Senior moments

Introducing the Seniors!

What an action packed weekend. Lovely friends from New Zealand to entertain, lovely weather, plenty of chat, good food and wine. We looked at spoons, survived the hamster escaping, (“I don't want to be alarmist, but I can’t see the hamster,” said our guest.) Slippers were definitely on trend for our used-to-way-warmer-climate kiwi guests. Undeterred by the predicted highs of minus one, we were intent on showing them some of the local highlights.

We chose Marks and Spencer to start. In our defense, this was requested. After a day in Sheffield to visit Marks and Spencer and see the cutlery exhibition in Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries (we thought it was our duty to show off Sheffield’s claim to fame), we needed to entertain a small boy with a passion for castles. Where do you go? Bolsover Castle, of course. It’s called a castle, so in theory should have some castle-like qualities.  

Laughing Cavaliers

After eventually leaving the house on Sunday morning- no small task as there were six bodies who needed to breakfast and shower (and only a small detour past the motorway roundabout due to bad communication regarding directions), we arrived.  Putting on my best Kiwi accent we gained entrance using our NZ Heritage card. As we were Kiwis (or so the woman thought) the woman behind the counter proceeded to guide us through every minute detail of the audio tour. Her attention to detail was impressive, shall we say. Others may have said overbearing. All we actually needed to know was; press 99 on the audio thing when you get through the door. Not where the door was (obvious), how to open the door (again obvious) and which foot to put in front of the other to walk (well not the last bit, but it was close).

When we got in to the castle grounds, the tour started off in the riding school bit. There’s a great area with hats to dress up as Cavaliers, a wooden horse, blocks to build your own fantasy castle - all very good stuff. After that came the castle grounds and the actual castle to explore. Unfortunately, by this time, both children started their mantra; “I’m cold, can we go home now?” Fair enough, we had been there for at least half an hour. We ignored the kids and carried on regardless.

It was all very lovely and castle-y, even the kids enjoyed it - especially the room with the oil-filled radiator. Back home by way of Hardwick Hall and lovely sun setting over the moors. What a lovely part of the world we live in and how lucky to have such good friends to share it with.