Kirkcudbright & Skye

More holiday blogging as I've got internet access again after a few days camping.
Tuesday in Cumbria was spent walking around Arnside Knott - one of Husband & I's favourite spots from way back when we were at Lancaster Uni. Clear blue skies meant that the Cumbrian hills were really visible (for once) from across the Kent estuary. We then drove over Hardknott Pass, stopping for a wander at the Roman fort.
Wednesday was spent with Middle Sister, C and MBIL along the easy going cycle path that now connects Caton with Glasson Dock through Lancaster - more old stomping grounds for us! C looked very contented on th back of MBIL's bike - managing to fall asleep on the way back.
Drove up to Borgue nr Kirkcudbright to glamp in a wigwam for 3 nights. This is a wooden hut type thing with electricity, mini fridge, microwave, kettle and sleeing platform with foam mattresses that can in theory sleep 4-5. Or me & Husband very comfortably! Loved the campsite too - and plan to return.
Rain meant we did sightseeing in Kirkcudbright on Thursday, with a gentle riverside amble.
Friday - we finally got the bikes to one of the 7stanes. Dalbeattie was one of the first to be built & its signature challenge is "The Slab" in the picture. Much too scary for me - it's a kind of vertical drop. As for Husband - well, cameras don't lie do they??
My technique was abysmal as per usual - although I did improve a little towards the end with my very own (patio) slab type drop off. And I've done my first berms! Very little - but hey, that's 2 Top 40s covered in one afternoon (other was mtb-ing somewhere new).
Very excited to see a red squirrel - and Husband saw a pine martin.
Dalbeattie doesn't exactly flow in many places, but it's certainly challenging and the views were fabulous. Again, a return is planned.
Saturday was spent mostly in the car, driving to Skye. We're in a cottage with the Fabulous In Laws for a week.
Weather today was abysmal - apart from a blue sky 40 minutes which we were able to take full flukey advantage of with a 3km walk to Talisker Bay in the picture before a tour of the Talisker Distillery.

UK Holiday - Why paddle our own canoe?

Off on holiday at the moment - heading northwards. We had a sunny weekend in Llanymynech with Brother in Law's family with some gentle walking. Powis Castle Gardens on Saturday and from the house on Sunday. Husband adapted a hoop running game that we saw on Last Woman Standing to keep the boys interested in the Sunday walk - throw a ball ahead, then try to find it. They were also really keen to show us the old quarry's rails, connected to the huge Hoffman kiln and tower in the village.

Then further up to Cumbria to Middle Sister's home near Kendal.

We went paddling today on Windermere with Middle Brother In Law (MBIL??) and toddler nephew C. The plan was to use our inflatable, with MBIL using his lovely big "proper" canoe. but we worked out it would be quicker to set up and easier to keep C entertained on the water if we all went in the proper canoe. Husband in the back providing power, MBIL in teh middle proving local knowledge and skills advice and me in the front doing what I was told (for once!). C was extremely well behaved - he got excited about seeing a steam train. I was more excited by a red breasted merganser swimming along with her brood of ducklings. Getting canoe envy now - I think we may be getting a proper one if we ever get a garage for it to live in!

Dorset weekends

Our first attempt to go to Dorset for some mountain biking 2 weekends ago was thwarted whilst packing. Husband tried to adjust my brakes and accidentally bled them dry of hydraulic fluid! Luckily, we'd already planned to spend Sunday pedalling along Bournemouth seafront with G - and my commuter bike was fine for this. Lovely afternoon with chocolate ice cream and great company.

My mountain bike spent a couple of days at the bike shop and last weekend, we tried again. Loaded the camping stuff and bikes and headed for Dorchester. Our route was based on one in a

Dorset mountain bike book we've had for a while but hadn't used. It started on the ridge trail from Maiden Castle to Hardys Monument that we did last year. We then went downhill at Hells Bottom to Portesham (cute sculpture was in Portesham quarry) and along a disused railway to Abbotsbury. Pasty to refuel and we decided that rather than follow the book's suggestion of a road route back, we'd simply double back. Big views of the coast and countryside. The path had actually been destroyed by badger excavating at one point! 30km in total.

Camped at Osmington Mills again and attempted camp cooking for the first time in years - successful chorizo pasta storecupboard carb fest! We walked to the beach in time for sunset, then to the pub that does Badger ales on draught. I slept well, but Husband wasn't convinced that his airbed was working for him and being in a grassy field wasn't helping his hayfever.

Slow breakfast. What I love about being away is that I don't have guilty thoughts about what I should be doing and can just enjoy coffee, eggs, papers.

Sunday's ride was from Puddletown Forest, using a Rough Ride Guide route. We lost a turning early on so opted to change the route - the track was a little overgrown as you can see here. Later, we got to do more vegetation ploughing as rape had almost obliterated the bridleway. Quiet countryside with chalk hills. I had to keep pushing my brake levers outwards as the rape kept on catching them, pushing my brakes on! We went past Thomas Hardy's cottage towards the end - a lovely quiet spot on the edge of the forest. Got lost again in the woods, but weirdly emerged right by the car. My legs are covered in scratches, I'm a bit burned (despite sunscreen) and it was a great weekend.

Number 15 - Pilates

I have a pristine Darcy Bussel pilates DVD still in its cellophane wrap despite having been purchased about 2 years ago. It's lurking presence plus my occasional lower back & shoulder problems have created a nagging sense that pilates should be something I give a try. My only reasons not to are that I'm not big on exercise that doesn't involve charging around getting sweaty and that I didn't get on at all well with a previous attempt many years ago where there were about 30 people in one class.

I finally booked myself onto a class at the gym (so covered by gym membership) and was pleasantly surprised. The instructor was no nonsense & I could see what she was doing. There were only about 8 of us. And I realised that I had tried some of the exercises before without realising that they were pilates moves, thanks to a neat little "hotel room workout" in a Joanna Hall book that I used when spending most of my life in hotel rooms.

My tummy really knew that it had been worked for about 3 days afterwards!

So number 15 can be ticked off the list.

I have been to the class again - timing isn't great as it requires scarpering home on a Thursday very promptly - but I will go again when my calendar allows. Still haven't opened the DVD though!

Number 21

Number 21 complete - we finally fitted the water butt. I say "we" but
it was more Husband - although I did instigate it with the old trick
of starting to dig out tools, claiming I was going to fit it all by
myself. Especially as tools included the drill that I am not allowed
to use since destroying several bits on plastic plant pots.....
Great bike ride with G & Husband today along Bournemouth sea front,
admiring kite surfers. She is so much faster - despite not having
pedalled since September!

So much catching up to do

So much that I haven't written about recently! So much has happened - good stuff, bad stuff and I'm sure I can squeeze in ugly somehow.

In no particular order, I'll start with Top 40 progress - and with a picture taken yesterday of my first home grown strawberry (#19 - grow something new to eat). I shared it with Husband & fortunately (as many more are developing), liked it!

Next is #16 - do a dance class. I enjoyed a fabulous weekend with my sisters near Stratford which included lots of opportunities to try classes. All 3 of us did Street Dance - out done by many older ladies! Middle Sister & I also giggled our way through a Bravo Broadway class - jazz hands and a fantastically camp instructor. Yoga was also been revisited and I didn't hate it. Middle sister revisited body Combat for the first time in years with me. V.grateful to Baby Sister for inviting us - memorable and so much fun.

We haven't been cycling much recently - not since South Downs Way. My bike is now sporting new wheels as it was the hubs that had bust, not the bottom bracket - and that takes it's repair bill for 2010 to around £500 - maybe I should have bought a new bike instead at the start of the year. We we did a 20K route from the house on dry tracks yesterday, enjoying a long sunny evening.

I did my first parkrun last Saturday. This is a weekly times 5K that now takes place in parks around the country - and Eastleigh started just a few weeks ago. It's free to register, free to do & is very well organised. It's also a great time of day - 9am means that I still get most of Saturday for other stuff. My time was not my best (29:43), but plenty of room for improvement.

One of my original runners L tripped whilst running with me on Tuesday and was unlucky enough to break her leg - so I spent Tuesday evening in A&E with her. This meant cancelling the 8pm beginners group - but everyone was more focussed on L's injury.

So it's been a mix these last few weeks. Hoping that L recovers soon.

Not in the Algarve

Pesky volcanic ash cloud stopped us from flying to Portugal on Tuesday
4 sailing - we ended up rescheduling to July. I say "we" but I mean X
and S!
So we've come to Cornwall for a short break instead. The fabulous In
Laws have joined us & we are in a flat at Watergate Bay.
Fabulous lunch at Fifteen (photo location) - loved that they
automatically brought huge jug of tap water with ice & lemon and yummy
bread with olive oil. We all had gurnard to start - deep fried served
with aioli. I had pollock next with lentils followed by tiramisiu.
Pleased to have a wine with Sexy Rose on the label! Service was
gently done - a fabulous meal!
Went surfing once digestion was underway. That implies a higher level
of competence though than I achieved....
Blue sky, sunshine, beach - not bad at all.