The cows came home...

To the Calf Shed :-)

Well we finally made it to our home for the next two weeks...the Calf Shed near Salisbury.

We aimed to leave this morning at 9am.  We finally pulled out of the driveway at 10am.  A record for us.  We usually run about three hours late!  lol

Journey down the M6 was the nightmare we expected it to be I HATE the M6! but we got through it by singing along loudly to Heart 70s radio and eating copious amounts of peanut M&Ms (David) and Haribo (me) or as I like to call it, Hareeeeeebo :-) 

We usually make our first stop at the Tebay services but David had the genius idea of pulling off the motorway and making the very short detour to Rheged, where he and his pals stop to eat on their way to the Lake District weekend every November.  It was a great decision!  It's a fabulous place.  A great cafe where we had a delicious lunch then a quick wander round the shops.  It was quiet too.  Wonderful.

Back in to the car and onwards to sit in nose to tail traffic for an hour.  Oh joy.  But even that couldn't dampen our spirits.

Soon we were at speed again and had a second stop at Keele services for a Starbucks toastie and a coffee for D.  The rest of the journey had a couple of slow sections but we kept moving.  And of course we took the M6 toll, however the queue at the tolls heading north stretched back for over two miles.  Think there must have been a problem, at the toll booths.  The queue just went on and on.  Kind of defeated the purpose of taking the toll road for those heading north.

Normally before a journey I look at the route online and on the map.  For some reason I didn't this time and D just put the postcode into the car's sat nav.  All was well until we found ourselves coming off the M6 earlier than we thought we would and onto the M40.  The car always calculates the fastest route so we went with it but not sure it's the most direct route.  Too tired to check tonight but will check tomorrow.  

For the final 20 minutes of the journey it also took us off the main road and onto a single track country road. We were both desperate for the loo and gin!) by this point and getting slightly hysterical, but it took us through the most beautiful little hamlets with the most picturesque roses-round-the-door thatched cottages.  Absolutely stunning.  

Once back on a main road, we pulled into the lay-by to call the holiday house owner for guidance, then realised we were about 100 yards away from the entrance!  At last!  We arrived at 8.35pm!

So happy to be here.  The Calf Shed is stunning (there's a book of photos of it before it was converted and during the conversion, the difference is unbelievable) We have fallen in love with the place.  It's absolutely perfect and the view is amazing.  Both feature in my blip :-)

As ever, the first day of our holiday will be a day of local exploration and rest.  I can't wait!  :-)))