a couple of weekends ago

Ok, I've been super lazy about posting pix of our adventures from this past weekend.  Why?  Because I wanted to show a lot more photos than what I had edited to email out to family, and I had editing photo sizes.  But Josh and I just got back from an awesome little pub.  I've got a couple of pints in me...feeling pretty relaxed and ready ready to catch up on my posting.  That, and we've got a big adventure ahead of us this weekend...can't get too far behind,

And actually, I'm just realizing that I'm a couple of weekend's behind.  I'll do a couple of posts.

So back on June 12, we drive a half an our or so to Ashby-de-la-Zouch to tour the castle ruins there.  It was amazing!  We spent quite a bit more time there than we expected, which was totally fine.  but also means that it was the only thing we did that day.

This castle is managed by the English Heritage group..and they put together a really great audio tour (that's what those things are that we're holding up to our ears in many of the photos).  The audio tour was quite cheeky, but gave the whole history of the castle.

They had signs in each room to show how the castle would have looked, etc.  and those are the photos that still need to be edited down.  but you know what, i don't feel like doing it. so i'm just posting pix that we sent out to family.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle

Overview of the Castle

Chapel

Kitchen Fireplace

Kitchen

Kitchen pass-thru

Down the stairs to the cellar....

Stairs up to the tower

View from the top

Then on Sunday, we went for a fun walk.  We hiked up to Quarndon.  Very picturesque little village.

Then we took a public footpath from Quarnon over to Allestree...another little village (not as pretty).  The Public footpaths are incredible.  They literally snake across the entire continent.  And As long as a certin # of people walk on these paths each year, then farmers + developers cannot block or disturb them.  Some footpaths are marked with signage..like ours was.  Others just have a wooden post next to it with the words "public footpath" on it.  These path literally cut across peoples yards, fields, creeks...sometimes you have to climb over a bit of fence. 

we had to go across a fence (a nice step was provided), go across a creek, through a gorgeous wheat field, thought some thorny weeds, and then in 20-ish minutes we were in Allestree!

Derby Countryside...on a public footpath

Footpath adventures:

Quarndon

That thing that Josh is standing on is a solar clock.  Depending on the month it is, you stand in varying positions on that long concrete slab.  All around the slab, in a half-moon formation, are the numbers from a clock.  And sure enough, Josh stood in the spot for June, and his shadow was cast across the 4 o'clock ...and the church bells had just tolled it was 4.  fun!