The Peak District

Can we say breathtaking? We had an awesome weekend (a few weekends ago now...) in the Peak District in Derbyshire. And little did I know that the town we stayed in (Beeley) was the land of my ancestors. It neighbored the town of Endsor (pronounced "Ensor") which happens to be my grandmother's maiden name, and, we suspect, where her family originated. Too cool.

We stayed at a wonderful B&B called Fold Farm. Named because, well, it's a farm (and still a working farm). We learned from one of the proprietors (a retired major from the Welsh army-- and an absolutely charming man with a wicked-- err, dirty, sense of humor) that his partner was the only landowner on the Chatsworth estate aside from the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire themselves. Alas, we weren't able to get the story behind that one (we were sworn to secrecy), but intriguing all the same. The good old major Vince was the life of the party-- he greeted us with afternoon tea in the garden, and was our tour guide/waiter (he cheerily served breakfast alone with constant happy chatter). And what a spread breakfast was-- homemade butter and jams, a full English (that's 2 eggs sunnyside up, sausages, bacon, roasted tomato, mushroom and all the toast you can eat for all you non-Brits), fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, fruit juices, water and bottomless pots of tea and coffee. Certainly better than any hotel (and terrific for the price). Major Vince is also a world champion fly fisherman and captained the Welsh team at the World Championships in Jackson Hole, WY in 1997. The farm house itself is full of character with low ceilings, exposed beams and quirky passageways.

Oh, and Chatsworth House. Pretty incredible. I don't have any good photos, partially because my iPhone battery was dying and partially because it was undergoing renovations, so the whole front side of the property was covered in scaffolding and tarps (an impressive feat!). The Devonshires have an impressive collection of art, both masters and modern, and the decor is a fabulous juxtaposition of old and new (my favorite thing). The property and gardens are equally impressive, and we very much enjoyed a tractor ride around the property and into the wooded hills behind where there are three vacation rentals that us lay-men can rent out (bit of trivia: Prince William lived in one of them for a few weeks during school as part of a work/study placement. Even royalty does stuff to get into college). Definitely something to look into for the next adventure in England.

Fold Farm-- the B&B

The Lane at Fold Farm

Private residence at Fold Farm

View of Chatsworth House from the garden

Dried thistles to discourage visitors from sitting on the fancy furniture

Cupola in the main stairway (previously obscured by a false ceiling that the Dowager Duchess had removed)

I loved the carpet

Wonderful sleeping lion in the sculpture gallery

The Hunter's Tower (Where Prince William stayed)