A quick UK Autumn break

After a significant period of pandemic enforced abstinence, we’re back travelling again, although too far.
Rich had received a voucher for a free night away a good while ago, and the company kindly extended the expiration date so we could actually make use of it.
What they don’t tell you on the box (as it would be terrible marketing) is that many of the choice “hotels” on the list you can pick from are absolute crap holes. OR you can add a pricey premium to get somewhere nice which kind of negates the point of it being a cheap break. Anyway, after hours of googling and trip advisor we found a good value/rating trade off….in Chesterfield.
Now whilst Chesterfield has never been top of my wish list it has a few advantages. 1 - we’ve not been there before 2 - handy access to the Peak District 3 - it’s oop north and therefore, cheap(er).

After a manic Friday morning we finally got on the road at lunchtime . Our progress was very much stalled by local Derbyshire traffic as we hit first school run traffic and later rush hour traffic, but we just managed to squeeze in a quick visit to Kedleston Hall, a National Trust property just north of Derby.
Unfortunately we were not in time to enter the house itself, but we did have time for a quick piece of cake , and a look around the grounds…at which point, typically, the heavens opened. The picture today was snapped in haste on the way out. Rich being lord of the manor.