Friday 7 Jan
Oh my god, the wind felt like liquid ice on my face, it was so cold the water pipes froze on site. The gods were looking after me though because the van started first time after a week covered in 8 inches of snow, and sub-zero temperatures.
First time at the Lickpenny site, really nice characterful site, stepped in to the hill, lots of vegetation. Let's see how long til CMC homogenise it beyond recognition. View from the top of the site looked like it was going to be great, looking forward to it tomorrow. Heating on and stayed put.
Saturday 8th
No view, freezing gloom. Unusually for me I'd had to keep the heating on low all night too. Walked down a narrow busy lane to the bus stop for Matlock. Soup and toastie for lunch then a pootle round the shops, including the huge, stuffed, and well-known Matlock Antiques and Collectables which is a tourist spot in its own right. This is part of the town trail, which goes through the park. Luckily I wasn't there in 1965 or I would have drowned.
Got off the return bus ride at Tansley, which left me a hell of a slog up a hill on a busy road without proper pavements. Hmm, now I appreciate the negative comments on the site reviews.
Sunday 9th
Short walk to the garden centre near the site entrance. Bit of an odd place out of season but I bought some fleece gloves and room scent for the van (to get rid of old curry smells!). Then more hunkering down and tea drinking. Still, nice to get away and decided it would be a bad idea to drive through Matlock in season, very congested even in January!
