Wow! The Peak District! Wow! Holiday with no children and Matt! I don't even know where to start!
Matt and I have some time ALONE - no children - for the first time in a long while. We did go up north to my brother's house last year for two nights, which was amazing. We went to Saugatuck in MI a few years ago for one night (maybe two?). And in 2014 or 2015, when Elie was a baby, and Sam was a few years old, we went to Matt's friend's wedding in DC. But I think that's it since 2010. We have TWO weeks with no children, and ten of those days are together in England. Five of those days are a trip to the Peak District in The North.
We drove up on Thursday after Matt finished work. It's amazing how much faster the drive goes when someone is talking to you! Usually I have some audiobook or music that the kids want, and I'm bored out of my mind. Matt's usually working or on his phone. It was a 3 hour, 45 minute journey, and it flew!
Also, we were driving in our car. Our car? Yes! We bought a 2013 Ford Focus from our friends who were leaving England. Let's see if it fits our family!
We drop up up up. We ate Chili I had made earlier in the day and packed up, we went for a walk (it doesn't get dark until around 9pm) and called it a night. Our airbnb is on the main road of this very small town, Castleton. We parked on the sidewalk outside our door. I wish we had a patio and a window that opened, but otherwise the place is just fine (and we leave the door open when we're home for fresh air).
Friday Matt was working, so I went on a solo hike from Castleton. It was absolutely gorgeous. I only saw 4 people (1+1+2) the whole time. Two scary parts were when a sheep was shit-disturbing, baaaahing and bothering all of the sheep around him by head-butting. I got scared and made an escape plan, but when I walked by him, he didn't even notice me. The second scary moment was going DOWN this steep descent. It started along a wall, so I could hold the wall and go down on my bottom, but then I turned the corner, and it was way more awful. First was a steep descent in stinging nettles, so I was balancing carefully, but only on my legs. Then it got SO SUPER STEEP, it was all gravel and rocks. I went down on my bum or my bum on my boots. At some point I looked up at this fence and noticed it had a rope, so I used that a lot. The next two days my armpits and shoulders were super sore from scooting using my arms. This wasn't like 3 minutes. It was probably at least a half hour. I did not enjoy it at all. It was nearly the end of the hike, or I would have turned around.
I couldn't be quiet so Matt could work, so I took myself to tea and then lunch. When Matt finished, we went on a hike up to Mam Tor - the highest peak around here. It was a beautiful walk, and then we did a big loop to get back to Castleton (passing the awful descent on the way, so I showed Matt). We had a LOVELY dinner and got to play some games! So fun to be on holiday together.
Saturday we woke up and got moving early, because I was worried the parking and trails would be crazy, because they don't really get sun in these here parts, and it was sunny and in the 70s! We did this absolutely gorgeous hike that somehow took me 9.2 miles, even though it's an 8.5 mile hike. This hike was gorgeous by an old sheep washing spot, a reservoir and then up up up and to a spot where people protested in order to have access to walking trails. This led to national parks, and the Peak District national park being the first. We indeed didn't see too many people at the start, and as the day went on, we saw loads. There were a few peaks, gorgeous views, and then we came back down. We had lunch at this super fun cafe - everyone had a dog or three - and then headed back towards Castleton. We stopped in a town called Hope and had tea and read for a while. We had nothing to do! What a luxury. Dinner at an ok pub, an evening walk and sleep!
Sunday we hired bikes and went on an old rail trail. There were cool bridges. There were TUNNELS (scary!). It felt like it was downhill both ways. We loved it. We ditched the bikes and walked 30 minutes to Bakewell, had a lovely lunch, walked around, ate some baked goods (they're famous for that!), explored a churchyard, walked back to our car. We then tried to go for another hike, but after 1.5 miles, I needed an emergency toilet, so we had to abort (too much Bakewell? who knows). Dinner at a lovely pub with an amazing garden with a view.
Monday morning we drove to another, totally different hike. The first part was a scramble up the mountain/hill. The view was amazing. Then we walked all along a ridge from "Hen's Cloud" to "The Roaches." the views were unbelievable. Then we dipped into a chasm, around back into the sun and back down a road. We loved the walk. Then we went to a gorgeous country pub with an amazing garden for a lovely lovely lunch. Until some dude with SO MUCH cologne sat next to us, that was all I could breathe. I WISH I could get rid of my nose. We had to leave, but it was amazing until then. We had a relaxing evening - went back to the pub with the view for pizza and called it a night.
hairy coo at the end of the hike!
Today was our last day, and we went to a hike that was on our way home. We parked in the middle of a town and went on an amazing loop walk. Unlike all of the rest of the hikes in the peak district, it didn't have a climb. We walked through fields. Then we ended up going down down into a dale (a valley) and along a river for a long while. It was shady and gorgeous. Truly this area doesn't get sun, and EVERY ONE OF OUR DAYS THERE WAS SUNNY AND GORGEOUS! 70s and sunny. After the river, we came into this little area where this man recognized our American accent, and he started talking to us. He showed us that they are living in a motor home outside this old old mill, and they're renovating it. He also had one of the Queen's old cars from the 40's. He and his wife gave us a tour of the mill. It's amazing. The walk continued along a Monet painting. It was all just gorgeous. Then lunch on a town on the way home and back to London.
All in all, we had an AMAZING time. We enjoyed our time together so much, and it is amazing to not be responsible for kids. They really take a lot of my energy, and there isn't a lot left for Matt, usually. Plus we're always talking about them and logistics. To get away from it all, we got so much discussed, planned, plus we played SO many games. I read nearly an entire book (The Women, I loved it). The hiking was beautiful. The time to do it was unheard of. And we averaged 26,000 steps per day. It was just such a luxury. We couldn't believe it. Every second.
In other news, after our trip to Scotland, the kids and I flew to the US. The boys spent three days with Bubbie and Zaydie at Grandparents University at MSU - they had a great time. Sam was with my parents, mostly shopping with my mom (oy. help her. my mom, that is). Then we had a week in SE Michigan with Matt too, and then off to Michigania. This year, we had maybe the best year yet. EVERYONE was so happy. They all managed their own schedules. Food. Bathing. Everything. Perfect and so so so fun. Then the kids and I went to Newton to spend time with friends and cousins there. We loved it all. Sam flew off to JCC Ranch Camp for a second year. We dropped the boys at Bauercrest for the first time. We just heard tonight that they're both staying for the full month. Then Matt and I flew back to England. GREAT SUMMER (of me!) so far. Loving all of it.
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