Reminiscing and the Muse

[owned_by_a_cat]

I'm usually not too keen to revisit places where I've lived. Some things are best left dead and some memories are too precious to pollute them with images of change. Sheffield, where we lived for a couple of years when we were first married is one such place. We were skint, we didn't know what would happen, we were only just starting out, but we had fun... So even though we loved many places in the Peak District, and talked about them frequently and fondly, we haven't been back that way in 18 years.

Then last year, I decided that Steve needed a chance to drive a steam train. The closest location to us where that's possible is Wirkworth and since it seemed a waste to just rush up there and back for the day, we decided to book a cottage for a week and reacquaint ourselves with places we used to love and know, some of my absolute favourites - Bakewell and Castleton (top pic) and Stannage Edge (middle pic) - amongst them.

And it was great.

Yes, some things change while others stay very much the way they've always been, but I'm still very glad we went. It was busier in some places, yes. But our old home looked just as gorgeous as it used to. My favourite place to sit, read and write is still very much there and just as drafty as it used to be. And the views haven't changed. Not there, at any rate.

The weather played ball. And despite my questionable state of fitness, we got in a few great walks around Mam Tor and Monsal Head and Ladybower Reservoir. We went and explored a few places that we couldn't afford to go see back then and found a couple of great pubs for lunch. We stumbled into fields of wild garlic - and took stacks of it home for dinner. We enjoyed real Bakewell Pudding and Two Hoots ale - not together, I hasten to add.

As an extra bonus, the muse gets all excited when I'm out walking and I managed to turn out a couple thousand words of Job Hunt and a couple of shorts. Especially after we happened across a couple of four-legged KenShuu fans.  So, Derbyshire... what's not to like?