I'm taking a break from writing about our recent time in Italy to share about the lovely day out we had yesterday with our local daughter. It was Mothering Sunday, a day in the Christian calendar (traditionally the 4th Sunday of Lent) and now more commonly known and celebrated as Mother's Day here.
I had lots of lovely presents of flowers and chocolates, some pretty cards and several phone calls from the children and grandchildren and our local daughter cooked lunch before taking us out for a drive in the countryside. We headed for Monsal Dale and Monsal Head, a popular beauty spot in Derbyshire stopping for a wander around the interesting village of Tideswell with a church which is known as 'The Cathedral of the Peaks'.
The day was cloudy with some mist over the hills so not good for photography, but the views from high up on Monsal Head looking down Monsal Dale and up the Wye Valley with the river and viaduct below were still spectacular.
The old route of the Midland Railway formerly crossed the river over the viaduct and then carried on by way of a tunnel through Monsal Head and is now part of the Monsal Trail.
Some of my presents - tulips, a shrub (skimmia japonica), pots of jam and chocolates.
Tideswell Parish Church, Derbyshire
An angel and rose bush on one of the stalls in the chancel
I've wanted to visit Tideswell for quite a while. St. John the Baptist Church, the parish church of Tideswell was very interesting with many beautiful wood carvings especially on the choir stalls and we shall go back and spend more time there when we have the opportunity.
We enjoyed a tea-time treat of tea or coffee with cake (slices of orange spice cake, chocolate cake and scones with strawberry jam and cream) in the tea rooms and craft shop with picture gallery on Monsal Head.....
....and then a last look at the view before heading back home.