Better get at least one post in for 2010!

We've had such a lot of lovely visitors since May this year that there hardly seems to have been time to turn round. Even though the weather has been a bit challenging, everyone seems to have had a good time. Autumn breaks are filling up too, so get yours booked as soon as you can! October breaks from £130 (two nights at the weekend), November and December from £105. Enough logs for the weekend included, so you'll be toasty.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all our readers and guests past, present and future. Christmas at New Houses was wonderfully snowy and it's snowing again ready for New Year!

Birdwatching

We have a very small population of "garden" birds up here, which I think must be because of the large surrounding area of treeless grazing land - this brings us larks and curlews as compensation of course. Regulars at the birdtable in this fine weather are reduced to the stalwart bluetit pair - where are the chaffinches? I think I heard one lower down the hill this morning, so am hoping it's not a sign of finch disease... For real birdsong we have to go a quarter of a mile to Dark Lane which runs from Cressbrook Church down to Litton Mill, where the woods are full of blackcaps, willow warblers, wrens, blackbirds, and many others I can't identify.

Get your boots on for the Peak District Walking Festival

Any time is good for a walk up here (even wading through a Breughel landscape of snow and freezing fog today) but we celebrate in Spring with the Peak District Walking Festival 2009 (25th April - 4th May). A great range of guided walks is available, many within easy striking distance of New Houses. Many are free of charge, but most require advance booking, so check them out at www.visitpeakdistrict.com/pdwf and take advantage of our special offer break 25th - 30th April:
5 or 6 nights for £180
3 or 4 nights for £150

Half term holiday short break

Since this is only the second winter since we started we're very pleasantly surprised at the number of people taking short breaks in January and February and although we worry every time that the weather is going to be just too awful, it never is - everyone has a great time and says how comfortable and warm the cottage is to come back to after a brisk winter walk! We just couldn't say no to a repeat booking for the first weekend of the school half term, which means we can offer the remaining 4 nights Tuesday 17th - Friday 20th at the special offer price of £130. Or 5 nights 17th - 21st for £155. Do call if you're interested in either of these or any other number of days in that week.

Perhaps we'll have some more snow! (in the picture, taken from Litton Edge, New Houses is the small clump of trees between the dark pine trees on the right and the line of trees on the crest of the hill)

New Year's Eve

The last day of the old year and we are lost in freezing fog, the trees covered in hoar frost and every plant and blade of grass outlined in sparkling white. Tomorrow we hope for frost and brilliant sunshine above seas of fog lingering in the valley, but today was a day for brisk walks and returning to sit round the fire. The champagne is chilling outside the back door, Happy New Year to everyone and hope we'll be welcoming you to New Houses in 2009!

Winter breaks

Still a few pre-Christmas opportunities to take advantage of our winter midweek specials, 4 nights for the price of 3, £114. Get away from the shopping crowds on the hills or indulge in orgies of Christmassyness at Chatsworth, Castleton etc. The cottage remains an oasis of peaceful comfort and warmth after the rigours of either of the above...