The Hardy Family

We have been travelling about 1070 miles since Good Friday! After we found out Dashin' Dogs is cancelled due to high wind, we checked in at our caravan park in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Woodland Caravan Park (http://www.woodlandcaravanpark.co.uk/). This is a new campsite, this is just their second season. It is clean, tidy and tranquil. We were surrouding by all lovely pine trees and the high wind didn't bother us at all! They even have a securely fence quarter of an acre land for the dogs to run free and just behind the campsite, they have a lovely country walk for miles!

During our holiday in the Peak District, we have expericed all sorts of extreme weather but it didn't stop us go out walking for miles and miles everyday in the snow, rain, high wind and sunshine. We have two walks a day, one in the morning, then hop in to a pub for nice lunch, then go for another walk then go back to our campsite.

Day 1, we went to The Roaches (http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/visits/roaches.php) in snow! It was a medium walk, a bit of climbing, not too bad but we managed just nice in the snow!

we are on the way up to the Rock

Colin and Sing and Saturn were brave enough to climb where I chicken out on the slippery rock!! I think the boys did better than their daddy!!

Don't think the boys enjoyed taking photos!!

After a warm pub lunch, we found Biddulph Grange Garden (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-biddulphgrangegarden/) to burn off the calories we have just taken. It was a lovely long walk in the snow, sunshine and rain!

Seagull can't cope with the snow!!

These two evil and wicked combinations couldn't care less!

Biddulph Grange Garden is a very big garden, you just walk miles and miles ... they have a few different walks, some are difficult and some are gentle ... this is a long road, which way now?

a miserable Seagull walking in the rain

Day 2, we thought after a long walk from yesterday, we should take the second day easy, I do not want to get over tired for Spring at Shuttleworth. We chose to find some water walk for Sing ... we found Carsington Water (http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/visits/carsington.php), since this was a not-in-plan walk, we decided to do a quick 20 minutes but this 20 minutes walk turned into disaster! We didn't know this Carsington Water is BIG, we just followed the route around and to realised you either carry on finish the route or there is no turning back!! As we do not want to pay the expensive car park, so we park a couple of miles away. Guess what, we walk and walk and walk, hungry, thirsty ... wander how far is this walk, but it seems endless ... again, in the snow, rain and sunshine, that made the walk a torture! We haven't prepare for food or snack, so we were really starving after 1.5 hours walk! But, we are not even half way round the lake yet!! The route include a walk through the village and we were so happy to find a pub, don't care about the quality of food, as long as they do food, we will go for it! We have the five shelties with us in the beer garden and have our Roast Beef in the snow!!!

After we got back to our campsite, we can't wait to find out how many miles we have been walking! The Water itself is about 8-9 miles and we park the car further, so it must be a good 10 miles we have been walking!!

By the end, we were all very tired!!

Monday, Day 3, we went a bit further into Walsall to visit the Tree Museum, it wasn't very interesting, it is quite a built up area and the dogs have to be on the lead. I don't think we enjoyed the walk as the boys can't run free!! We then went to Tipton, near Dudley for some mad pies! Colin found this place, the famous unique pie factory called MAD O'ROUKES (http://www.madpies.co.uk/). They have their own very famous "Desperate Dan's Cow Pie" of 4lbs, Colin was very interested but we don't think he will finish the whole 4lbs pie, so we both chose to go for a Ruby Murray Pie! I have some great photos of the pub and the pie on my iPhone but my old pc wouldn't let me download anything more than 2GB!! I need to find a way to post the photos. It is a lovely pub/pie place, we have to return to try the 4lbs Cow pie two days later!!

The famous Mad O'Roukes

Day 4, we went to Black Rock. It was a nice walk, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery, again, I was not brave enough to climb those rocks, Colin and the boys went up there but I decided I would just stay down here to take photos!!

The Black Rock that does not look BLACK!!

They wonder why I don't come up there with them!!

I like this photo, especially if you can spot Saturn, looks like he is eye spying me!!

Day 4, we went to Preston to meet up with Irene, one of my sheltie friends that lives in Cumbria. Preston is half way for both of us. We had a very long lunch to catch up with each other. It was very good to see Irene, unfortunately not with her three lovely shelties, the two girls were in season. After lunch, we took the boys out walking in Beacon Fell Country Park (http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/Environment/countryside/sites/beaconf.asp), again, in the snow and rain but no sunshine this time!! After the wet walk, we drove to Tipton again, so Colin can enjoy his Despearate Dan's Cow Pie!! I must get this 4lbs cow pie picture upload soon!!! Well, this mean we didn't get home till 10:30pm!

The Boys at Beacon Fell Country Park. This Park has a lot of sculptures.

Day 5, we went to Dove Dale, one of my favourite walks this holiday! It was a lovely day with a bit of rain but mainly dry. The attraction is the famous stepping stones! Colin and the boys walked on the stepping stones a few times on the beginning of the walks. The water was quite strong and some stones even under the water but the boys enjoyed themselves. On the journey back, I have a go and got all wet but we were very happy as we have all tried it!

we found this "money tree" on the walk in Dove Dale!

Skye on the stepping stones

Colin and Sing waiting for us

Bless him, he was so tired after the long walk, he fell sleep standing while we had our cup of tea!

Day 6, the last day of our holiday, we took it very easy, stay in the campsite, do the local walks. It was a lovely "sunny" day for a short while, so we can have our breakfast outside the caravan!!

Woodland Caravan Park

While out walking, Saturn practising his herding/stalking on the sheep!! I think he certainly has the potential to herd!!

We have some snow!!

This is Colin's fault, he chucked the ball in the muddy swamp and sent Sing to fetch it, of course he is a good boy, do as daddy told to, and he came back cover in mud. This is not funny as he got eye infection after that and he was bad on Saturday and worst on Sunday!!

At the end of our holiday, I came up with a new name, THE HARDY FAMILY for us. We walked miles in the snow, heavy rain, gales force wind ... and we survived!