VISITOR ACTIVITIES

It is really pleasing to note that you are taking note of our PRICE REDUCTION detailed in our previous blog. Bookings are coming in for this spring and summer so don’t be left out.

Highfield is a great place from which to enjoy the Peak District and if you have any problems deciding what to do you can always follow the tourist board web sites and our links, especially www.peakdistrictonline.co.uk.
The staff there have been most helpful in encouraging us to widen our advertising base to make it easier for you to reach us.

You can always contact us by phone or e-mail if you have any queries.

PRICE REDUCTION

Another year, another season for holidaying coming up.  Next week is half term for most schools and then we have Easter when people really start visiting the Peak District and staying to enjoy the wonderful hospitality.   Do bear in mind however that winter is also a great time to come.  We are open all year and have had plenty of winter guests.

Now the MAIN REASON FOR THIS BLOG is to make you aware that we realise everybody will find this financial year more demanding.  We cannot get away from that fact.  Bearing this in mind WE HAVE DECIDED TO REDUCE OUR PRICES and hope this makes Highfield Bed and Breakfast even more appealing.  Both our en-suite rooms are now £60. 00. per night  including breakfast.  Should you need single occupancy of either room we charge £40. 00. per night.

We have been listening to our guests and realise a packed lunch would often be welcome;  so this we can provide at a charge of £3. 50. per person – forward booking preferable.  Similarly an evening meal has sometimes been requested and this we can also offer.  Please ask for details.

We hope to hear from you soon and look forward to meeting lots of  revisiting and new guests.

BUSY BEES

 I cannot believe how long it is since I last wrote a blog but here we are at last.  The sumer is flying by and we seem to have been very busy bees.   The garden has been full of colour and still is – we have had lots of positive comments and this is good for although we garden for our own satisfaction it is delightful to share it with others.

Our hens have been re-located from the bottom of next door neighbours garden into our own and now they are much nearer and receiving lots of attention – occasionally one gets out of their run and enjoys a while wandering around the lawn – she will get put back once she strays onto the borders.

We have had a few days away staying in bed and breakfast places in Scotland.  It is great to compare ourselves with others  and be satisfied with what we do although we would never stop trying to improve.  We are now prepared to offer an evening meal should this be requested in advance. Several guests have taken up this offer and have been  happy with my cooking – same standard as our praise worthy breakfast!

Last year I wrote about our efforts at the village show.  Well this year we tried even harder and earned eight prizes between us including eggs, bread, carrots and some baking and preserves .  Breakfast  here has prize winning ingredients.   I even helped this year with the creation of the actual Well Dressing and I will write about that at a later date.  The church flower arrangements have improved greatly over the last few years and the result this year was remarkable.  I did my little bit as usual.

I have had a few requests to look after the grandchildren and this is a most rewarding occuptation – I wish they lived a little closer and I could see more of them.  We have proved John is quite capable of manning the kitchen in my absence – he got great praise.

Our charity walking group continues to flourish and only this week we have sent off another donation to a children’s hospice.

So there we have just a few of the things that have kept us busy and as the evening sun is shinning I am going to go and sit out in the garden with a glass of wine – care to join me?

AFTERNOON TEA

We have just had a few days of very welcome rain for the garden.  The plants were beginning to show the effects of the prolonged dry hot weather.  At least now the water barrells are full again and the fine weather will hopefully return soon.

We are always delighted to serve tea in the garden whenever guests arrive at a suitable time.  It is one of lifes simple pleasures – a cup of tea with some homemade cakes served in the garden.

Come and enjoy the flowers, the birds and the sense of peace and quiet.

Change of email address

Please note that we have changed our email address to;  theslackies@btinternet.com

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Well here we are after a too long a break – sorry to any regular readers.

At last spring is here and everywhere and everyone is brighter and much more cheerful.  Our garden is looking is looking good – gone are all  the snowdrops and crocus and now we have primulas of many types with late daffodils and blossom.  We have been working on the lawn to reduce the moss and weeds and hopefully it will look better later in the season.  The greenhouse is bursting with little wonders, in fact that is where we have been hibernating in the last few weeks.  We should have a great display in the summer.  Now John is improving the tiny stream and then  moving round  to lay some more paving in front of the house.  All in all the place looking smarter and ready for action.

We went into the welsh hills and down to the coast one day last week and were delighted to see how busy all the  places were.  People were definitely in the holiday mood.  Going into Buxton and Bakewell it is the same, everywhere very busy.  The Peak District is winning again.  We have everything to offer, pretty villages and majestic scenery so come and pay us a visit soon.

ON THE BUSES

Living close by the Limestone Way and advertising how suitable our bed and breakfast is for long distance walkers, I decided that we should walk a larger part of it than we had previosuly done.   It was a beautiful sunny morning yesterday and so such a walk was tempting.

We researched  the local buses and were amazed just how comprehensive the services were.  We walked for about fifteen minutes to a convenient bus stop and along came the No. 68 bang  on time .  This took us to Castleton where we started our hike home.  At this time of year it was rather muddy in places but most enjoyable.  It took a few hours and our picnic and hot drink were very necessary.  Another time we will go south  and discover a different section of this famous  trail.

What I particular want to point out today is the bus service.  It really is not necessary to organise circular routes from here, there are so many places easily accessible by bus.   For further information there are plenty of web sites to view for example:  www.travelineeastmidlands.org.uk ,  www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buses , www.visitpeakdistrict.com/peakconnections.

VALENTINE’S ATTRACTION

Everywhere you look just now there are advertisements for Valentine’s Day and of course you can come and stay at Highfield Bed and Beakfast for the weekend and we will make your visit one to remember.

However the reason for this blog is to make you aware of a Toursit Board initiative.

Do you have romantic memories of the Peak District?  If so the local Tourist Board are inviting visitors to fall in love with – or rekindle their passsion for – the Peak District and Derbyshire.   A special web site Share Your Love Story can be found at http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/events/mylovestory.aspx .  They are offering a bouquet to all those whose stories they print so have a look.

SNOW SNOW AND MORE SNOW

Happy new year to all – let us hope it is peaceful, prosperous and more importantly healthy.  We enjoyed a wonderful  holiday period with all the family  staying over Christmas and friends here for the new year celebration.

If frost and cold weather are supposed to kill  lingering germs there should be none about now.  We are experiencing the longest lasting snow falls since we came here to Priestcliffe.  You can see from the photos how picturesque the views are all around us and although this means the lane is difficult you can get out if you really want to;  we are staying at home for a few days enjoying the sunshine between the showers.

Holiday brochures keep arriving in the post and we are all tempted to make plans for the coming months.  Perhaps a trip to the Peak District is on your list, if so Highfield is the place to come.

MAGIC

We have had some wild weather recently and with the log burner comforting us we have watched some  DVDs about Merlin, Prince Arthur and Camelot letting ourselves into a little bit of magic.

Now I am reading The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris – a follow up to the bewitching novel Chocolat.  There is nothing wrong with a little day dreaming and fantasy.

However this morning, again in the wild and windy weather, I went for a walk up through Taddington and came across the most wonderful sight.   We have seen from home over the last few weeks a flock of birds flying past.  Today I saw at least five hundred fieldfares twisting, wheeling and feeding in the fields.  Twice they flew straight over my head whilst I held my breath in admiration.  Now that really did feel like MAGIC.  I can’t wait to go out again and of course I will have my camera next time.

Tomorrow we meet here for our monthly charity walk and lunch and perhaps we might see them again.  After that I am going on the train to Liverpool to listen to the Philharmonic Orchestra – Brahms and Tchaikovsky – conducted by their now celebrated young russian conducter Vasily Petrenko.  Will that be macigal?  I hope so.