would be complete without a large expanse of water.
Tuesday's trip was a few miles from the holiday cottage, just off the road to Ashbourne - to the Carsington Reservoir. In 1981 four young construction workers died due to oxygen starvation in a drainage chamber
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| 1981 Memorial |
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| Carsington Reservoir |
After a ball game with Ron in the grassy carpark, we set off on the Circular Route around the reservoir.
Despite the deceptively sunny weather, the wind was bitterly cold and we didn't get very far.
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| Prince Charles 'turned up' in 2003 |
By then, I was very hungry as I'd had an early breakfast. We decided to have lunch and shop in Ashbourne for a few medical supplies. What a mistake. I'd forgotten that it was
Shrove Tuesday, the day of the
Royal Ashbourne Football Game. As we entered the town, the preparations were in full swing. There were large groups of people outside each pub, drinking on the pavement. Shopkeepers, businesses and even cafes and restaurants had erected wooden shutters and protection for their windows, and there was no access to the main car park beside the supermarkets (Waitrose and the Co-op) where there is a special raised plinth. Traffic wardens and community police were out patrolling, and there were pedestrians of all ages heading towards the '
turn up' plinth from where the game begins.
There was nothing for it but for to turn around and go back. We ate at
The Tiger at the top of Wimbley Road before shopping in Belper.
ETA - Part two of the Royal Ashbourne Football match takes place today, Ash Wednesday.
