We hit an Emotional Wall, we were doing so well and then bam,  we knew we couldn’t enjoy another landmark without seeing our family. The journey we have been on has been emotionally very happy go lucky, we didn’t expect the wall. We had set a date to return home for a pit stop, in time for our daughter’s due date for baby number two, so knew we would stop off to see our son and his family in the Peak District on the way. As soon as we did, the trip was paused. We were no longer the 50 plus explorers, we were Oma and Opa!

Hey I’m jumping ahead; we were still in Cumbria last time we spoke!

So, day six of wild parking and we really couldn’t put a light on without the living quarters battery beeping. We can’t let it get too low, so after more calls we found a site right at the south end of the lakes, Meathop. We only stayed one night, nothing outstanding about the site or location and the signal was really poor. We left to explore at least one of the lakes before we moved out of Cumbria into Lancashire. Lake Windermere was the closest and naturally busy. We drove into many car parks, but with the Beast so long couldn’t park until the afternoon. At least we got to enjoy the water and town with its ruggedly tactile stone-built houses, walls and meandering shops, along with a plethora of delicious eating establishments! Don’t worry we did our 10,000 steps that day! 

A picturesque car park was our wild park for the night, before heading off to Lancashire. Can you believe we again heard the roar of cars bursting into the car park at midnight! but this time they didn’t come near us and practised their doughnuts, sliding and wheel spins, making dramatic patterns in the ground, (art everywhere!) fun to watch.

Into Lancashire…Having been at a magic convention in Blackpool recently and not wanting to get tied up in any big towns like Liverpool we opted to bypass the coast, travelling inwards to the lovely town of Glossop in Derbyshire about an hour from Manchester. We found a Camping and Caravanning club site that had just a couple of nights left in Hayfield. A great site for doing the Kinder Scout High Peak walk and only fifteen minutes away from our son, Nathan. So, we settled in and then gate-crashed Nathan Emily and our little flower, Primrose.  (It was cheaper in the long run to join the Camping and Caravanning club as they have as many sites as the Caravan and Motorhome Club which we already subscribe to! (A bit like the English Heritage and National trust!)

Don your walking boots, we are stepping our way to health in one of England’s beauty spots, Derbyshire.

Tideswell, with its Cathedral of the Peaks and brilliant coffee shop along with Perveril Castle and the caves in Castleton and Art and much more in Buxton, are all worth a visit. And are what we managed to fit in whilst there. Should you visit, I’m sure you will do as we have done, left with a list of places to return to another day.

Tideswell, the largest village in the Peak District is a haven of holiday cottages with beautiful walks that keeps you trigger happy on your smart phone or camera, catching the rugged symmetry of the stone buildings nestled into the sharp slopes of the cobbles in the countryside is addictive. Traditionally baked Tor and Derby cakes are popular but we thought the best place to visit was High Nellys Café. With a hint of Swedish influence, the breakfast we had was a delightful feast of savoury and sweet treats. I did feel rather piggish but I could have ordered so much more on the menu!

Warm Banana and Pecan bread.

St John the Baptist Church, also known as the Cathedral of the Peaks is a must if you like churches. Building began in 1320 and has been added to for so many years there is much to see and read.

This view looks like it could be a Constable painting.

Castleton in the White Peak, lying in the lee of Mam Tor locally known as Shivering Mountain is picturesque with great pubs, coffee shops and an abundance or jewellers selling the beautiful semi-precious blue stone know as Blue John. This can also be found in the fairy-tale looking caves and caverns filled with stalactite and stalagmites. The Great Ridge Walk and Perveril Castle ruin, (English Heritage) tests your ham strings but are worth the views.

The Art exhibition we found in Buxton along with the galleries inspired me to play with mixed media when I can, Ill let you know how it goes…

To break up the journey to Kent we visited friends, had a wonderful evening and arrived home about lunch time to surprise our unsuspecting loved ones. Our grandsons delight was articulated by immediately showing us the worms and snails he had placed along the wall, it was good to be home!