Peak District Sat 16th Jan, Around Upper Derwent Reservoir

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

Meet at The Wheatsheaf, Baslow, DE45 1SR, 10.30 am for a run through the Peak District before heading down the road that follows the Ladybower, Howden and Derwent Reservoirs. Then it is up the Snake Pass, calling for lunch at the Snake Inn, before dropping down into Glossop and beyond.

 

If the weather is good is anyone coming?

 

 

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

Oops, forgot to mention (how could I?), there is a small Dambusters museum that we will go to while we are there. It is free, donations accepted.

 

Weather currently is forecast dry and sunny, but you pay the price with a temperature of 3 degrees. Minus 1 the night before, so I'm off to make an appointment with a can of WD40. Golly, I am weather watching and it is only Monday, get a life girl.

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

The forecast is getting colder by the day, so it might not be a good idea to go to The Snake Inn for lunch as the Snake Pass is the first road in the Peak District to close in bad weather. Also the route along the reservoir will not be gritted, so we will be best to have a gentle run on the big roads and find a cosy fire in a pub. We will stick to lower ground I reckon.

 

My car has her winter coat on....WD40 and is ready to go. 

[OrmusKnight]

Have fun, we are at Autosport International in the nice dry warmth... 

[TAFKARM]

Can't make this one, will be getting drunk by a lovely warm log fire. 

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

Have fun, we are at Autosport International in the nice dry warmth... 

 

Its a bit boring though, much more fun to be had out in the ice and snow 

[Trevor Little (Trevturtle) - Treasurer]

May i just say ...me spanners are chuffin cold.   you should not  be out in this temperature.

 

Have fun,

 

regards Mr Oily

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

Sun's up, not too frosty, yeah, it's on and we are out. 

 

See you there folks

[Gary Taylor]

have a good run folks

[Onliest Smeg David]

Wish I could have joined you...

 

Although it's ######y Freezing!

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

    Now this is insane, Martyn you have got to stop it, turning up like this, as in - all the time regardless of weather, you CRAZY man! and that daft wife of yours, Sue, she should discourage you, it's her duty.

 

We turned up at The Wheatsheaf, just as the real fire was being lit, that's our table then. Bacon sandwiches ordered and wait for young Ben to arrive, which he promptly did, with pretty wife Nat. Shortly after, his co-conspirator Ben arrived with wife, Zoe, and baby. So if it is not full of 'Richards' it is full of 'Ben's', nice and easy then.

 

Martyn has now sorted his 'immobiliser' wire thing and got a real key, what a show off! We sat talking for quite a while, you can imagine, just go up to any Westfield owner and start talking about their cars, you will not be met with silence. Then it was outside for the practical. 'Sit in mine', 'oh yes, sit in mine', 'look under this bonnet', 'oh and this bonnet'. Good job it wasn't last week when there were 10 cars there, we would still be at it now. It was lovely to meet you Ben and Ben, I hope we have helped you in your quest to spend some money, good luck and hurry up.

 

The Wheatsheaf, note the frozen field behind.

 

 

As the roads were not too bad, sort of, we decided to have a run up to the reservoirs. The road around the reservoirs would not be gritted, but we thought we would see just how bad they were and turn round if it got iffy. We turned down the sunless road that was still frozen, downhill and the car just went very light and wiggled a bit. I lifted off the gas and very gently changed down a gear, which slowed it down even more and then it regained grip. We made it to the parking area at the dam wall where the Dambusters museum is. We parked up, the museum was shut so we took some photo's instead and along came some Australians with tripods and very fancy cameras. That was it, photo shoot time, I think they loved it as much as us.

 

 

I decided we would not go on further round the reservoirs. The Snake Pass was open but the digital signs were warning of ice. I took the decision not to go up there too. I think the 2 boys would have gone for it, see I am surrounded by nutters. We made our way on the big, less treacherous roads through Bakewell and to our favourite cafe in Monyash, The Old Smithy.

 

All day full English breakfasts ordered and we had pint mugs of coffee next to the wood burner. Then it was cake time, the biggest slices of cake are in this cafe and it would be rude to refuse. Martyn was going to test if a Westfield would make a good getaway car...not paying...what is he like, good job we shouted a cheery goodbye to the waitress and she realised. We reluctantly went our separate ways, like little mardy children who have to go to bed early, roll on long summer evenings.

 

As the light faded on the way home Glen noticed that my headlights were not working. We washed the car off and then went into the garage to investigate. A fuse had melted. We have replaced it but what is that about???

 

 

Thank you to everyone for turning up, it has been a fun, day out, despite driving weirdly slow for a Westfield, it is the people that make it at this time of the year.

Next Sunday it is 'Steam in Staffordshire' meeting in Ashbourne for some trains and some planes.

[Onliest Smeg David]

No Snow??

We had snow all afternoon here!

[Diggsy]

Still snowing in Mossley.

[Trevor Little (Trevturtle) - Treasurer]

A fuse had melted.

A least there was no mucking about pulling out each fuse , squinting to see if it had blown

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

Well it was a great day out yesterday, cool and a bit slippy in places but some good food and even better company. It was great to meet both Bens and their respective partners.

 

In the car park at the Wheatsheaf.

 

 

 

 

More pictures by the Derwent dam.

 

 

 

I didn't get any pictures of the lunch stop at the Old Smithy in Monyash!

 

We headed off to Ashbourne for fuel before heading home on the A515. So guess what happened……..it rained again    and we both got wet again, not too much though. However, when you said about not smearing the windscreen when you cleaned it, what did you put on it as the wipers would not clear the water so I couldn't see when it got dark!!!!! Were you trying to get rid of us?

 

BTW, in response to your opening statement Sue said were are not coming next week