Staycation Matlock - Day 1

Set off a little before 11am for the proposed 4h30m drive north to the Peak District and our stay for the next 4 nights at the Stable at Druids Farm in Birchover.

With the car packed up we set off on a route to avoid the Dartford Crossing.

This entailed the M20/M26/M25/M40/M42. We had a stop for Reggie to have a pee and we got a coffee. Plus a Slimming World busting biscuit. Both between us.

Once we got onto the M42 after pretty much a cruise-control run from home, it all ground to a stop, then stop/start.  

Nissan Navigation seemed to try and avoid the traffic and instead took us up some dead end seeming road. In the end we made it to the M42 further up. Southbound was solid for miles.

We made a second stop at Tamworth Services. A chance for all three of us to have a widdle, and for the humans to get something to eat from M&S.

We then had a magical mystery tour via Burton upon Trent and then to Derby.

The back roads to Birchover took us along quite a few roads where we saw what we  expected to see as the Derbyshire Dales. Rolling hills.

We arrived okay just before 5pm. Met Eileen the owner and unloaded the car.

Reggie had his dinner and as I type is snoring in his bed. Yep. We brought his bed with him.

So all in all about 6 hours on the road and that includes about 45 minutes of stops.  

Once we had sorted ourselves out and unpacked we went across the road to the Druids Inn for dinner.

Eileen said that the pub is very dog friendly. And so it was. We were lucky that we hadn't booked that a reserved table became available. That part of the bar had four tables and three other dogs. Reggie was very well behaved all evening.

I enjoyed the homemade burger and Claire had a minted lamb pie. Both really good. We reserved again for tomorrow.

So where to tomorrow?