Walking in the grounds of Mr. Darcy, soaking up the fresh air, and exploring rooms filled with Christmas trees are only half of the things I got to experience in my day outside of London. Not to mention my upgrade from economy class to first class in the train seats after quite a dramatic situation in the station, but we’ll keep that for later.
At that time, I have successfully completed my 12-week internship program with the PIE, leaving me with two weeks to travel and explore the UK. When considering places to visit, Chatsworth House was my first choice. This picturesque estate was used as Mr. Darcy’s fictional Pemberley during the filming of Pride and Prejudice back in 2005, and I knew that I had to visit there.
It was first necessary to sort out the dress for such an occasion, I thought to myself.
I found the perfect one featured in the House of CB website. A romantic dress, and a corset-inspired lace-up back that gave it the perfect vintage feel. Made from glistening lame fabric that catches the light beautifully, the dress was embellished with soft pink floral blooms. Seeing the pictures in the website, I knew that this was the one. “The cold whether is not going to stop me!,” I decided strongly, and purchased the dress immediately.
It was inevitable that I would die from freezing, but let’s be honest. As long as I feel pretty and the pictures turn out the way I want them to, I don’t mind the cold when I take pictures.
I booked the train tickets from London to Matlock (2-hour journey), and I was ready to leave. As the day dawned, I dashed to the station after realizing Aldgate East was closed. Taking the tube from Aldgate St. was my option and arriving at Euston St. took me just a few minutes. Still, I almost missed my train and just caught it without the hot chocolate I so desperately needed.
After arriving in Matlock, I realized things wouldn’t get any easier. In order to get to the house, I would have had to take a taxi, since walking was not an option. After a 20-minute taxi ride, I found myself standing in front of the most luxurious house I had ever seen. With trees surrounding it, the house stood tall and magnificent.
After changing into my beautiful dress, I went inside the house for a tour. Decorative trees and dazzling lights adorned the rooms, bringing the Christmas spirit to life.
After that, I strolled through the gardens and oh boy, were they beautiful! The weather was just right for a walk. With the sun setting, there was a bit of fog to add to the period feel.
As my friend took the pictures for me, one of the other visitors complimented my look and dress while asking if we were shooting for a fashion magazine. It was the highlight of my day, no doubt about it!
After it started to get darker, we decided to take a taxi back to the train station. An unknown drunk man harassed me and my friend at the train station. Despite sitting with other passengers, the man kept approaching us and asking some strange questions. It was quite a show, I’ll tell you. He was taken away by security, and my friend and I were compensated with a cup of hot chocolate and sweet biscuits in first class. Not bad at all, I must admit.
