London to Glossop: a tight squeeze to Derbyshire

27 June 2024

Leaving the Waterloo apartment as planned right at 9am, we walked the few blocks to Enterprise Rental car and were immediately faced with a question: How to fit five people between the heights of 6’4” and 5’3”, six suitcases, two backpacks and various totes and purses into-a-much-smaller-than-booked BMW 320-I?

Fortunately we are very good with puzzles and spacial relationships. With geometric precision David fit four suitcases into the trunk. Ben put two backpacks at his feet in the front passenger seat. Emi and I wriggled into the back with the purses and totes, and one more suitcase was put on our laps. David crammed himself in. Mike took the wheel. With Ben at the GPS they both somehow got us out of London in stop and go traffic. It took over an hour to get to the highway. I’ve never been so glad to see the M1!

Another hour later my feet were numb. Em’s coffee was done. And we all needed a breather. Rest stops in the UK are great, so we stopped and carefully extracted ourselves from that sardine can of a vehicle. My feet cramped up as I tried to put them back into my sneakers.

It was too short a stop, but we had a very special lunch place in mind: Chatsworth.

This residence of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire was one of the first stately homes to become a real “destination”. In the 1980’s The (now late Dowager) Duchess started a garden and gift shop in her restored home and lands. She added a restaurant and a cafe and started to hold events. And then it was featured as Pemberly in the 2006 film of Pride and Prejudice. It is a stately and beautiful place in and out.

The five of us lunched and walked just a portion of the extensive grounds. The rose garden was my personal favorite. I walked in and said “This is it. This is the garden I want”. Emi looked like she belonged there. Ben found his way into and out of a hedge maze. David dug the towering rock and waterfall garden. Mike’s photos tell the tale.

A squeeze back into the car for the hour ride across the Peaks of Derbyshire to Glossop. Ben, Mike and I settled into an apartment on High Street which I absolutely love! Seriously, I could live here. Emi and David stayed in the local TravelLodge hotel. It was all just a short walk up a hill to the home of Mike’s family.

Smiles all around. I do love this town and this family. Let the celebrations begin!