Bacon bagels and tea have now replaced Kim’s mushroom omelette as the Brunnehilda breakfast of choice. And rather splendid they were too.
I made the 35 minute journey to The New Bath Hotel Matlock outdoor pool for my 10am session. As before, the people were very welcoming and the water was fabulous. It was a little busier than last time so that was a little disappointing. I used to be a solid swimmer - in the Northampton Boys Grammar School swimming team let me tell you as well as the fastest Weston Favell junior school pupil to do a mile at the Mounts baths, so I should know my way around a pool. Unfortunately I have lost all my speed / skill and I think , rather embarrassingly, I was the slowest lapper in the pool!
I did the required 22 lengths to get to my target of a 1/2 mile. I completed it in 35 mins which amazingly wasn’t much slower than yesterdays walk up Chee Dale! Maybe I should have joined Benny and swum down the Wye?
Off then to Mandy’s for a coffee. OMG what a fantastic cottage she has over looking Matlock Bath. This is her view from the back door / garden. Jaw dropping or what? We had a coffee in the back garden before heading off, leaving my car at Cromford, and then up the hill to park up at Blackrock.
Lots of gorgeous rock formations and plenty of interesting history / industrial archeology as we walked down the evocative High Peak Trial following the route of the old railway line at the edge of Cromford Moor.
The dogs were well behaved. Ethel is no problem and amazingly Benny and Tilly seemed to be on their “A game”. In fact a couple of walkers / cyclists complimented Benny on his obedience! If only they knew!!
We joined the Cromford Canal and that’s when it got a little hairy. It was quite busy and at times the management and choreography of the 3 dogs to avoid walkers, joggers and cyclists was more than a little chaotic and certainly very comical.
We walked along the canal to Arkwrights Mill at Cromford and then up to the village. Mandy was a great host providing lots of local knowledge all the way along the walk.
We were both gasping for a pint so we headed to Mandy’s local, The Boat Inn at Cromford and settled in for a long session in the garden. A couple of very welcome pints of cider and a nice pie (for me) made it a smashing end to a lovely walk. And the folks in the pub are so blimin nice and friendly. I’m sure it’s a “northern” thing but it also helps being with Ethel. She’s a bit of a local celebrity in these parts, so being seen with her is like wandering into the pub with Harry Styles by your side!
I left Mandy and headed home to Brunnehilda at about 5.30. A very lazy evening. Listened to Spotify in the van and then watching the view and sunset outside.
I did a bit (and I mean a bit!) of work and then watched a Waltons episode while tucking into a bowl of Heinz Tomato Soup - rock and roll or what!!?
I found an old notebook in one of Brunnehilda’s cupboards. It was full of scores when Kim and I played Canasta. We seemed to fairly equally matched although I only ever seem to remember beating her😂😉. If I had found this 6 weeks ago I would have shut it up and put it back straight away. Well tonight, I looked through it all and had nice memories of our quiet evenings playing cards and backgammon with an episode of The Waltons or The Wire playing in the background.
If only my current travelling companions knew how to meld a pure canasta we could have had a really good night.
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