Cavendish Enterprises

Lucy had been asking for a couple of days if we could go to "that English farm, you know the one in the video from six years ago". After only a small amount of interrogation we established that she meant Chatsworth's children's farm. So we circled our wagons around Tesco, bought sandwiches then headed into the wilds of Derbyshire to give money and tug forelocks (notional forelock in my instance) to the Cavendish family.

Susan had said as we set out, "we're only doing the farm and the garden" but by the time we got there Lucy had made it clear she really wanted to see he house as well. The Cavendish family happily obliged with a "complete estate" pricing that was obviously better value than any other entry package.

I have mixed feelings about the House of Cavendish, one part of me admires the fact that as an old noble family, they have got their business act together to really prosper in the modern age, and make their bit of heritage self supporting; another part just looks at the centuries of very conspicuous consumption and tut-tuts in a half arsed vaguely political fashion.

Lucy had so much fun running around patting shire horses, counting piglets and chicks (not unhatched), then working her way to having fun in one of the best kids' adventure playgrounds around. Susan had to join in as part of her close supervision parenting. Then it was off to the garden.

The valley that Chatsworth is set in was landscaped by Capability Brown, so it is the most perfectly natural looking farm you could imagine, I have fantasies that the Cavendish family has a well paid retainer whose job is to remote control the grouping and movement of the sheep on the hills.

The garden is huge, we spent two hours in it and we saw less than half of it. Sotheby's were setting up for a sculpture auction, so there were interesting large pieces dotted around, including fifteen hares. Lucy spent a lot of time following water courses, culminating in climbing the grand cascade. The lawns either side were covered in families sunbathing, while their children frolicked in the fountain, Lucy took great delight in joining them.

Finally we explored the house, just before it closed for the day. We were just about the only tourists left, so it was great to be the only ones in each room, although a little challenging occasionally to see the doors of a room be closed, locked and alarmed behind you as you leave it. Understandable though, when you consider the treasures there. A darkened room contains original sketches by Raphael and other artists bought in each artist's life by the Cavendish family. The day after we were there, the family announced they were selling one at auction, to raise capital for posting up the state even more, expected price above £10 million.

Lucy had a wonderful time taking photos and is keen to return, next visit....

Posted from deepest mobility....