Derby, UK

Stena Line sailed from the Hook of Holland to Harwich in about five hours. The boat was comfortable and the crossing was smooth. We had dinner in the restaurant and watched a Harry Potter movie in our cabin.

The Premier Inn in Clackton-on-sea proved that sometimes the less you pay the more you get! We got a room breakfast, wifi etc for £60. The hotel was on the sea front so we had a nice walk there after breakfast.

Shea was delighted with his win in the arcade as Carrots the bunny joined the family.

A hire car got us to Watford. A night in the Hilton with dinner in Toby Carvery next door and we were ready to visit The Warner Brothers Studio Tour to learn about the making of Harry Potter. The tour started on Privet Drive in the room under the stairs and then moved into the great hall at Hogwarths which was used as a key set in all of the movies.

The studio had a huge display of props, costumes and sets used in the movies.

The Forbidden Forest with giant spiders and lots of trees led through to Platform 9 3/4 where the Hogwarts Express was parked. We walked through the train and exited in the café.

The boys got a lesson in ‘how to use a wand’ and enjoyed casting some spells.

The Backlot café was a welcome break after all the walking through the studio. We got to try a frothy Butterbeer here; a non-alcoholic beverage reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch, sweet, a perfect energy boost! We sat outside amidst exterior sets and props, like the Knight Bus. Then we walked through the Dudley’s house on Privet Drive, crossed the Hogwarts bridge and continued the tour through the special effects studio. Interesting to see how much time and effort was spent on details that appeared on screen sometimes for a very short time.

The newest addition to the tour was the wizarding bank of Gringotts, the Lestrange vault and a gallery of goblins. Tall marble pillars and crystal chandeliers gave an air of opulence to the goblin run bank. Through the banking hall of Gringotts, is the Lestrange Vault used to store the treasures of Bellatrix Lestrange including the Sword of Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup, one of Voldemort’s many horcruxes.

The tour came to an end with a stroll down Diagon Alley and past the very impressive Hogwarts castle model. And of course a visit to the enormous gift shop.

Leaving the studio behind we drove to the nearby St Albans and had a lovely catch up with Linda, Gary and Daisy. Then we drove two hours back to Derby.

The first afternoon in Derby we had tickets for a matinee at Derby theatre. The slapstick ‘One Man, Two Governors’ was a laugh-out-loud show with some fantastic skiffle music. We had front row seats which at times seemed like a bad idea when the actors on stage looked for ‘volunteers’ from the audience.

A day trip to Matlock Bath and Cromford in the Peak District was a good opportunity to learn about the industrial revolution which started in Derbyshire. We had fish n Chips sitting in the sunshine in Matlock Bath and then headed to Sir Richard Arkwright’s Mill. This was the world’s first water-powered cotton spinning mill and is now part of the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO Heritage Site.

Our tour of the mill included an encounter with Richard Arkwright himself, in hologram form. An interesting and informative addition to the mill, he explained how he went from humble beginnings to become a rich and successful businessman, who invented the working week and employed hundreds.

Across the road was the Cromford Canal. We walked along the path to the High Peak junction and enjoyed some nice scenery along the way.

Another day trip took us to Eastwood, Nottingham. This time to learn about one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Born in England in 1885, D.H. Lawrence published many novels and poetry volumes during his lifetime, including Sons and Lovers and Women in Love, but is best known for his infamous Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Having travelled extensively and written up to 60 books. D.H. Lawrence died from TB in France, in 1930, at the age of 44.

A midweek overnight stay in Dublin was fantastic. A chance to catch up with family, see the kids and celebrate an early birthday. Mam and I had a lovely time at Vicar Street and the Brazen Head. Jessie Buckley was joined on stage by Martin Hayes and lots of guests. Next day a relaxing afternoon watching ‘Downtown Abbey’ was perfect before flying back.

Mark and Eoin went to Leicester to visit the tomb of Richard III. He was king in 1543, killed in the battlefields. His remains were found in a car park near Leicester cathedral in 2012. They learnt about how the body was found and confirmed to be that of the former king and visited the new tomb.

Medieval studies were next on the study agenda. An overnight trip to Warwick castle, perfect. We got a deal to stay overnight in the Knights Village and had two days entry to the castle. The forecast wasn’t good so the two days was good to skip between the showers. First up was a talk with the bowman and a demonstration of his archery skills. Then it was off to the six path Horrible Histories Maze to learn some history, stamp our cards and escape.

After a quick tour of the Time Tower and the Great Hall in the Castle we headed to the ‘birds of prey’ display. It was amazing to see eagles, condors, owls and vultures flying over our heads. Then we went to check out our lodgings for the night in the medieval themed knights village lodge.

One of the highlights of the stay was dinner in the Medeival themed dining room. The food was good and reasonable priced and there was a modern day knight dressed in armour and armed with several swords there to interact with the guests. Mark’s first question to him as we ran in from the rain was ‘don’t you rust?’ And so the tone was set for a fun evening of entertainment.

Following breakfast the following morning we enjoyed a few hours exploring the castle in the sunshine. We visited the gaol, the ramparts and the interior of the castle. Here were many school groups visiting too.

Last stop was at the Falconers Quest for another look at the birds of prey. We got seats up front this time and saw the show from a different perspective.