One, two, three, four: we exited the roundabout, followed Keira's directions on a big loop through an industrial estate to the very same roundabout, took the third exit and were back on track.
We had christened our GPS Keira since we were on a whistlestop tour of Derbyshire and every stop seemed to involve Keira Knightley in some way.
It seems Derbyshire is where she hangs out when she's not in the Caribbean, and she stayed in room 7 of our country hotel, The Peacock at Rowsley, while filming The Duchess.
When we arrived at the charming establishment we could see the attraction.
"Your guide has been waiting two hours," said the receptionist, and we briefly felt guilty, though the delays were not of our making .
But a quick phone call to our engaging and knowledgeable Blue Badge guide Joan Ward sorted things out, and we had time to unpack and refresh ourselves before our tour of the Peak District began.
Blue Badge guides are trained local people who will take you on tours of their area and explain the history and attractions as you go.
Joan is Derbyshire born and bred, and her love of the area shone through.
And her directions were better than Keira's, too.
Though there are lakes in the Lake District, don't expect to find peaks in the Peak District.
Joan told us it is named after the Peakrills, an Anglo-Saxon tribe who once lived in the area.
Chatsworth, where Keira (the actress) filmed The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice, was our first scheduled stop.
Set in huge park-like grounds, Chatsworth is often used for filming.
It is the home of the 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and is filled with priceless works of art.
Joan also showed us the breathtaking view over Monsal Dale, part of Derbyshire's network of rail trails popular for walking, riding and cycling.
On day two, the tour started with a different sort of Derbyshire attraction - the Bakewell pudding.
This puff pastry and egg custard treat was invented by accident in the village of Bakewell when a cook misinterpreted a recipe.
The story goes that she was sacked - until someone tasted the strange-looking result and found it delicious.
We did too, and the calorific confection, made from a secret recipe, kept us going so well we didn't even need lunch.
The picnic spot of Dovedale was crowded on such a hot day.
People were in the river, walking the trails and the hills, and crossing the famous stepping stones.
Not so long ago, picnickers here would have been startled to see Russell Crowe ride through with a band of horsemen filming scenes for Robin Hood.
Everywhere I drove there were motorcyclists.
They love the country lanes of Derbyshire, and the gathering on Sundays at Matlock Bath has to be seen to be believed.
The winding lanes were not so popular with me, driving our large rental vehicle.
On the narrow road out from Dovedale it was not just the sun making me sweat as I drove past 100 vehicles nose to tail coming the other way, accompanied by constant beeping from our car's parking sensors as I crept perilously close to the hedge and the oncoming traffic.
But I didn't hit anything and we made our way to Kedlestone Hall, where Keira filmed scenes for The Duchess.
On this scorching summer's day the grounds were also in use for a food fair, and there were thousands of visitors.
In a churchyard in the pretty village of Hathersage we visited the grave of Little John.
Excavations here in the 1700s found a thighbone so long that it would have come from a man 2.4m tall.
Along the way we passed through Eyam, the Plague Village.
In 1665, plague broke out there and, to keep the rest of the area safe, the vicar persuaded the people of Eyam to isolate themselves for a year.
More than half of the villagers died, but the rest of the district was spared.
The village of Tissington had decorated its well the week before in a tradition that dates back to a terrible drought in 1665.
When other wells ran dry, Tissington's kept flowing, and the villagers decorated them with flowers in thanks.
However, the decorations had been taken down by the time we visited.
Though lovely, the stately homes and picturesque villages were running together in my heat-addled brain.
Which one had the statue of the veiled lady? Where was the giant amethyst? Which village had the house with the wisteria? And which stately home had the water features? I'm glad there was no quiz afterwards.
Haddon Hall, however, stood out.
The chapel was wonderful, and it was truly impressive to stand in a kitchen dating back to the 16th century (and which is still brought back to life from time to time for films or special events).
The whole house felt like a real family home, and of all the places I saw it was the one I could imagine people living in, not just putting on a show to impress.
It's also the go-to site if you are making a version of Jane Eyre.
Oh, and Keira filmed Pride and Prejudice there.
Back at the Peacock, we sat in the tranquil garden and sipped wine until it was time to take our delicious dinner in the dining room, after which I was glad to lie on my bed, feet throbbing, and think about the day.
Keira (the GPS) seemed to know her way back to Nottingham next morning, and the car-hire man kindly drove us to the station for the train to London.
The two-hour trip stretched to three hours (detour at Cheshire) but reading our complimentary papers and taking tea in first class, we didn't mind a bit.
• Janice Murphy visited Britain with assistance from Cathay Pacific and Visit Britain.
On the web:
• For Britrail passes see www.britrail.com
• Oyster Passes for London's Underground and other products can be bought at www.visitbritain.co.nz/shop
• Peak District: www.peakdistrict.com
• Visit Britain: www.visitbritain.co.nz
• Cathay Pacific: Passengers can now fly directly from Dunedin to Brisbane with Pacific Blue and on to London/Heathrow with Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific has special fares available from $NZ2407 (for travel between September 1, 2010, and November 30, 2010) or $NZ2637 (for travel between December 1-31, 2010) plus govt/airport taxes of $NZ282.40. These fares are on sale until June 30, 2010. Stopovers are available at Brisbane or Hong Kong. For more information talk to your bonded travel agent or call Cathay Pacific on 0800-800-454.
