Chatsworth House with Martin and Sarah

Here it is, the beautiful Chatsworth House.  It really is huge with absolutely extensive and breath taking grounds.  (I feel so cool to say extensive .. like I'm from that time period!)  Anyway, it was a great day trip with Martin, Ash's brother, and his wife, Sarah.  

Ash looks like Quazimodo here, bless him!  Outside the stables, where they now have shops and food .. lovely sandwiches and cheap-ish jewelry shops.

At the back of the house is a man made waterfall.  It's formed in stairs that people can walk up.  At the top is this building with it's fountain.  The view from the top is beautiful!

up the hill

Here we are on our way up the hill.  Behind us are the stairs that people can use .. but they are pretty moss covered and people slip.

Try not to look too close at this one ... except the background.  It really is beautiful!

Sarah and Martin

Ash and I at the top! Welcome to our home.  We just need a pitch fork!

round about the gardens!

Above the waterfall is a path that leads to a much wider path.  About half a mile along this path are stairs with one rather inconvenient tree right in the middle.  Honestly!  Who plants such a big tree right in the middle of a perfectly good set of stairs!  

On the other side of the path was another set of stairs, leading to a secret little reflecting pond ... secret because no one else was there.

Ashley decided to become friends with this horse statue.  I just like the fact that he jumped with such effort over such a small stream.

The main path curves around and takes you to a maze.  Below the maze is this trough waterfall area.  This is actually a way down from the top of the area, so these troughs are all the way down.  

Right, so, what is probably pretty difficult to see is that this nude statue is pointing to her breast.  Ashley and Martin decided that it would be funny if Sarah and I did this.  At first, no one was around, but as soon as we climbed up to the top and posed, loads of people showed up ... of course!

the maze bit

In the center of the maze.

The inconvenient tree!  And Martin.

the side of the house .. the more famous side

This is the Pemberley side of the house.  Behind me is a VERY long pool of water with a fountain in the middle.  Behind the big white baby is another small pool of water with some sculptures ... not odd sculptures like this baby.  I think that it was part of some exhibition on the grounds.

Without the baby ... but with a tractor.  Sarah, Martin, and Ash

As I was taking pictures, loads of ducks waddled right up to us.  We left rather quickly after this.

Martin and the golden apple.  This actually took a really long time.

inside the house

We really only had a limited area of the house that we were able to see.  The library was particularly cool.  The books are SO old.  The house, I think, is still lived in by the Duke and Dutchess of Devonshire.  However, we were able to see the Marble Room, used in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice.  I loved it!  Ash and Martin got a bit bored at this point, but they said that the couches were very comfortable.

This was, by far, my favourite statue.  I love the way that it really looks like she has a cloth covering her.  Sculptors are amazing!  

Ah! Aslan!

And, yes, they really do have the "Mr Darcy" bust on display.  Bless Matthew McFayden!  I thought that it was so funny!  Ashley tried to get me to kiss it for a picture, but that's a bit much.

Yes, this is Ashley's mark on Chatsworth.  Behind it is a sculpture of a woman in a little ... alcove area .. like a little greek temple.