The town of Ashbourne and the city of Sheffield
Trip Start
Jul 04, 2006
1
15
63
Trip End
Jan 16, 2007
Sheffield,
United Kingdom
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Well after looking at various one bedroom apartments to live in, and weighing up the hassles and costs of applying, we decided to rent a furnished room in a share house instead. Apart from it being much cheaper than getting your own apartment, it allowed us to rent month by month instead of having to take a minimum 6 month lease, and we really didn't want to be tied into the one spot for that long. Also we would have had to go out and get all pots/pans/plates/cups etc, even a kettle to make a cup of tea, so that would of added a hundred pounds plus all the hassles.
Using "Google" we located a place that looks nice at Belper (the small town 15 mins outside Derby where we had photographed the boys swimming in the dam last week) and we are off to see it and meet the owner
01 St Oswalds Church, Ashbourne
.Thursday 27th
Bought a "wayfarer" travel pass for two people for 12pound 50p that gives unlimited train/bus travel throughout Derbyshire and headed off to the north of the city, enroute to inspecting the share room later this afternoon. Got off the bus at the beautiful English village of Ashbourne which is what you would dream an English country town would look like. There are wonderful old buildings set on narrow roads that snake around and come back on each other, tranquil parks with plenty of flowers booming, and magnificent old English churches reflecting hundreds of year's history. There is a market square with a fresh farmers market in full swing, surrounded on all sides by beautiful old English pubs, with tables set up outside doing a roaring trade. We spend the day wondering around looking at all the sights, and stumble onto a 350 meter old train tunnel under the town that has been renovated as a pathway complete with recorded train sounds that play as you walk through reflecting another era. This track is also part of a 600klm "completely off road" cycle track that continues all the way up to the coast near the England/Scotland border. Imagine that, 600klm of track that you can walk/ride car free!
Had to tear ourselves away and bus it to Belper, about 10 miles away through very tight, twisting and hilly country side, passing 2 or 3 small villages that are so picturesque we will have to come back to
02 The graveyard around St Oswalds Church
.Spent an hour or so in Belper and met the owner and accept the room in an old three bedroom house up on the highest point of the town with glorious views, which is shared with two other single people. Let you know more after we move in next weekend.
Friday 28th
We both feel pretty lazy after yesterdays travel and our hour long jog this morning. It got hot very quickly, and with little shade during our jog, it took a fair bit out of us so we decided to make it a cleaning and washing day. After Alan gets home from work, he wants to take us out for dinner, so we catch a cab into the city and have a wonderful Mexican meal and then move on to "Walkabout" an Australian pub set up here in Derby where we can get VB's for the first time since leaving Aussie over 3 weeks ago.
Saturday 29th
We get up all refreshed after yesterdays rest and decide to head out of Derby, so we board a train to the city of Sheffield. The train we catch is one traveling through Derby after setting off from London on the way to Edinburgh, Scotland
03 Gail with tombs dating pack over 500 years!
. Our trip takes about 40 mins, and is the most quiet and most comfortable train journey I have ever taken.Sheffield is a large city and we cannot hope to do anymore in one day than see some of the sights within the city centre and make plans for a longer stay in the future. The city is so clean and fresh, and there are families everywhere taking in the warm English weather. We visit the enclosed "Winter Garden" with it's 2500 plants from around the world, go shopping in "The Moor" which is a no-vehicle open shopping area, explore the massive Sheffield Markets with all its fresh produce and market stalls, take in the history and wonder of The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, and finally enjoy a cooling drink at one of Sheffield's many fine old clubs.
It's been a fantastic day, and we plan to book a room in Sheffield in the near future so we can spend much more time here.
To finish the day, when we get home Alan cooks dinner (for the third or fourth time since we have been here) and Alan & I crack up watching "Spaceballs" on tele while Gail looks on with quiet detachment. Got to be one of the funniest films ever!!
