For various reasons I wasn’t able to lay my potential holiday clothes options out on the bed then reject some, keeping my packing to a sensible level before packing my bag the day before travelling as I usually do.

This left me feeling stressed out packing at the last minute whilst Mr C sorted out some last-minute things and fuelled up the car for the journey to Manchester. Whilst he was out, he picked up a mini fish for lunch before packing his bag.

We set off mid-afternoon for Manchester and our overnight stay in the Premier Inn. The Satnav picked a scenic route to Manchester along roads that we don’t usually travel along. We enjoyed the delightful route enhanced by the glorious sunshine.

When we checked in at the Premier Inn, we found our room perfectly located for a bit of plane spotting as they made their final approach to the airport runway. The experience was enhanced by a live plane tracking app on Mr C’s phone.

We dined in the Griffin rather than our usual Tatton Arms. We were welcomed, shown to our seat and told to order at the bar when we were ready. When Mr C went to the bar to place the order there was momentary confusion when the lady who served him said that that they weren’t accepting any more food orders. The man who had greeted us informed her that we had pre booked so we were not walk ins and she promptly took the order.

A few minutes later someone rushed up to our table and apologetically informed us that our choice of meal (chicken schnitzel) had run out! We took a few minutes to choose other options, in my case scampi. When the food arrived it was delicious. Before we left, I couldn’t resist the urge to have my photograph taken with my VE 80 virtual challenge medal next to Churchill who was part of the Griffin’s VE day decorations.

We returned to the hotel for a nightcap. We found the bar to be scruffy with few people, no atmosphere and no beer (they were waiting for the order to arrive). It was a Friday night!!  The atmosphere was a stark contrast to our experiences there before they rebranded it in 2024. Before the, the bar was fully stocked and the room was full and buzzing.

After this less than satisfying experience, we retired to our room for an early night in preparation for our 7:10 am flight to Rome.

The room was warm and cosy leading to a lovely relaxing night’s sleep.

I packed my bags which I hadn’t been able to do the night before because of my clothes that were wet due to the Bolsover deluge. However, my fleece was still quite damp and not suitable for wearing or packing.

We checked out of the Premier Inn and drove to the Chatsworth Farm Shop Café at Pilsley for breakfast. The traditional breakfast options are big and hearty so I opted for a lighter breakfast, an almond croissant which was also enormous.

After our delicious breakfast we arrived at Chatsworth in plenty of time (despite the queue for the car park) for our 11.30 house time slot.

We reacquainted ourselves with the house and enjoyed the new exhibitions. Because of our late breakfast we decided to explore the grounds before having lunch. We enjoyed exploring the wider grounds which we have not been able to do before due to limited time available during a day trip.

We had a late lunch, sharing an egg roll, before browsing the shop where I couldn’t resist purchasing 111 Dark Places in England which Mr C had noticed in the smaller shop as we exited the house. Another lady had been captivated by the book and was chuckling with us about ‘a bucket list’ of things to do. Mr C & I had noticed that we had already visited a significant number of places on the list. I suppose that is what happens when you are interested in history.

We had a leisurely drive home, although our Satnav chose a less scenic route home than it had done for our journey to Bolsover Castle. Back home we unpacked before enjoying a lovely pork chop roast dinner.

We booked a last-minute overnighter so that we could spend a whole day at Chatsworth. Before setting off on our journey we visited mum who seemed in a better place than she had been in recent days.

As we left it was time for lunch (both mum’s and ours) so we stopped at Boscobel House for a sandwich before continuing our journey to our first port of call, Bolsover Castle.

For a long time, we had been intending to visit Bolsover and we weren’t disappointed. The property has a rich and interesting history. The first structure of the current castle dates back to 1612 to 1617 and was built by Sir Charles Cavendish. The castle was built on the earthworks and ruins of a 12^th century medieval castle built by the Peverel Family.

As we entered what is referred to as ‘The Little’ castle the heavens opened leaving us grateful that the property has a roof. The artworks painted on the walls and ceilings within are stunning. Each room has its own theme; The seasons, heaven and earth and other similar themes. We had hoped to enjoy the wall walk but when we had finished our tour of ‘The Little’ castle the rain had become even more torrential. The wall walk is Something, along with the gardens and fountain that we will have to pick up on a sunnier day.

Despite having an umbrella I got absolutely soaked walking back to the visitor centre. The rain was coming in sideways and the paths were rivers of water. My feet got soaked and one arm of my fleece was rather soggy.

Thankfully our hotel, the Premier Inn, wasn’t far away. I was soon able to shed my soggy garments and have a lovely soak in the bath and feel clean and refreshed.

Later we dined in The Divan Restaurant which serves delicious Turkish cuisine. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming and vibrant. Over the meal we realised it was a family team; mother, father and daughter. The daughter was serving us, the father was the cook and the mother checking up to see if everything was as it should be and that we were happy.

We retired to the nearby Wetherspoons Spa Lane Vaults for a nightcap. The wine I ordered, a Pinot Grigio Blush, arrived looking rather dark. Mr C queried what had been delivered and was told it was correct. One sweet saccharine sip later my taste buds were assaulted. The wine was returned, Mr C opting for a safe dry white wine rather than trying to educate the staff to serve the dry rose that Weatherspoon’s does offer.

Walking back to the hotel we enjoyed the view of St Mary’s twisted spire surrounded by mist.

When I awoke after another comfortable night’s sleep Mr C presented me with a small pile of presents for my birthday. I had a lot of fun opening them to find a couple of books, a Wrendale mug (to add to our collection) and the much-anticipated expansion pack to my board game Apiary.

After a slow start we had a late breakfast in Weatherspoon’s. Their expansive breakfast menu caters for everyone. The St Albans Waterend Barn had an open fire, a lovely welcoming atmosphere and Mr C was able to indulge in a full English breakfast.

We lingered a while before mooching around Dyas and Waterstones whilst we waited for St Albans Museum and Gallery to open at 11am. The museum’s current exhibition is about prisoners and crime which we found interesting and thought provoking. The museum is housed in the former town hall, where amongst other things, an octagonal courtroom, subterranean cells and the Assembly Room can be viewed.

After our visit it was a little too early for lunch so we left the museum’s tempting food options behind, deciding instead to visit ‘The Bookshop on the Hill’ which has an adjoining café. Mr C consulted Google maps and headed in the direction of our hotel, but when we arrived, he realised that we had been walking in completely the wrong direction to where the bookshop is located. Mr C then plotted a new route which found us back at the museum where we walked a short distance down the hill to find the bookshop.

The bookshop is independent and not part of a chain which meant it was lovely to explore. We browsed the eclectic offerings with Mr C lingering a little longer than me. The bookshop is rather small so I waited outside and noticed that I had a missed called from mum. I thought she had phoned me to wish me a happy birthday so I tried to return her call only to find that her mobile phone was now switched off.

Unfortunately, the café adjoining the bookshop is not open on Tuesdays! We walked the short distance back to the museum and its tempting food options and enjoyed an ‘artisan’ toastie in the former courtroom.

We walked into the nearby Maltings shopping arcade away from the noisy streets so I could phone mum back on her home phone rather than her mobile. She was surprised to hear from me and it transpired that she had pressed the wrong button whilst trying to phone a friend to take her to a morning gathering. The arcade turned out to be not as quiet as it should have been. Whilst I was on the phone some workmen were noisily dragging some scaffolding next to where I was seated.

Next, we walked to St. Albans South Signal Box which was a longer walk than anticipated. We arrived to find that it was closed and only opens on Sunday’s. We walked back to St Albans via a different route and were drawn to revisit the Cathedral.

We had refreshments in the café first. The Cathedral had the same calming ambiance that we had experienced on the previous day. It was interesting to see the Cathedral lit in different colours as dusk descended.

After our busy day it was time to return to the hotel to chill out before dining in ‘The Ivy’ where I chose my usual dish, fishcake with crushed peas and then truffles to follow. As the evening progressed, what was a slight chilliness as we started our meal turned into a full-on cold blast from the empty side of the room.

The waiter who took our payment had already checked that the heating was turned on and working normally when the ladies on the table next to us complained that it was cold. It was only when I said that the cold air was coming from the empty part of the room that he frowned and had a light bulb moment. There was a door at the far end of that room that someone had left open by a merest sliver that no one could see. He was thankful we had solved the problem and apologetic in equal measures.

We had a nightcap in Weatherspoons, where we were able to warm up before returning to the hotel for the last sleep of our mini adventure.

We left neither early nor late but precisely when we meant to. The journey, although tedious, was smooth without any hitches. Along the way we took a detour to have lunch in an ‘Extra Mile’ recommended eatery. The café was located in a small Rural Shopping Yard in the quaint village of Castle Ashby. Somehow, we managed to miss part of the menu options until after we ordered! The food when it arrived was delicious and, after we were comfortably replete, we had a mooch round the deli and eclectic shops that were also in the farm yard.

On the way to the café to save time we had used Mr C’s ‘magical mystery tour’ in-car SatNav (the TomTom was set to our hotel destination). The route took us along main roads and complicated junctions before eventually arriving in the countryside. Our outward journey using TomTom navigation took us along pleasant country lanes before arriving back at the motorway for the final leg of our journey.

When we arrived in St Albans, we parked our car and headed to our hotel, The Premier Inn, to check in and enjoy a refreshing cup of tea in our room. Mr C then walked into town to explore and get his bearings. I stayed behind, choosing to chill out with a colouring book and coloured pencils.

We dined in Bar Meze which is just across the road from the Premier Inn. It is a small family run restaurant and we were warmly welcomed by the owner when we arrived. The food has Greek, Ottoman and Arabic influences. We chose a selection of dishes to share, all of which were delicious.

Before returning to the hotel for the evening we had a nightcap in the nearby Cock Inn which, unusually for a Sunday, was lively and full of atmosphere.

Remarkably for us we were packed and ready to go before lunch. We phoned my mum before we set off because she was feeling down in spirits due to a recent diagnosis that added to her ongoing health issues.

After the phone call we set off on our journey to the Premier Inn Heald Green for our overnight stay ahead of catching our flight to Rome. Along the way we stopped for lunch at Hungersheath Tea Rooms, eventually arriving at the hotel a few minutes before the earliest check in time.

We sat in the car for a few minutes and as we were checking in, we were informed that the restaurant and bar area was currently closed. Dining wasn’t a problem as we were already booked into the nearby Tatton Arms.

We decided to visit Quarry Bank Mill (which was a lot closer than we realised) for an afternoon cup of tea. Comfortably refreshed, we walked through the greenhouses and gardens. By this time the sprinkles of rain that greeted us on arrival became a steady gentle downpour that set in for the day.

We returned to the Premier Inn and chilled out for a while before dining in the Tatton Arms. I wanted to order a small fish and chips but I was informed it was ‘Chippy Tuesday’, small portions were unavailable but the large portions were heavily discounted. The discount on a large meal meant I left half my portion because I only have a small appetite.

For some unknown reason neither of us felt at ease in what is normally a comfortable place so we retired to the nearby Flying Horse which was no better.
Third time lucky, The Griffin, nice drinks and a fun, quirky quiz night going on in the background. We couldn’t help but answer the questions between ourselves.

Then it was back to our room for our 3:45 wake up call to allow us to get to the airport in time to drop off the car at the ‘meet and greet’ parking and check in in plenty of time for our flight to Rome.

Recently a dear friend passed away after a relatively short illness. His funeral took place the day after the late May bank holiday.

Mr C wrote the eulogy which he was still tweaking on the morning of bank holiday Monday before we set off on our long journey south to Great Yarmouth where the funeral was due to take place the following day.

We started our journey around mid-day, briefly checking in on mum, who had recently broken her arm. She seemed happy enough and didn’t need assistance with anything. This meant we were able to stop at Essington Farm for lunch, as planned. Lunch set us up for the long journey including the 80 mile stretch along the A84 dual carriageway.

We had booked into the Premier Inn on the outskirts of Great Yarmouth and, by the time we got there and checked in, it was almost time to walk into town for an evening meal.

We arrived on the seafront to find most eating establishments were closed, which we found surprising for a bank holiday Monday. We retraced our steps to a fish and chip shop we had noticed near to the sea front. The food was delicious but the portions, even my smaller choice, were enormous. The smaller portion would have fed both of us!

We had a drink in Weatherspoon’s before heading back to the billet with its welcoming bed and hopefully a good nights sleep.

Although we were both quite disorganised in our packing and preparations, we actually managed to set off on time for our overnight stay in the Premier Inn. We always choose to stay overnight in a hotel near to the airport when we have an early morning flight, it allows us to get to the airport on time without additional stresses.

The journey to Manchester was horrendous with torrential rain causing spray and difficult driving conditions on the motorway. In addition to this, too many drivers were travelling too fast for the difficult conditions. We had a brief stop at a motorway service station, then continued our journey to the Premier Inn where we checked in and relaxed in the room with a refreshing cup of tea before dining in the nearby Tatton Arms. I had a small portion of fish and chips accompanied by a delicious glass of Pinot Grigio blush.

After dining, we retired to the Beefeater bar  that is attached to our hotel for a nightcap. We didn’t linger too long; the drinks were expensive and the room was extremely chilly. We returned to our room where we warmed up with a refreshing cup of tea before an early night in anticipation of our 3.30 wakeup call to allow us to get to the airport on time for check in.

All packed and ready to go on our travels to Italy, we set off mid afternoon for our overnight stay in the Premier Inn near to Manchester airport. We chose the quick route using the motorway which turned out to be unexpectedly slow and the fading afternoon light led to unpleasant driving conditions. This caused us to stop off at a motorway service station to have a refreshing cup of tea in Gregg’s before continuing on our journey to the Premier Inn.

It was almost time for dinner when we arrived at our overnight hotel. We did a quick recce of the airport to find where we needed to leave our car for the ‘meet and greet’ service before heading off to the nearby Tatton Arms for our evening meal. On arrival we were told that food was only available until 8pm. The waitress took our drinks order and gave us the specials menu. We were left waiting for some time…

Normally  we wouldn’t have minded but we were conscious of the kitchen closing at 8pm. Our order was taken 15 minutes later. Shortly afterwards the waitress came back to us and apologised that we had been left unattended due to her being in the office upstairs. She went on to say that our drinks would be on the house. We enjoyed our meal before returning to the Beefeater (next to the Premier Inn) for a nightcap before an earlyish night in readiness for our early morning check-in at Manchester airport.

In the afternoon after Mr C had finished his ironing and packing we headed off to Manchester where we were staying overnight because of an early flight the next morning. The SatNav took us on our normal route passed Jodrell Bank. The radio telescope’s dish was upturned and as it had just started to rain I had visions of it becoming a large swimming pool.

We arrived at our hotel at just the right time to be thinking of an evening meal. We quickly checked into our room then searched on Trip Advisor for suitable nearby places to eat. As we were doing this planes were coming in low, almost over our heads as they approached Manchester Airport’s runway for landing. We found a suitable pub just around the corner and it turned out to be cosy and friendly. The food was good and we could watch the planes with their lights all aglow as they made their final (even lower) approach to the runway.

After our meal we drove the short distance to the airport to work out where we needed to be the next morning. We had a quick nightcap in the Beefeater pub situated next door to our hotel before turning in for an early night due to our 3am start the next morning.