Leverets, in remote Derbyshire

Nov 1: The tutors of the A-R-M course were all invited to Steve Platt's dacha in northern Derbyshire for an extended lunch. On a very windy day, we (SNC+DNC) picked up Phil Oldfield from the Park, and Nina Hormazabal from the BASF Ecohouse. We drove up the M1 to Chesterfield and left it to TomTom to take us the rest of the way - led us through outer Sheffield and then right over the moors through rough windy rainswept areas that were far from human habitation (if I had mapread, I would have gone via Grindleford).
Steve (and wife Scharlie)'s house is a much extended timber structure that they used to visit for tea many years ago when walking in the Peak District, and then bought when the old man died. They have much improved it, with insulation, double glazing, reroofing, recladding, and extensions laterally and upwards. It is kept cosy with a woodburning stove.
They have also renovated a nearby barn, with dry lining, raised roof, new stair and floor, and a clever system of louvres on the south facade that make it look like the original barn when closed, but when open, allows sunlight into the upper floor. He also took us for a walk up the hill (not really a mountain, but in that strong wind it felt like climbing one) to a nearby rocky mini-peak, to enjoy the view over the valley below.

We tried a different route back, again, trying to confuse the TomTom, and then becoming very reliant on it as the weather continued to be so windy, dark and rainy.