We arrived just in time for lunch, my coronation chicken sandwich was delicious. After lunch we had an enjoyable afternoon with a visit to the house followed by a walk round the gardens and woodland.

It was good to visit after over 30 years of driving past the hall when visiting relatives in the Manchester area.

As I was drifting in and out of sleep Mr C arrived with a morning cup of tea, then a few minutes later he returned, announcing ‘I have news for you. We are going out for the day’.

He had chosen Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire which he had checked to see if it was open. I hastily drank my tea and got ready to set off for our Sunday adventure. The in-car SatNav took us on a circuitous route adding nearly half an hour to its predicted journey time. We arrived at Capesthorne to find only a few cars and the people getting out of them dressed in their Sunday Best. It looked like a private function might be taking place. This turned out to be the case and the site was closed for visitors. The lady we spoke to was most apologetic, explaining that this should have been on their website (later Mr C realised he had checked a different website).

By now it was time for lunch so we had a quick rethink and chose plan B, Biddulph Grange Garden. We found its car park full. The prospect of a long queue for the café with prepacked corporate offerings and probably paper plates and cups was less than appealing. As we approached the garden I had noticed a sign to Biddulph Grange Country Park which has a recently opened café. We relocated our car and then set off on a walk to find the ‘Hideaway’ café, which is hidden. The café was delightful, our sandwiches (tuna mayo) were prepared to order and served with a side salad on ‘real plates’. The weather was glorious so we were able to eat them outside under the dappling light of the trees.

Over lunch we discussed plan C… Mr C was not in the mood for a walk around the park so we chose to visit Jodrell Bank. I was amazed how much the site has changed since my previous visit in 2009. The Lovell Telescope was tracking pulsars just above the horizon so was in the perfect position for us to enjoy it at its most spectacular. I also enjoyed seeing ‘The First Light Pavilion’ (disguised as a hill), which is currently under construction within the arboretum gardens. The Jodrell Bank website explains:

Inside the First Light Pavilion will be a spectacular exhibition,  in which visitors can engage with the stories of the amazing scientists and engineers who have worked at Jodrell Bank over the years, and whose stories continue today.

This innovative and interactive new gallery will include displays, objects and artefacts from the site’s rich history and will incorporate the fabric of the original 1957 surface of the Lovell Telescope. Archive footage and large-scale projections will animate the exhibition and bring the past to life.

A beautiful new 130 seat auditorium will also feature, housing an immersive projection space where visitors will be able to watch an animated history of Jodrell Bank. The auditorium will also serve as a unique new venue for events, evening lectures, live link-ups, planetarium shows, workshops, and plenty more.

We had a slow journey home due to a traffic build up near to Holmes Chapel. Then later when we were almost home the road was closed between Hodnet and Shawbirch leading us to detour our journey along country lanes. The sun was setting and the scenery was delightful. Our Fine Dining at Chez Nous, duck with cherries and cubed potatoes was a little later than planned but well worth the wait.