Post It from Buxton Caravan Club site, Buxton, Derbyshire, England. Friday 29th April, 2016.

We decided to stop for our final three nights camping here for no particular reason other than it was on the general way home, was in the Peak District National Park so should be beautiful countryside and I had heard it was a nice place to visit. There were vacancies too at the time of booking, but not for the weekend other than the Friday night, and our friends from Leicestershire said they would drive up to join us for the day. So it seemed a good choice. Unfortunately the weather forecast had turned very cold with plenty of snow about but never mind we would enjoy it.

The drive over from Chester was pleasant enough once we had left the motorway and went via Macclesfield and up and over the Cat and Fiddle before descending down into Buxton. The road from Macclesfield must be one frequented by motorists enjoying the thrill of speed on the winding and hilly road as there was even average speed cameras located along part of it. I can imagine it is a busy road with motorcyclists in the good weather. We were able to stop on the approach to the top and take in the views, including the sheep grazing on the moorland. As we set off again the snow showers started.

This campsite is located within the Buxton Country Park and in what was once a quarry. We pitched towards the rear of the rock face and had the company of lots of Crows who were nesting in the crags of the rock face. They seemed to be fighting off the Magpies, who were trying to get to their nests I presumed, and were very noisy in the process. The remainder of Wednesday was a series of snow showers and that night the temperatures dropped to zero!

Thursday started out as quite a pleasant dry day and our friends arrived late morning in time for coffee before we set off on foot into Buxton. We walked through the Country Park along signed paths and first climbed up to Solomon’s Temple which gave us a great view over the park and Buxton nestled below. The sky was full of precipitation, in whatever form it would fall, and the winds were blowing a gale up on the top. We made our way down through the forested part of the park passing the Go Ape adventure facility and coming out at Poole’s Cavern, a series of Limestone caverns with stalactite and stalagmite formations regarded as the best in the Peak District. There was even a discounted Club members entry fee and we planned to come back to visit after lunch in Buxton.

We made our way down the residential streets and past the Pavilion Gardens but by this time it was raining quite heavily. The centre of the town was pleasant enough with plenty of shops, cafes and even a shopping centre but the weather had now put a dampener on any further sightseeing. We decided to head for a proper lunch and after a bit of toing and throwing, asking locals along the way, we headed off for a pub on the pedestrian Spring Gardens to check out and at the end of that road we were told we would find a new Weatherspoon’s.

Sorry but I cannot recall the name of the pub (near Marks & Spencer) but we had possibly the best home-made steak & Ale pie I have had followed by once again home-made apple & raspberry crumble and fresh custard. All washed down with a pint of local Blonde Witch craft beer. The service and atmosphere in the pub was excellent and we stayed a little longer than expected losing sight of the time as we chatted. I have left their card in the camp site information room if anyone visits.

The rain and snow did not let up so we decided to catch a taxi back to the Caverns but unfortunately the taxi driver did not show and by the time I found a taxi rank near the station it meant we would not have time to make the last entry time. We thought Sharon and I would likely visit the next day on our own. A taxi back to our van was agreed and we enjoyed a coffee and Bakewell Tart before our friends set off for their 2 hour drive home.

I awoke next morning once again to zero temperatures and there had been quite strong winds throughout the night rocking the van when it gusted strongly. On peeking outside there was a smattering of snow on the campsite and higher up the moors there was more snow evident. I had found some difficulty getting the van onto the levelling blocks at one side when we pitched due to the loose chipping hard surface meaning we were losing grip. This which meant we were slightly down at one front corner and where the snow and water had dripped over our projection we now had our own stalactites of icicles, or is it stalagmites?

As anyone who follows our stories, or knows us personally, will know we are very much dry and warm weather campers and the snow showers, which were almost constant, kept us safely tucked up in the van for the day. As I type this in the late afternoon it has just stopped snowing here for a while but the latest radio travel news has just announced road closures close by just to the north and the northerly wind would be bringing that snow south to us soon I suspect. Instead we made good use of the time sorting a few things out inside the van and reviewing all the photos we had taken over the past 2 weeks and writing this final chapter of our tour to the West Coast of England. Tomorrow it is back to East Yorkshire and a drier day with improved temperatures, for a while at least!

Not sure when we shall get away again until September so I hope you have enjoyed reading these past four Post It stories and as I finish the sun has broken out  through the heavily snow laden clouds.

Regards, Roy