The best pound I've ever spent.

No Derbyshire for me this week, I went to a wedding and stayed overnight in Nottingham (well, on the outskirts), so decided to go to Wollaton park. I was born, and brought up, in Strelley. The area was given its name after Robert de Strelley was given the lands as reward for his support of the king in the crusades. There has been a lot of building in the area (where hasn't there?), and the hotel I stayed in, the Nottingham Belfry, was on farmland I used to pick potatoes from to earn a bit of cash in the school holidays and at weekend.
What with the loss of an hour, and a late night to boot, I didn't want to travel far. The hall and grounds are only a ten minute drive, so off I went.

So here it is! The baronial pile of the Willoughby family. This huge statement of wealth was built on the backs of coal miners. Willoughby almost bankrupted himself during its construction. There is a window for EVERY day of the year - yes, 365 of them. The grounds and gardens are superb to look at, and have just undergone a massive overhaul by Nottingham council. As you can see, there is still a bit to do, and some scaffolding still remains. Unfortunately, the hall was closed to visitors on the day I went. This was offset by the steam museum being open, and all the exhibits in steam. The cost to go in? JUST A POUND! There was also a 'wartime radio' event on, with lots of Bakelite radios, cats whiskers, Morse keys etc on show. A grand re-opening is planned for Easter.
By the looks of it, they better get their skates on though!

A short walk across the grounds brought me to this - a showman's engine in the usual stunning condition, lovingly polished, cleaned and oiled, and proudly shown off.




A fire like your Mam (or Gran?) used to have - ROARING up the chimney, and something nice cooking in the oven.
If you're over 40, you'll probably shout; "oh WE had one of those!" to at least one of these radios.
I can see my sisters Dansette, and my own old Philips.

The rest of the collection.

This is the famous 'cats whisker' radio set. I could hear a station on the headphones too! My Dad always had these. I wasn't really interested, but my brother was, and went as far as getting his A radio amateur ('ham') license (G0FOG for the hams among you).

An amazing and extensive collection of old tractor seats, lovingly painted.
They remind me of the artefacts you see on narrow boats, don't you think?

Inside the steam museum - the BEST pound I've ever spent!
The sound of the different engines, the chuffs and puffs, the labour and the ticking, was really music to my ears.
This was my attempt to capture it.

There was also an old fashioned (what else?) blacksmith. He was making a huge spit roast for the fireplace in the newly refurbished hall. The skill and accuracy he displayed while he worked was mesmerising. I stood there for many a while watching. He showed me some of his fine handiwork in an album. A very clever man, with a really artistic angle to his work. Some of the stuff he has made looked as though it would be impossible to fashion from metal, it was so intricate.

After the museum, it was down the grounds to the lake. Wollaton has a lovely lake, and a lot of earnest duck-feeding was going on. They were full up though, and if you look, you can see whole slices of bread untouched in the water.

Looking back to the hall from the far end of the lake (zoomed shot).
You can see the famous camellia house on the right (pictures lower down)

A lovely patch of reeds, I was stunned by the way they caught the sun when I looked back at them (next picture).

This picture isn't bad, but it can't do justice to how they looked in real life.

Walking up the gardens to the camellia house. The gardens are being extensively re-planted and drawn up to plans from when the garden was first designed. It should be really good in Summer. I plan to go back and take a look.

I remember walking around the camellia house with my Mum, many years ago.
For now, the doors are locked, but this is the view along it.

Looking to the camellia house from the lawns at the rear of the hall.

The rear of the hall, also shrouded in readiness for the grand re-opening.

A little bit of digital wizardry, and the fence around the hall disappears!
Looking back to the hall before I went off to visit Nottingham.

Speedwell cavern & Castleton

The forecast wasn't very good at ALL, with a big band of rain sweeping across the country over the course of the day, so I decided to do a shorter walk but take in one of the show caverns at Castleton. I'd been in Treak Cliff a few years earleir, and had always been intrigued by the thought of the underground boat trip in the Speedwell cavern, so I chose that one.

To be honest, it wasn't anywhere NEAR what I expected, and it was a big disappointment to me. It is, in effect, a trip through a horizontal mine shaft in an open boat, with nothing much to see. When you reach the 'show cave', it's not much at ALL! I've seen a few caves, both in potholing with friends, and as a tripper in other show caves, and this one rates as the worst so far. I wish now I had seen the ad's for the Peak cavern, as it's recommended as the best. What's more, it's cheaper too! At £7:25, I felt the Speedwell cavern was overpriced by twice what it should be. £3:50 is all it's worth, in my view.

Anyway, the first part of the morning was cold but dry. I decided to take the walk over the North ridge of Winnats pass, as I'd never been up there before. We saw these cyclists pumping up the incline just before we went up that hillside on the left.

Here's Colin, my brother, tackling the steep climb up the hillside.

Come on bruv, it's doing you the WORLD of good!





Looking North, we could see the shivering face of Mam tor, know as the shivering mountain, due to its predeliction to collapsing, taking the road with it!
(See previous blog entry for details and pics of the collapsed road)

Looking to the South ridge of Winnats pass, and the limestone buttresses.
The cars look like toys from here!

As usual, I see a lump of rock, I pose on it!

Looking East towards Castleton. The red car park and small building in the foreground is Speedwell cavern.

The main entrance (and shop - they like you to go in there and spend even more money)

Here we go - the luxury liner we were to embark on LOL!

I expected this, no problem, but I expected it to be travelling through caverns, with stunning views etc etc.........................

.......instead, all we got was this - ALL the way.

(except for a turning point and a small hole in the wall)

Colin & I in the cavern. Unfortunately, rock sucks up light, so flash is useless. Consequently, I haven't got any good pic's of the cavern. Not that there was much to take though.

EXCITEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!

THE OTHER BOAT PASSES US - WOWEEEEEE!!!!

(sorry for the sarcasm...........)

Back out into the fresh air (and rain), we climbed up onto the Southern ridge, and walked along it, then into Castleton. This is always a favourite walk, especially in snow.

Shame we didn't get any today.

Poor old Mam Tor disappears into the cloud as the rain really takes hold.

Slip, sliding away - as Paul Simon would say! The drop into Castleton.

This man owns 'The Emporium' in Castelton. He is one of the most entertaining guys I've ever met. It's worth a trip, just to meet him. Everything in the shop is; 'like money in the bank' (according to him). Who would argue with such an honest face?

His humour is all around the shop - this notice is especially for the Yanks!

And ANY English would certainly understand the threat behind THIS one!

Oh, what a SHAME (but he was looking for a 'nice lady' to run it for him!)

After our visit to the Emporium, we got ensconced in a pub, and watched the rain get heavier and heavier, before eventually extracting ourselves, and getting VERY wet on the way back to the car. Oh well, thank GOODNESS for Craghoppers gear;

http://www.craghoppers.com/CraghoppersSite/pages/home/default.asp