Today's Travels

We are in Derbyshire!  Hooray!  

After breakfast this morning we checked out of The Old Black Lion, an inn built in the 1560s where Oliver Cromwell stayed during the English Civil War, and visited the book shops we didn't make it  to yesterday afternoon.  We then picked up some ready-made sandwiches at a local grocery store and began the drive to Kidderminster.  Richard Baxter preached there from 1641-1660, and it was a beautiful old church.  I'll have to post pictures tomorrow, because our internet connection is sketchy here in the Dales.  

It was an absolutely beautiful day for a drive but VERY COLD.  The worst thing, of course, was the wind.  I'm sure the wind chill was in the 30s.  I do have one picture to share, though.  As we were leaving Hay-on-Wye we saw a beautiful and long rainbow.  We braved the bitter winds to bring you a picture of a rainbow over the River Wye.....Only, I just waited patiently for several minutes, and it was only about a 1/4 of the way through loading it.  I'm afraid pictures are going to have to wait.

The very fun thing was that not long after we drove into Derbyshire we saw another rainbow!  It hasn't rained a drop today, but the clouds have been tinged with darkness against a bright blue sky.  It's been so lovely (and did I mention very cold?).  

We have arrived at the hotel where Jane Austen presumably stayed, and the town of Bakewell (aka Lambton) is very quaint and lovely.  We are planning to wake up early to make the sunrise and explore the town before we visit Chatsworth House (i.e. Pemberley).  I am hoping to get pictures of all the sheep, cows, and horses we passed driving in, grazing in the green fields.  The grass is an amazing green for October.  It looks like May.  

Tomorrow afternoon we plan to drive up to Thirsk in Yorkshire where James Herriot (Alf Wight) practiced veterinary medicine.  I am hoping for a beautiful, albeit cold day. It's not so bad if we stay down between the peaks and out of the wind, but I'm not sure where our travels will take us.  I wish I'd brought a warmer jacket.  :)