Terrafirma Travels

The foreign adventure in the campervan (fully laden) starts here, leaving home at 1430 with the Trip mileage reading 2,500 (no, I can't figure out how to reset it without resetting everything!). Yesterday we discovered a leak in the wastewater pipe when flushing the tanks through (because we hadn't used them all winter). Bilbo's could not improve on my idea of using duck tape and a jubilee clip, so that's what I did. We stopped en route for a pee in a layby ... no, stopped in layby for a pee in the van ... and discovered the flush mechanism is dead. Second problem. Not disastrous cos can just tip some water in but annoying. And not fixable with duck tape. Has a great meal in Portsmouth in a lairy, buzzing Turkish. Now trying to stay awake in the boarding lanes waiting for our ship to come in.

Packing. Stripping beds. Last breakfast. Car tetris. Amazingly we have a property selected for the next one. Tim just has to wrangle dates that suit everyone. 

Said tearful goodbyes to John W and David who both needed to be home today, after the obligatory though oft forgotten group photo. John took Guy and Lesley to church the he and I met up with the others in Wirksworth where he gave us a guided tour, including buildings he worked on in 1982. Quite a lovely village.  Back home for lunch on what remained in the fridge. Out past the village mill pond to Cromford Mill again where the waterwheel was working. We bought a basket to replace our laundry basket and some items from the antiquarian bookshop. I carried the basket back on my head - it was easiest but caused much hilarity. (Note the heated gloves!) Dinner was yesterday's that had been rescued from the recalcitrant oven. Followed by more quizzing and hilarity. I reported the wasps/hornets to the owner. At least the Internet is now behaving.

V diff weather, no frost, rain instead. Went in two cars to Kedleston Hall. T&A stayed behind to watch Charlton play on Sky Sports in The Boat, and David stayed behind for a chilled day after doing his Park Run. The Hall was v grandiose, home of the Curzon family for 500 years. Really OTT display of wealth. Had a reliable NT lunch and obligatory browse in bookshop and shop - even bought a book. Home for tea and lazing. Tried & failed to set up my new dartboard, foiled by the lack of a screwdriver. (Must put a multitool into the car.) Tested Internet and found EE had finally fixed it after we (I) pressured Paul the owner all week. Eric and I spent an hour reconnecting the booster routers.  Much drama with John & Guy's dinner when the oven door would not open, with the food inside cooked! Owner sent young Sam round and with screwdriver and WD40 he released it. But not before we had ordered replacement dinner from the chippy. After delayed dinner we had a PantSoc meeting ...

Still haven't touched the car. Today people decided to do their own thing. D JW & E went early on a long one. I almost went with, like yday, to prove something but they did over 8 miles so glad I didn't. L & I had lovely quiet walk up far side of valley to look over towards Matlock Bath and Abraham Heights. Ano glorious day. Lunch in the house for a change, and a lazy afternoon furiously doing another jigsaw after splendid Scarthin bookshop. Dinner in The Boat, excellent food, and stayed a bit to listen to a singer/songwriter. I liked her voice but not to L's or Eric's taste so some of us left early and returned to ... the jigsaw and more reading, and L ran a quiz.

Another lovely day, walked to Lea Bridge along the canal. Cafe at High Peak Junction closed despite what Google said. Up to John Smedley knitwear outlet- the factory is still here. All 3 ladies plus me bought something while the rest of the blokes stood and chatted. Walked further on to aquaduct past famous Lea pumping station that still works, while L & Alison W (with bad back) headed back. David, Eric, John W and I headed up the 1 in 8 incline for 1/2 a mile where they used to haul railway wagons by cable over the peak to link two canals. We saw the tunnel where they diverted wagons if they came loose from the cable! I think I was slowing these 3 big walkers down, but I did OK. Round Black Rock where the Park Run is on Sat and back down the long hill called ... The Hill. 14,000 steps and v happy to reach The Boat pub where we found the others and had a v late lunch. Remains of the afternoon was jigsaw and reading, and after dinner I ran a quiz.