Sunday 15th March 2026

Woke around 0830. Got up and dressed, then made our way up to the dining room for buffet brunch. Enjoyed the oatcakes. Checked out and drove down the road to Tittesworth Reservoir and took a short walk around the northern end before it started to threaten rain...hightailed it back to the Visitor Centre, then drove on into the Peaks. Stopped at a micro brewery in a village called Wincle. Had a coffee in the Sample Room, and bought a pork pie. Also bought a bottle of Old Hag to give to Jim on his next birthday, though chances are I'll have drunk it before then. Drove over the moors to Buxton, by which time the heavens had opened. Stopped on top of the moors to phone mum to wish her a Happy Mother's Day, and scoff our pork pie. Sat in a cafe in Buxton High Street nursing tea while waiting for the rain to cease. Walked along The Crescent and spent time in the Pavilion Gardens, before walking back to the car. 

Still had time to kill before our 1830 dinner date at The Reform Inn near Leek. Drove down the A54, stopping at the Mermaid Pool to take in the rain swept views. Visited a farm shop, which was one of the poorest stocked I'd ever seen...some chutneys, and big bags of potatoes, and that was about it. It's also a camp site...with a single portaloo, and two outdoor wash basins...grim! Drove down into Thorncliffe and stuck our heads in at The Reform Inn...got lucky and secured a table in the busy dining area for 1715. The food was great...I enjoyed topside of melt-in-the-mouth beef, and Aki had lamb...delicious. It was a three course Mother's Day menu, so we were pretty full up by the time we'd eaten our desserts! Drove back to Bakewell Street in the dark over Staffordshire's pot-holed roads. Parked up and walked our dinner off...walked up to the village green and popped into the Co-op...got caught in a violent hail storm on the walk back to Bakewell Street!