Holiday Day 4

It's a free day with no organised trip, just a do whatever you fancy day. HF Holidays offer 3, 4 and 7 day breaks with Mondays and Fridays being the 'change over' days. So far the house has been packed with people on the Discovery Tour (11 of us), Guided Walking (about 40 people), Summer Breaks (about 5 people) and a Navigation Course (10 people). Most of those are going home today with new people arriving in time for afternoon tea. 

I'd originally thought about going to look around Chesterfield today but have decided against it. I'm tired, the forecast is for rain and I don't want to be dodging raindrops so will spend the day at the hotel. Because he is between courses the man running the navigation course has offered a taster session to anyone who is interested, so I've signed up for that this morning. This afternoon I'll be taking it easy - all this fresh air is really tiring when you're not used to it! I may take some photos in the grounds if I can summon up the energy and if it stays dry. This was the view from my bedroom window this morning ...

If it does rain I'll wander down to the lounge and either read, or if anyone is up for it, play one of the many board games stacked in the corner.

The food is amazing and I will definitely put on some lots of weight! There is a full breakfast buffet - cereal, porridge, yoghurt, fresh fruits, croissants and pastries where you can help yourself. At the table there is unlimited supply of tea and coffee and the menu for cooked breakfast if wanted instead of or as well as the buffet - full English, kippers, eggs benedict, Derbyshire oat cakes, and smoked salmon. This is followed by an unlimited supply of toast.

The midday meal is a packed lunch where you order your sandwich the night before and then choose from the packed lunch buffet to fill your brown paper bag with food and snacks for the day. Here's yesterday's choice. It is possible to do a really healthy choice with various vegetable sticks and lots of nuts and fruit ... but I'm on holiday, hence the chocolate. The white triangular thing is a vegetable samosa which was lovely and spicy and very tasty.

The evening meal is a three course meal, which again you select the night before. There are three options for each course but they will also provide something off menu for people who have food allergies if there is nothing suitable to choose. So far I haven't had a problem choosing something I can eat.

This is followed by tea or coffee in the lounge, after which there is a some form of organised entertainment for anyone who is interested. So far there has been a talk and a music quiz, but I didn't go to either of them. Tomorrow there is another general quiz and the next day there is a ceilidh, and I'm planning to go to both.