Discovering Derbyshire!

Well, it's been another hectic week and there's a lot to blog about, so I'll start here in Derbyshire.



I had a very enjoyable day out and about, eating my way round the Derbyshire countryside... from Bakewell Pudding in, erm, yep, Bakewell, to ice cream in Monyash and a lovely pub lunch somewhere in between! Even managed to squeeze in a pint of the landlord's finest, 'cos it was a locally brewed ale and it would have been terribly rude not to!!

So, did you know that the real Bakewell Tart is actually Bakewell Pudding? No, I didn't either! It's not entirely dissimilar, but not as we all know the Mr Kipling version with the icing on top. I bought one for Mum and Dad to try (and me too, obviously, ha ha), and it was exceedingly good... sorry Mr Kipling, but theirs is better... quite rightly, they've been making it for a whole lot longer and should know how to do it eh? Mmmm, it was good!! Warm with ice cream, slurp!!!!

So, back to Derbyshire, not only does it taste exceedingly good, Derbyshire looks exceedingly pretty too! I was lucky enough to be seeing it in brilliant sunshine... which means the locals were unlucky enough to be seeing me looking at it in my shorts! I must apologise to the people of Derbyshire for my pasty white legs, and I hope it didn't put you all off your tea!! This is somewhere up near Chatsworth House (could it be Hassop? Or was it Pilsley? I think it might be Pilsley!!).



It's such a beautiful wee place, and I wish I'd made notes on my way round to remember where I was!!! Apparently all the houses in the area that have blue doors and windows belong to the Chatsworth Estate, including the farms nearby. What a wonderful place to live and work.

Monyash was beautiful too, as was the ice cream from the old forge. There is so much history evident there, from the ancient market cross that still has holes bored into the base of it from the lead miners testing their new drill bits, to the old field systems and ancient walls that haven't been touched for centuries! The fields are so small compared to today's modern farms... no room for modern machinery, these fields were worked by labourers and are still used for livestock. The soil looks to be rather too thin for arable farming, with limestone outcrops everywhere, but is perfect for sheep and cattle!



Is that why there are so many local dairy's and places selling homemade ice cream? Mmmmmm. My day in Derbyshire was, quite literally, a trail of discovery and newfound delights. I can't wait to go back... which is handy, as I'm going up with my family tomorrow!!!!

Rebecca, x

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