Lots to do!
We have opened on the first of April, which is the Poisson d’Avril in France. People stick fish on each other’s back...
I survived the day without much happening although Mr H did put a leek in the wash basin and told me there was a leak in the bathroom!
There have been many April fools over the years. The best I feel was always the dolphin in the River Derwent. In these uncertain and nasty days it's good to be able to smile.
So, we had battled the cold and wind to get ready to open. We had some bell tents up with the help of Hatty and Rob and the babies, brought the mattresses over, moved and cleaned our many fridges.
I spent 2 days making the office and shop habitable. It's still work in progress. We have limited stock in the shop, but you can still make a small meal from it if you need to.
Then a walker rang me and asked if I had any accommodation for a night. So, I said yes, and we then had to spend the day emptying and clearing the love shack, so it was fit for habitation. I do tend to store some things in it in the winter.
The start of the season is always a massive exercise in moving things around. The office is always full of fridges and picnic tables. The love shack is full of bell tents and gazebos and our attic at home is full of mattresses for the glamping tents. It’s a military operation that boggles my mind and body. However as usual it all happened and is actually still happening.
There is more to glamping that erecting the tent. We had a huge day yesterday going through all of the equipment for the tents - washing and boxing it up. Finally making a list of the things that are missing that need procuring over the next few days. I always vow to do it at the close of the season but am always too tired by that point to bother!!
Mind you the sun is shining so we have had a good number of campers as it’s the Easter holidays now too.
There has been a big fly-fishing competition on the lake. Apparently, the world champion was fishing!! We welcomed back some of our regular fishermen to the campsite. It's great to see them all each season. I discovered one of them has the same birthday as me!
In business sometimes we have different ideas about what would be positive, when future planning. Now I had seen a retro caravan on Facebook marketplace. Andrew pulled a face, but we went to see it about a month ago. We met a very interesting chap who hailed from Coventry originally but also had roots in Derbyshire and was doing an incredible job of renovating an old hotel. Andrew was very negative about the caravan but it really did appeal to me, so, I spent a month of wrangling with Andrew and the guy who owned it, and, after one last viewing with my sensible friend Sarah, bought it!!!
I love it!! So when we have finished all the setting up I will start to clean and paint and repair a few bits so it will hopefully be a companion for Jacob's hideaway. It is bigger and while is a lovely spacious place for a couple it will also sleep 4 probably 2 adults and 2 children. Watch this space.
For any reservations please send me an email campingledrennec@gmail.com.
