Devall Travels

Day 3 Part 2 After lunch we set off for Chatsworth..it's about 8 miles from the Stables. The house is closed but there are plenty of walks and for local school half term the children's play area is open. We had a little walk and then went to the estate farm shop. Some local stuff bought, but no pudding this time. We had dinner in the cottage including some Staffordshire oatcakes. Lovely. Day 4 We decided to go to another National Trust house at Kedleston Hall. We knew that Reggie couldn't go in the house but that was okay. They have a refreshment truck and loads of walking trails. First stop was coffee and then we set off on the short walk. It turned out very muddy and so we set off on the long walk that is all hard surfaced. Well until about 3 miles into it when we get down to the lake and there was deep mud. At least we had the right walking boots. Could have done with wellies for that section. (Photos to follow) After a loo break where I managed to clean most of the mud ...

Today started off pretty well. Ilam Hall and Dovedale to start with. Nissan Connect was actually able to locate Ilam Hall. We arrived in good time and parked up. The car park was free as we are National Trust members.  The sun is shining and it was a balmy 8°C. First stop Manifold Tea Room. Reggie not allowed in as he isn't an assistance dog. We sat outside and it would be right not to have a bit of Bakewell Tart.... Paul, one of the volunteers advised us against walking to Dovedale due to the local flooding of the Dove and the mud. He gave us a short walk along the river there at Ilam. Plus a bag of treats for Reggie. Walk acheived we drove to Dovedale. The car park was a vast sea of mud. It was packed as locally this week is half term. Plus Paul said that the famous stepping stones may still be submerged as they had been a few days earlier. We aborted. Set Nissan Connect for Chatsworth House. Or so we thought. It took us through Ashbourne towards Derby! Chatsworth is near Bakewel...

If you want to know anything now you just need to go to Google and ask. My search for places to go, hopefully open in February, just after the schools' half term holiday over has come up with quite a few places.  Whether being dog friendly is Reggie-friendly remains to be seen. Luckily we, Claire and me, have plenty of waterproof walking boots and warm coats to wear should Derbyshire turn into the cold and wet place it has a few time I have been before. Reggie though has a choice of waterproof coats and a Rough & Tumble towelling body wrap that we force him into when he is wet, after a rough towelling down! Although he looks more miserable when he is wearing it than the dog in the website photo! In my previous life as a rough-tough biker I have camped often in the Peak District at motorcycle rallies. Mostly around the Ashbourne area.  Usually though in the summer when it has been mostly warm and sunny.   So where to go? Well there are plenty of places here:...

We set off about 1030 and decided to take the route that the Nissan Navigator chose for us via the motorways and the A22. A pee stop at Clacket Lane for Reggie and so we arrived about 1215.  It was sunny.  Remember that! Once out of the car we headed in to visit the loo ourselves before a coffee and a sit down before setting off around the gardens. All areas are dog friendly and they even have indoor seating in one of the tea rooms where dogs are allowed.  Something that other NT places maybe need to think about? Once we had drunk up we set off to find the autumn colours.  There are plenty.  I took a few photos with the Nikon D50 today. They seem to have come out pretty well. Then the clouds came over and it started to rain!  A drizzle turned into a deluge!  As can be seen on the surface of the lake in the picture below! The rain battering down on the lake! There was even a rainbow at one point! Doubt there's a pot of gold to be found! Once we were sui...

It's school half-term and I am on holiday.  So we are looking for places to go. Sheffield Park Gardens is a National Trust Estate and is dog friendly. Their busiest period is in the autumn (fall) when the trees are turning and so they have a pre-booking scheme in place.  I have booked for Monday 25th at 1230-1300. This gives us time to decide which route to take to get there and of course, make the 1h40m drive over there. More to follow. Waterproofs and dog towels?

Today we decided to have the last day of my holiday and go to Sissinghurst Castle Garden with my Aunt Yvonne.  It meant we had to be up early and off from about 9.45am. The traffic wasn't too bad and we were there about 10.30am.  The drive to Sissinghurst was maybe another 40 minutes. As we had Reggie with us he wasn't allowed in the garden and so after a coffee and a cake they set off for the gardens and I set off to walk around the outside of the moat and down to the lakes walk.  Altogether its about a mile and half or so. I forgot to set the app on my phone so haven't got the actual distance. Who could live here? Delos Garden https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden/features/recreating-delos-at-sissinghurst- We walked around the lower lake and of course, met some other dogs. Reggie on his best behaviour.  By the time we got back to the restaurant and shop area Claire and Yvonne were in the shop. We decided to call it a day an...

Today's visit was to the National Trust site at Blickling Estate. Nissan Connect claimed it was around 19.5 miles away but the cross country journey seemed more like 50. It took over an hour. On arrival I found a good parking place. As it was grass with no marked spaces I did leave plenty of room to get the back door open to sort Reggie out. We had a coffee whilst we perused the map. Some areas are dog friendly and that includes both the café by the entrance and the Courtyard restaurant nearer the house. We decided on the Lake Walk and set off. It says it's 1.9 miles but my phone registered that I walked 3.1 miles! I brought the Nikon D50 with me. It's bulkier than a phone but generally takes good photos. The walk is around the outside of the main house and garden. It's a little uneven in places. One stumble and I felt something rip. Yes. My shorts. Rent asunder around the undercarriage.  After the ...

Today I finished a little early for the Bank Holiday weekend and we decided to have a run out to Bodiam Castle . It is a National Trust site and just across the county border in East Sussex. We have been a few times before and with the lockdowns there has been limited opening.  Now the Castle is open and there are tours. But not for dogs. On arrival we checked in and then paid for the parking or rather got a car-park ticket as members we don't pay but must display a ticket. First port of call was the café alongside the river.  A sausage roll and coffee for both of us. Reggie had his own snacks plus some of the sausage meat from the roll. Then a walk around the loop.   Reggie decided now was time to poop and we had the bags at the ready.  Bins for rubbish and dog waste are few and far between.  We went to the small café above the castle where the bins are situated.  Claire and Reggie Rather than walk all around the Castle on the circular path alongside ...

A short trip to the White Cliffs National Trust for a walk with Reggie. A chance to try out his new harness and car attachment.  Both seemed to work very well. I took only one picture today. Only because on the left of the Eastern Docks was moored a Disney Cruise ship.  Usually cruise ships arrive and depart from the Western Docks. There is a large reception building that way back in the mists of time was the railway termnal for freight going out of Dover and also part of the upper classes' access to the ships.

At the moment the National Trust places where there are houses and/or gardens are restricting the numbers allowed in and they are running a timed entry system.  The garden opens at 11am and I booked a ticket for entry between 11am and 1130am. On a sunny Bank Holiday Sunday the place would be teeming with visitors and coach parties. Today it was all very quiet and relaxing. Maybe they should keep the timed entry system all the time? Weather good and we left the dog at home. Although dogs are allowed everywhere outdoors on the estate they aren't allowed in the gardens.  So I could have a look we left him at home. I took rather too many photos.  Here are a selection from the sunny, then cloudy, then sunny again day. You may guess I like tulips. Claire checking some flowers on her phone The woman in yellow again getting in the photos! And here she is again!