Ilam Hall

After leaving the Chatsworth House and phallic bushes behind, I drove 45 minutes to Ilam Hall.  The hall was built in 1546 and was converted into a hostel a few years ago...it's pretty much a castle.  I checked in to find that I was the only person in a dorm designed for eight people.  I was pleased until it came time for bed, then it was just super creepy to be in a pitch black room full of empty beds.
Anyway, when I arrived I was told that they didn't sell any food that was not provided in their restaurant...but it was too late to request a meal tonight. Great.  So, I'm in the middle of nowhere with no food for the next two days.  That wasn't going to work...so I set off to find a grocery store or gas station with anything to eat.   No luck. The best I could do was a random restaurant I found...the only restaurant that I could find.  Dog and Partridge was the name...appetizing right? Ya, I walked in to find the only patrons were me, an 80 year old man, and A PARROT ...ya, a loud, large parrot.  Is that sanitary? It sounds like the beginning of a joke, "An old man and a parrot are in a bar...".  The old man was nice, he talked to me about what all people want to talk to Americans about...September 11th.  It was interesting, the food was not great but filling and I made it back before sundown.  Thank God I made my way to the nearby town of Ashbourne the next day and was able to find a grocery store.

I have been reading North and South, I'm loving it!!! One of the chapters is called Home Sickness, I just happened to open to that page when I was taking the picture...kinda neat!