Thursday 28 March 2024

One week ago

The stage is set at a venue in Derby. I arrived just after 6pm. Bought a drink and found a seat. The event kicked off at 7.30pm. 
The guest speakers. 
The sons.
The father. 
Jaymie kicked off with welcoming everybody. Big room, big audience. He introduced the guests one by one. Each said their piece. A questions and answers session brought the event to a close, although it went on a bit longer as everyone was clamouring for photographs. Yes, I took my turn.
The evening was very relaxed. Everyone in the room knew we were all there for the same reason. Meeting like minded people is so refreshing. I knew I could say what I liked to anyone. No holding back, no self censoring. I met a lovely lady who is the head teacher at a primary school in London. She has a three hour commute every day and says it's worth it because she loves her job. I met a German lady who made the journey to Derby by herself. A flight from Dusseldorf to London, the Tube to the railway station, and a train ride to Derby. 
So there you are. I'm glad I went. Speaking to people face to face is a totally different experience than exchanging words online. Reading body language fills in all the gaps which talking through a screen cannot do. 
Now I am looking out of the window. The day has started off with sunshine. I will go shopping, then hopefully get out into the garden. Enjoy your Thursday, have a nice Easter. 
Toodle pip.   ilona.

Tuesday 26 March 2024

A look at Ashbourne.

Leaving Osmaston behind I came off the road and continued to Ashbourne along the Centenary Way, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie Walk. It was quite muddy in parts. I crossed over the A52 bypass and found myself in a new housing estate, this is where the footpath signs disappeared. I asked the lady in the small grocery store which way to the town centre. She said none of the houses were there when she took over the shop, now she is surrounded. Good for business I thought, but not very aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 
I asked two ladies who seemed to be walking in the same direction as me down Spitalhill, am I going the right way for the town centre? We no, English one of them replied. Ok I thought, lets give this a try. With some hand gesticulations and me speaking slowly and simply, we managed to communicate a few basic pleasantries. They were from Ukraine and they were in their mid fifties. They pointed to my muddy boots and trouser bottoms, and laughed. The hill was pretty steep, at the bottom they went into Sainsbury's and I walked past the library into the town centre. 
I saw quite a few pubs, here are three of them. I also found a cheese shop and bought three of my favourite truckles. The Snowdonia Cheese Company have a good selection. I chose Cheddar with roasted garlic and herbs, Extra mature Cheddar, and Vintage Red Leicester.  


St Oswalds Church is just one of several in Ashbourne. The sun was in the wrong place for a good photo, so I went round the back for this one. 
Luckily the door was open so I was able to get more photo's inside. A man was practicing his organ playing so that gave it a nice ambience. 


One corner is set out as a shop, where you can buy gifts. 




I spent a good half an hour in there. Still more of Ashbourne to see. Then it was time to make my way back to the car. I took a slightly different route back for a couple of miles, then retraced my steps from Osmaston to Shirley. Couldn't resist taking this photo of a tree, with half of it missing. To me it looks like a sculpture. I spoke to a local resident. Apparently high winds had ripped off two of the main branches two years ago, one of which was left to lay on the ground. This tree signifies to me that no matter how much destruction one has to endure in life, there is always hope. It refuses to die. I would love to see it in blossom. 

So many places to explore. I hope to be out and about over the summer months. Something to look forward to. 
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Monday 25 March 2024

Walking to Osmaston.

The walk to Osmaston was very pleasant. I had a brief conversation with a young man who was loaded up with a very heavy backpack. I asked him if he was camping. He replied, yes, I started at Manchester and I'm walking to Leicester. Well done to him I thought. I could have done that a few years ago, but not carrying a load of camping gear. B & B's were my thing on long walks. 
The road from Shirley turns into a dirt track. This sign is outside the last house on the left. 
The green bits on the map are Shirley Park. When I approached it, I expected to see a lot of trees. The ground is looking very bare right now. I suppose when the new trees start growing it will fill out again. 


Continuing on towards Osmaston, it is an estate village. There is a small pond in the centre, and a really big lake on the edge of it. I passed by this derelict building. At first glance I thought it was an abandoned house. All the windows and doors have been permanently boarded up. It does look like it might have been a church at some point. I've had a look for information. It seems it is an old water powered sawmill. I've found a picture of it from seven years ago, it was covered in scaffolding. How fascinating. 


Just before the village, what a fantastic tree. 


Had to take a pic of this colourful truck. It was making a delivery to the pub. 

At least they still have a Post Office, and a shop. Ring the bell for service. 

Time for a lunch stop at the church. I found a bench in a sunny spot, with shelter from the wind. 

The village has several thatched cottages, a school, and a Village Hall. 
Onward towards Ashbourne. I'll post those photo's next. 
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Sunday 24 March 2024

Let's have a look at Shirley church.

I have a sat nav in the car but I haven't the foggiest idea how to use it. I am not interested in electrical gadgets to tell me where to go. Neither do I have a hand held sat nav. If I am going somewhere which might be a little complicated, I get gooooogli earth on the screen and take photographs of the area. I also write directions on a large piece of paper, and draw a simple map. Easy. That usually gets me to my destination. Come down the A61, go round the Pentagon Island, take the fourth exit off onto The Upas, leading on to Eastgate. Under the railway line, or was it over, turn left onto Meadow Road just past the bus depot. Easy. Leaving the next morning was not so easy. Underpasses, overpasses, roundabouts, bus lanes, bugger I went left when I should have gone right onto the inner ring road. Do a u turn and go back. 
I found my way out, and once I got out of the centre I started to recognise streets. I use to work for British Road Services at Alvaston years ago. Before that I worked for Nestle, and Derby was my main delivery area. I knew it pretty well then. It's all different now. I found my way onto the A52 Ashbourne Road. 
I had pinpointed the village of Shirley on the OS map as a good place to start a walk from, and found a parking area close to the church. It was lovely and peaceful. This tree is amazing. 
The trunk looked like it was several trees originally planted in a clump. Some of the bark was really rough, and some was really smooth. 
 
At first I was on my own in the church, someone had kindly unlocked the door. After I had finished recording the video the Church Warden turned up. He was happy to tell me some of the history, it was fascinating. Like my own private guided tour. He pulled these doors back to reveal a secret kitchen.

A few years ago they got a grant and had a new roof put on. I thought they might have covered up some of the furniture with plastic sheeting to protect it from bird poo. But no, he explained how they had found bats in the roof .

This area used to have wooden pews, but they took them out, put a new floor down, and put the chairs around the sides. This is used for group meetings. 


Very unusually decorated organ pipes. 

Here is the video I made before the warden turned up. He said the church is the heart of the community and it is well used. 
More pics to come tomorrow when I move on to Osmaston. 
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona.

Saturday 23 March 2024

Free parking.

First coffee of the day, in a car park, on an industrial estate, in Derby, on Friday morning. 
Lovely views. A railway line with passing trains every few minutes. Litter along the edges of the river. Traffic noise. What more could you want in a car camping spot. Oh, nearly forgot, mustn't grumble, it was free. 
The camping season has begun. 
Toodle pip.  ilona