driving thru lovely scenery and past cute sheep

To reach our final destination, Lock house, on the Trent where we will spend the next 2 nights.

We will going thru this lock in a few days time!

Apologies for all the different print styles - don't know how they got there so don't know how to get rid of them.

Somewhere to rest our weary heads

After a long and uneventful flight we landed at Manchester, picked up the hire car that came with a nice lady, who after supplying her with a destination, kindly told us how to get there. First stop was Macclesfield for phone and internet connection stuff. Tonight's blog will be a test of whether it works!

With the help of the nice lady we were very quickly out of the airport and onto country roads

And here is our final destination for the night. The lovely Old Hall Hotel which overlooks the Pavillon gardens at Buxton

Last supper at home

Our last dinner before handing over the reins of 'Tradewinds' to our house sitters and good friends George and Rhonda. We leave early in the morning. First stop Melbourne, an 81/2 hour drive away.

However we are sad to be leaving the best mate behind

Home

Why would anyone leave here to go to England in April?
To go narrow boating of course.

1 week to go to the start of our seven week adventure.