Sheffield Weekend - 27 - 29th January

Sheffield Weekend

Daniel, Liz and I were going to Sheffield for the weekend to visit Nathan and Sarah.  I had been up a few times but for Dan and Liz it was the first time to this house.

They picked me up after work on Friday 27th and we drove directly to Meadow Hall  in Sheffield where we met my granddaughter Rhiannon, who was working on the late shift in Zara. We went for a short break in Wagamama with her, where I tried their food for the first time.  Very Interesting.

When Rhiannon had to go back in to work we headed off to the Premier Inn to drop off Dan & Liz's bags and then went straight to Nathan & Sarah's in Grenoside, where they lived just on the outskirts of Sheffield.

After catching up for a while with Nathan, Sarah, Keely and James, we went up the road to The Norfolk Arms, a fine old pub selling traditional Yorkshire beers. I sampled a couple, the Barnsley Bitter being the pick and we all had a good evening before going back to the house for a Chilli and a chat.

The Norfolk Arms

Real ales on tap

I was staying with Nathan & Sarah, so after Dan & Liz had returned to their hotel we called it a night too.

The following morning, Saturday,  we had a nice  breakfast together before Sarah took the dogs for a walk in the fields opposite.  It was a terrible wet morning so I decided not to go with her, but stay in the house and watch from a distance.

View from the conservatory over the fields

Sarah and the dogs on the other side of the field

Back home after the walk

After Dan and Liz arrived we went for a drive into the Derbyshire Peak District and after a while we arrived at the Ladybower Reservois. A beautiful place with a harrowing history.

Ladybower Reservoir

Me at the Reservoir with the Ashopton Viaduct in the background

Ladybower was built between 1935 and 1943 by the Derwen Valley Water Board to supplement the other two local reservoirs, Howden and Derwent, in supplying the water needs of the East Midlands. It took a further two years to fill and did not reach capacity until 1945.

The building of the reservoir resulted in the 'drowning' of the villages of Ashopton and Derwent (including Derwent Woodlands church and Derwent Hall). Ashopton stood roughly where the road to the Snake Pass met the Snake valley. The buildings in Ashopton were demolished before the reservoir was filled, but much of the structure of Derwent village was still visible during a dry summer some 14 years later. The narrow stone Packhorse Bridge over the Derwent was removed and rebuilt at the head of the Howden reservoir. The clock tower of the church had been left standing and the upper part of it was visible above the water level until 1947, when it was seen as a hazard and demolished with explosives on 15 December

The Ashopton Viaduct before and after the flooding of the valley.

An archive photograph of the Derwent church tower about one year after the water started to fill the dam.

The weather took a turn for the worse and after pausing here for a while we decided to visit the Strines Inn for a drink before heading back home to Grenoside.

The Strines Inn

Despite being within Sheffield's border, The Strines Inn could be a world away. Nestled amongst breathtaking moorland scenery, it is one of many local landmarks within the Peak District National Park. 

The Strines Inn is a Grade II listed building which historically has its roots in the 13th century. The Worrall family built a manor house here in 1275 though this was rebuilt and enlarged around 1560. The Inn is situated on the Mortimer Road, which was a Turnpike Road between Grindleford and Penistone built by Hans Winthrop Mortimer (Born 1734 - Died 1807), Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury. Finances were secured for the road in 1768 and this is probably why John Morton bought the Worrall family home and opened it as an inn around 1771, which it has remained since. The pub survived but the road itself was not a financial success. Mortimer was eventually bankrupted following lawsuits arising from dealings in his borough and he spent time as a debtor in the Fleet Prison before his eventual death.

Oh, and don't forget the resident ghost!

It is said that the bar area of the Strines is haunted by a grey lady!!!!

THe Entrance to Strines Inn

The main bar with open fire

Plenty of copper pots and pans in the bar area.

After this the rest of the day was spent relaxing back at the house drinking wine and enjoying a great Chinese takeaway. Nobody wanted to go out in the evening and that suited me.

The following morning, Sunday, Dan and liz were coming to breakfast before we were to head back to Wales, so after my shower I packed my bags and sat relaxing with a coffee enjoying the view from the conservatory.

How nice it must be to have this view every morning when they get up.  Of course the weather today made it all the better.  It was a crisp, dry morning with no cloud in the sky.

Dan, Liz and Nathan in the conservatory

After Dan and Liz arrived we had another great breakfast and all too soon it was time to go. we gathered our stuff together and said our goodbyes.  Sad to leave after such a short visit but we'll be back in the Summer when I intend staying longer. If they'll have me.

The journey home was not a good one.  After leaving in idyllic conditions the weather gradually worsened during the journey and we arrived in Newport four hours later in torrential rain.

Ah well.  Welcome home!

Brive - Day 5 - January 22nd

Day 5

Up early for Breakfast as we had a six hour non stop car ride ahead of us if we were to catch our ferry in Le Havre,

Breakfast at the hotel was really good.  I would recommend this hotel to anybody wanting to stay a few days in Brive.  I can't take any of the credit for it though, Thomas found and booked it.

Plenty of choice for breakfast

When we had finished we packed the car, defrosted the windows and set of at 10.00am.  Our boat was to leave at 17.00 giving us just six hours to check in at the allotted time and it would prove to be a solid 6 hour drive via Limoges, Orleons, skirting around Paris and by passing Rouen.  We took it in one hour driving stages and we did OK.  We were glad to arrive at Le Havre though and see the boat waiting for us.

This time we had gone over the Pont de Tancarville, not under it.

The Pont de Tancarville

Our ferry in Port

We had booked a cabin so, after a meal we were able to get a few hours sleep before we arrived back in Portsmouth to begin the last two hour drive of our trip.  Back home to Newport.

Brive - Day 4 - January 21st

Day 4

Match day today.  No time for breakfast as we had to get to the Stadium to buy our tickets for this afternoons match before getting to a bar somewhere in town where our lunch had been arranged with the Brive Supporters club

We had an interesting walk along the river where there was much ice flowing along.  The temperature was around minus 5 degrees

Icy

We arrived at the ground just as the ticket office opened and bought our tickets  and while we were looking at a replica of the Heinekin Cup we were approached by a gentleman who introduced himself as the outgoing president of Brive RFC. When he discovered we had travelled all the way from Newport, he took us upstairs to the players lounge and press room and organised coffee for us. Gradually other people were making their way over to us to shake our hands and to make us feel most welcome.

Jean Jacques Bertrand, the outgoing President of Brive L:a Gaillarde RFC

After our short stop here we headed back to the hotel to get a taxi to the Bar Gaillard St Martin where a host of us were to meet up with the local supporters club for a three course lunch before the game. It was a great lunchtime spent with good friendly hosts enjoying local food and wines, but it was not long before we had to get in our taxis and head to the game, but not before we all  agreed to meet back at the bar after the  game.

These shots are of lunchtime at the restaurant

At the ground, it was not full but still a good crowd and they were all very frienfly towards us and we only just made it in time for kick off.

Unfortunately, we lost but we did compete for 60 minutes but they were just too strong for us in the end. We were just out powered up front and ran out of steam.  So no chance of reaching the semi final for a third consecutive season, we'll just have to go for it again next year.

After the game Tom and I walked into town and we went for something to eat in the Shamrock bar before going for more punishment up at the Gaillarde St Martin.  When we got there it was pretty full.

After a couple of hours of 'enjoying' ourselves we got a taxi back to the hotel and had a drink in the bar with a couple of the guys who had gone back and eventually retired for the evening.

Brive - Day 3 - January 20th

Day 3

We had breakfast at the hotel in Le Mans this morning  before getting ready to drive on to Brive.  It was pretty basic stuff as far as breakfasts go but it filled a hole and set us up for the next leg.

The dining room at the hotel

This hotel, though pretty basic , had very friendly staff, parking below the hotel and was situated right in the centre of the city.  Altogether a perfect place for a short stop off on our way through.

We then hit the road for our journey to Brive.  A journey that was going to take us about 5 hours because we intended to stop en-route to fill the boot with wine because we would not have time on our way back to the port.

Some way along the journey we came across a very modern version of an old friend of ours and decided that this would be an ideal place to stop.

A new Leclerc hypermarche - perfect

After a while here choosing our wines we had a small drink in the bar before heading on to Brive

Thomas enjoying his drink while guarding his trolley

Then it was on to Brive  and checking in to our Hotel, the Ibis Centre.  We had a great room with a balcony overlooking the river.

Ibis Centre, Brive

Our room with its Balcony

After checking in we had a freshen up then went out into the town to see who we could meet up with. First of all we stopped for a drink at the Shamrock bar where a group of Dragons fans were gathered, so we joined them.

The Shamrock Bar

After this we went into a local Brasserie called L'Antre2 for a meal as we were both starving.

L'Antre2

A nice glass of local re,d while waiting for the meal 

After eating, we heading for the Bar Basque where a crowd of supporters were going to make an evening of it.

Le Bar Basque

It was underway when we got there but we were soon wrapped up in it all.  Not a bad crowd from Newport, we were the only ones in the bar, just us and the Basque ex rugby player who owned it. The following photographs are of the bunch of Dragons supporters we seem to see wherever we travel to watch the rugby

The Basque Landlord

After a somewhat raucus evening we decided to call it a night so we made it back to our hotel on the other side of the river

We needed to be up early the next day to get our tickets for the match

Brive - Day 2 - January 19th

Day 2

After a good nights sleep, during which Thomas was able to obtain extra bedding for us, we were able to leave the boat and set off for Le Mans. We decided to skip breakfast on the boat and get it on the road once we were on our way.

Thomas stealing the duvee from the locked berth above

We set of after leaving the boat and decided to travel the 'Eco' route, not knowing quite what that meant.  What it did mean was that we were taken off the normal motorway route and by-passing such landmarks as the Pont de Tancerville, which we went under instead of over.

The Pont de Tancerville

As we travelled on we thought we were going to cross another bridge but it was to be a ferry across the Seine.  Shades of Denmark with Kevin, but not so long a trip.  This was at a place called Port Jerome, Quillebeouf sur Seine.

The ferry coming over to get us

Crossing the Seine

Me, in the car, waiting to drive off

After leaving the ferry we decided to reset the Sat Nav to 'Fastest' mode and so began our motorway journey to Le Mans. It was bitterly cold, minus 2 or 3 degrees but not a cloud in the sky and absolutely the best conditions for driving on a near empty motorway.

After about 90 minutes we were approaching Le Mans, not far off our projected arrival time of mid day.

The sign we had been waiting for

On arriving in Le Mans we booked into our hotel, the 'Levasseur' named after the famed 18th century campaigner against slavery and after leaving our stuff in the room went on a bit of exploration around town.

The following photographs will give you an idea of the old town area of Le Mans.  It is a truly wonderful city and if you can, please visit at some time.

Leading towards the steps of the Pont Neuf

The Cathedral, started in 1080 and completed 350 years later

A fountain frozen in time by the sudden drop in temperature

The Hotel de Ville

Restaurants in the square

The house of the red pillar

Another view of the house of the red pillar

The hose of the green pillar

After this we went back to the hotel Levasseur for a little relaxation before venturing out in the evening for a meal.

Our hotel in Le Mans

The somewhat deceptive entrance to the hotel

We went out later and I had my first Indian meal in France, and it was really good.  We ate in the Bombay restaurant and could not fault it, except when they asked us to leave because they wanted to close.

The Indian restaurant we ate in before being asked to leave.

Then it was back to the hotel.  On to Brive tomorrow.