Chatsworth & Very Sturdy Trousers

Just returned from a three night break on the Caravan Club site at Chatsworth in Derbyshire.

The site is an excellent one and includes a number of super pitches one of which we inhabited.

It is very pleasant to go "all mod cons" once in a while with the waste,water,TV and toilet emptying all in close proximity.

The facilities are all top notch,the toilet block wash up etc. are all spotless.

The only very minor criticism is that a lot of the pitches are under trees which does cut out the sunlight to some degree leaving it a bit damp in places,I think some of the trees could do to be cut back a bit.

The Orion was faultless,YC leisure seem to have done all that was asked of them ( the front window blind is still a bit tardy ),it made a pleasant change to have full running water once again after the Whale inlet had been swapped for a new one.

Whilst there we visited Chatsworth House which is accessed via a locked gate from the site.

There is £5 off the admission fee if you take your CC membership cards with you ( that's £5 each for a couple ).

The house and grounds are stunning and well worth a visit if in the vicinity.

The house is open 11am - 4:30pm and it is an all day experience which can be recommended.

We also visited Eyam,the "plague village" and had a browse around the museum,very interesting.



Whilst on the return journey home,I took the wrong turning off a roundabout in the centre of Chesterfield.

The sat.nav indicated a simple right turn a hundred metres or so ahead to bring us back onto the correct road.

After taking the turn I noticed that the end of the road said "Buses Only" but just prior to it was a left turn down a narrow road which in my naivety I  presumed just led back onto the main road and avoided the "Buses Only" junction.

Anyway I turned left,went around the corner only to be faced with the barriers to enter a multi-storey car park.

Of course out of nowhere a car appeared behind and another exited the car park in front of me.

Now reversing the van in anything other than a straight line has never been a particular forte of mine,especially when hemmed in by cars,in a narrow road,outside a multi-storey car park,trying desperately to nip my bum cheeks together to avoid further embarrassment.

SWMBO got out all calmly and directed me back along the access road,round the bend and back across the junction.

If I say so myself it all went pretty well,not spectacular but enough to get us out of a sticky situation.

Then it was sod the "Buses Only" markings,through the traffic lights and on our way.

When the sweat had dried I felt quite pleased with myself,every curve is a learning curve as they say.


Ian