Where to begin??!!

Well it's been about 6 days since my last post and so much as happened.. Hope you have a cup of tea ready and a spare hour to read it all!

The 15th to 17th May were our last two days with Dee and Ian, we went and visited the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio which was cool. They put sooo much detail in to all of their sets, crazy! We spent a good few hours wandering around. Then went on to a traditional pub for dinner... They were doing a steak and drink special.

The Great Hall - Harry Potter Studio

The Great Hall - Harry Potter Studio

Diagon Alley - Harry Potter Studio

Huge Model of Hogwarts that they used when filming

The next day we spent driving around spending money! We went and bought a GPS, we bought a tent, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, camping chairs, plates, cups, saucepan and frying pan - and I'm probably missing things out! We also had a Krispy Kreme and coffee which conveniently adjoins the department store :P So we were then set for camping and keen to give it a try because it is so cheap!

Our last night in Watford we ate a takeaway feast of Indian food with Dee and Ian and watched hunger games. The next morning we said our goodbyes and gave them a little present - including a tiny pink Oxford University shirt for Esme and we were on our way!

Matt's Cousin Ian and His Wife, Davinia and little Esme

We decided to jump straight into camping and started heading towards Peak District which was about a two hour drive guided by our new GPS. The car ran really well even though we hit a wee bit of traffic halfway in. We cranked the heater and put down the windows to help keep the engine cool in the bumper to bumper traffic haha seems to work!

We went through some amazing little towns along the way and arrived at a campsite called Laneside Caravan Park which is in a huge valley and was in a town called Hope. We booked in for two nights and pitched our little tent - we were the only tent in a park full of caravans - but it meant we had a huge grass area all to ourselves and our pick of spots next to a cute stream so we weren't  complaining. We got free wifi and the facilities were pretty good - better than hostels! It was also dog friendly and I met a puppy called Louis that i wanted to steal. Unfortunately AFTER we had set everything up we came to the sad realisation that everything we had bought was blue....

So much blue.... 

Little gas cooker, whistling kettle and paraffin lamp (and our car cover over the tent)

Camping next to the Stream in Hope Valley

The campsite was right next to town so we walked in to pick up some dinner to cook and I fell in love with Hope straight away. Quaint would probably sum it up best - there was only one of every type of shop - but like 4 pubs. Everyone is so friendly and happy - probably because they're always drunk.

I even thought the cemetery was amazing with massive old headstones and barely legible summaries of people who died in the 1800's. We bought some sausages, buns, cider, kit kats, hot chocolate and tea and other bits and pieces. But Matt's favourite purchase was an old school looking Paraffin lamp that only cost about £3. We had a great night cooking it all up and because it stays light for so long over here, we never struggled to see what we were doing. It got cold really quickly though and by the time it was morning we had a bit of water coming through the tent from condensation and realised we probably needed a bit more protection from the cold.

The next day we went and found a car cover which worked well to put over our tent, another big blanket and two pillows. That did the trick and the second night was nice and snug. We also went a visited the remains of a castle called Peveril which was high up on a hill in Castleton not far from Hope.

From the Castle looking down

In whats left of the castle

He's not posing here - this was genuine excitement caught at the right second :) hehe

Matttheeew :)

Amazing valley next to the Castle

On the walk up to the Castle

Castleton

The view was incredible looking down into valleys and cloud sweeping past. Walking up the hill to castle is quite good exercise so when we got down the bottom I asked Matt if we could quickly go back up again - trying to burn off some of the amazing food I've been eating. We probably looked like lunatics heading back up again. It was then off to the pub again - Matt is loving the steak and ale pies!

A mixture of wine and dehydration made me wake up so sick on Sunday morning. I was literally a write off all day and it was left up to poor Matt to pack up the tent and get us moving to our new destination, Lake District. I couldn't eat a thing all day and it was only when I managed to keep down some Lucozade that I got any better.

Our first night in Windemere in Lake District has been interesting!! We are in a little hostel called Lake District Backpackers and we have two roommates. One is a man who is staying here for work purposes and got blind drunk last night, seemingly by himself. The other is a nice guy from Delhi, but they both snore sooo loudly and kept us awake. To be expected in a hostel I guess but I actually wanted to smother them with my pillow. There was also a mosquito that looked like it was on steroids that Matt had to chase around the room to kill for me while the other room mates slept. The guy from Delhi is so perplexed by the fact that we can afford to travel for so long - he seemed blown away at our lack of planning etc.

Windemere 

Lake District - Windemere

Conquering my fear of birds

Peter the Rabbit on Peter the Peugeot

Our hostel we are in now

Common room in Lake District Backpackers

But today we went and set ourselves up for walking! Dad would be very proud. We bought walking boots, walking pants and socks. So combined with the fleece jumper and waterproof jacket I already have, I am set! We plan to spend the whole day walking tomorrow including England's highest peak, Scafell Pike if we can! We also went and visited the Beatrix Potter Museum (author of the Peter Rabbit books). I don't think I really got read that much by her when I was little but it was cool to see anyway. I don't know if i mentioned that we called our car Peter - Peter the Peugeot. So when Matt found a little sticker of Peter Rabbit in a blue waistcoat we decided to buy it as our first sticker for the car. Considering blue is now the theme of the trip and all.

I'll post a photo tomorrow of us in our walking gear :) i am just chilling in the common room with Matty now waiting for our washing to finish and watching Friends and Two and a Half Men. We are having Chinese for dinner tonight in an hour or so and planning our walks for tomorrow.

Having an amazing time!! The scenery is actually quite incredible. Mum and Dad you guys would love it! You need to hire a campervan over here and join the herds of couples who just drive town to town buying fresh produce, going to the local restaurants and pubs and doing long walks through mountains and valleys to burn it all off . Do it! We drive quite close to where Mel Sinclair is living on the way here but I didn't know if she would be there or if she's off travelling.

That's all for now! xxx