Now on to the day I looked forward to most - Keira Knightley day (just kidding Greg- although we did visit three places she stood and she is his celebrity crush). I have wanted to see Chatsworth for years and was so excited when Greg discovered it wasn't far from Manchester. Natali played the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack to get us in the mood. Kate was way past done with the songs that sounded nothing like Taylor Swift but even she had to admit the theme song added to the picturesque drive down the long driveway to the house.
These stairways and black and white tiled floors have been in so many movies.
Emily got to help play the piano in the library - that was so fun to listen to.
Painting reenacting - an important part of travel.
The house was ostentatious, fabulous to see, but a bit overwhelming. Then on to the extensive grounds, I think all of us could have stayed there for hours. The paths wandered and wandered from gardens, ponds, the pinetum, streams, fountains...you name it.
While wandering Lily and Mack started creating their dream houses if money weren't required. Things like your own McDonalds, several pairs of Crocs, and a statue of Ditten.
In the maze Greg and I helped a little girl find her lost mom - so cute.
This was the rock garden - seriously how did they move these?
Senior Pic spot- Don't they look beautiful?
There were signs all over apologizing for the badgers digging up the grass, hence Andrew spent all of his wandering looking for badgers. He would have stayed longer had we not had more to see that day.
We were pretty excited to see a coot's nest, complete with orange feathered babies, on the pond in front of the house. We have lived on our lake with coots for 10 years and never seen a nest and only one dead baby so this was pretty exciting.
They had to keep this around for the tourists.
When we left the lawn was full of cars and there were people everywhere, so glad we got the first time slot of the day.
On to Haddon Hall where they filmed some parts of Pride and Prejudice and Princess Bride. We ate lunch at the onsite cafe and I was thrilled with the tasty salad and the English scones with clotted cream.
Princess Buttercup!
We enjoyed our guided tour of the meandering building. You could see all the additions and how they were cobbled together.
This church is the oldest structure on site.
I loved the wobbly windows- was it trendy or a way to reflect light?
During covid the twin 10 year old boys who live here camped out in this hall.
This is the original table. It was incredibly thick and when one side was too damaged by all the knifes then they would flip the table top over. So crazy.
Then onto the grounds...
I loved all the flowers growing on the sides of the castle. It must take so much work to guide them all year long.
The kids found a little newt pond and that was their favorite spot of the whole place.
Can you see the little newts?
To get a better view we took a little walking trail up the hill right in the middle of the sheep and rock walls.
Lily had to call to all the sheep with her masterful Baaaah.
Everyone was a little worried for a little sheep separated from its mama. Andrew was just about to pick it up when it found its way through the fence.
We took the scenic route home by way of the Roaches, a set of dramatic rock outcroppings (also in Pride and Prejudice) that we climbed in order to check out the amazing view from the top.
Lily found a little catepillar.
On the way home we found Nando's, the much anticipated Mozambique chicken house. The boys had heard all about it from their soccer videos. We had to send our friend Nando from Spain a pic. The food was pretty great and everyone was happy.
While driving all day following Greg's car we started calling the car Vjo after the last 3 letters in their license plate. It was always a challenge to keep Vjo in our sights😉.
"When we arrived back to the hotel Emily realized she had left her retainer at the restaurant so there might have been a melt down. We called Nando’s, but decided against making the trek back to look for it in the garbage…Andrew may have dropped my binocular case at The Roaches, but he’s sure he didn’t😉. I have to come to grips with occasionally losing things."
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