Four Scramble Up a Waterfall

Bit late posting this.  Life and lots of stuff has been getting in the way but more of that in another post I think.

Easter Sunday and what better activity than a walk.  Off to the Yorkshire Dales, we thought, for a rather lovely circuit around Janet's Foss, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove.  Lots of interesting things to look at and the promise of a climb up a waterfall was just soooo exciting for the girls.

First place we got to was the beautiful Janet's Foss.  Even in very early spring with not much greenery, it is still a gorgeous and magical place.  Most definitely an enchanted place for the fairies we agreed.

Looking for Fairies on the way to Janet's Foss

Janet's Foss - a practically perfect waterfall

After resisting the urge to get into the beautiful pool at Janet's Foss we continued on to Gordale Scar.  A waterfall on another scale really.  Very imposing and impressive.

The scramble up Gordale Scar

I am pleased to report that big girl, little girl, Sallydog, and mummy all managed to get up in one piece.  Time for lunch at the top.  Watched the cloud descend while munching on sandwiches and pork pies.  Then off to walk on the limestone pavements.

Little girl scrambling up like a little mountain goat!

Walking on limestone pavement in the cloud

The cloud came down to the floor after a bit so the approach to Malham Tarn was a bit miserable really. Wet and cold and rather blustery.  We decided to head straight to the Cove instead and on the way down the weather did improve a little.  Everyone and his dog was on the top of the cove it being Easter Sunday and some seriously inappropriate attire on show too. I kid you not, there were people up there in sandals and flip flops.

Despite the crowds, Malham Cove never fails to impress so we finished off the flask of coffee and sat and watched the climbers for a while before heading back to the car and then home. A grand day out.

Climber in action at Malham Cove

Four go home

It was with heavy hearts that we loaded up and got ready to come back home.  We had such a good time in our yurt and getting out and about that it was a real wrench facing reality and coming home again.  We could easily have stayed another week there  and still found lots of things to do.

Full to bursting point car - back home again

Forgot to mention all the cute lambs we saw, the native Herdwick sheep and all of the swans.  We even saw butterflies on the warmer days!  Also spotted but not photographed were deer, woodpeckers, owls, rabbits and lots of other birds, too numerous to name.

Day 7 - Four go cycling in the forest

A return of the lovely weather meant that we could do something properly outdoorsy on our last full day at the yurt.  We decided to go the the wonderful, nearby Grizedale Forest.  Absolutely brilliant place for mountain biking at any level.

Biking girls

Amazingly, we were all back in teeshirts after wrapping up and shivering only the day before.

Checking our route

We had lots of fun mooching around the forest.  The girls again did really well on their bikes and managed some pretty demanding climbs too and whooped their way down some fun downhills.  That's the best thing about big hills; they may be a pain to cycle up but once you are at the top it's so much fun coming down again.

We met up with my parents that evening who were staying at their caravan not too far away.  We went to the Outgate Inn for a delicious meal and a few rather quaffable real ales.

Day 6 - Four recover from the storm

In the morning, I heard that lots of people went off to B&Bs because they were too cold during the night and one poor family had their tent totally trashed by the winds.  They were camped on the lake side in a spot I'd been envious of a couple of days previously - not now though.  The poor family simply left the tent and went home.

Tent trashed by the storm

It was a glorious, sunny day but oh my it was so, so, so, so cold.  Really bitterly cold.  It was still very windy and it was the wind that seemed to slice through you.  Windermere was very choppy and there were proper little waves on the shore.

Icy cold, choppy Lake Windermere

Up on the hills there was lots and lots of snow.  Looked beautiful.

Snowy lakeland 

Compared to lots of other places in the UK we got away with it pretty lightly and most of the snow was gone by the evening.  Just the odd pocket of white in the deeper recesses of the hills.  It was much worse in Derbyshire and Yorkshire.

I was really feeling the cold though and so we didn't get up to a great deal.  Just headed over to Windermere and Bowness for a look around.  Took the car ferry across and headed back around.  Had to pop into the Lakeland store to look at all the fabulous things that I didn't know I needed until I went there.  Very restrained we were though, and only got some chewy liquorice!

Day 5 - Four get caught in the snow

Brr, it was definitely a bit on the chilly side today.  Never mind, we decided to head off to Keswick to have a look around.  Lots of shops there to warm up in. Blimey it was cold, and windy and raining.... or.... gasp!....could it be starting to snow.  Yes, yes it was beginning to snow.

People fleeing from the cold, sleety weather in Keswick

Unsurprisingly, it was relatively quiet in the town.  And it was getting really cold.  We ended up getting a couple of new coats for the girls as they looked frozen and then decided to head to Booth's supermarket to stock up on a few things.  We spotted some bags of coal and decided that it would probably be a good thing to get some in as it was looking increasingly likely to be a stormy night.

On the way back we stopped off in Grasmere to go to the famous Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. It's a tiny little shop and the lady who served me was all dressed up in a victorian outfit complete with mop cap.  It was great except for the fact we had to queue outside in the increasingly heavy snow.  I still can't believe I did that.  the gingerbread is very good though and you should definitely try some if you are ever passing.

Had a quick visit to the Herdy shop too.  Their sign blew off in the night during the storm!  We headed back to the yurt.  Got the coal going in the stove and very cosy we were too.  Coal burns much longer than wood and as it was clear that it was going to be a very, very chilly night we didn't want the fire to go out if possible.  It didn't and we were toasty all night.  The wind really got up and other than around the door, we had relatively few draughts.  The yurt was in a nice sheltered spot so there was very little movement despite some very gusty wind during the night.

Day 4 - Four Go Sailing on Lake Coniston

When we were in the shop on the campsite, we were collared by a very nice National Trust lady who was looking for volunteers to help her try out a new booking and payment website for the Coniston Steam Gondola.  We agreed to help out and 20 minutes of our time earned us a free family ticket! Brilliant.  Don't you just love free stuff!  I know I do.

Now for some unknown reason, it always rains whenever we visit Coniston, and this day was no exception.  Fortunately, it was just the occasional session of light drizzle rather than the torrential downpour of our last visit.  Not bad enough to put us off anyhow.

Lunch at the Green Housekeeper Cafe, another little gem.  Free wifi and a sideline business in ecological household products. I especially liked the vintage cup and saucer I got with my tea.

After a quick look around the shops in Coniston and the emergency purchase of gloves for the girls (the good weather we had enjoyed so far was beginning to turn a lot cooler and there were grumbles and shivers from the girls), we headed off for the lakeside.

Gorgeous old rowing boats on Coniston

Coniston is a lovely lake. Every bit as nice as Windermere, albeit on a smaller scale, but it's much less commercialised here and a bit more simple.  I like it a lot and was really looking forward to our trip on the Steam Gondola

The Steam Gondola steaming to the pier

The trip was brilliant and I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area. The crew are very friendly and informative and real enthusiasts.  There weren't very many passengers on our cruise around the lake so all the children on board were able to clamber up with the captain to steer the boat and (the most fun of all) toot the steam horn a few times.

Very exciting for them all.  The captain gave an interesting commentary with lots of information about the Campbell family, Arthur Ransome (Swallows and Amazons), the various poets and artists that have lived in the area (Ruskin etc) and the history of the boat, the lake and Coniston.  It was a really good trip.

Peel Island - aka Wild Cat Island in the Swallows and Amazons

Ice Creams on the lake shore

Water walking - human sized hamster balls that float.
Not so much walking going on but lots of falling over!

Day 3 - Four go hiking to Hawkshead

The weather was lovely so we decided to follow a bridle path we spotted and head off to Hawkshead.  Girls were up for it as there was the prospect of cake once we got there.

Walking to Hawkshead

Stepping Stones

As you may remember the nation was gripped by a fear of fuel shortages and panic buying of petrol had been a bit of an issue in the day or so before we set off on hols.  It was refreshing to see that even under these ridiculous circumstances people hadn't entirely lost their sense of humour!

Funny signs around Hawkshead

We really enjoyed our walk into Hawkshead.  The bridleway took us as far as Outgate just up the road from the pub ( I later cycled down this bridleway - great fun - and fell off my bike into the river by the stepping stones pictured above!!) After that we thought we would have to walk along the road but there was a path running alongside the road which was great because it's quite a busy road with no pavements.

Once in Hawkshead, we headed for the Sun Cottage Cafe for a spot of lunch.  What a find that place was.  Gorgeous door-stopper sandwiches and the most MASSIVE cakes you have ever seen!  The photo doesn't do them justice.  They must be around 20 inches in diameter and about 8 inches high. HUMUNGOUS... and yummy

Enormous Cakes at the Sun Cottage Cafe in Hawkshead

Day 2 - Four go cycling to Ambleside

We were able to bring all of our bikes on this trip because we weren't bringing camping gear.  Mind you, it was still a real squeeze, I think because we didn't have the roof box on this time.  Or perhaps we are simply not very good at travelling light.

Anyway the girls did really well on their bikes aided by lots of bellowing from us, e.g. Keep pedalling, keep on the left, don't stop suddenly like that, keep going..... etc.  Felt a bit bad about all of this haranguing but it seems to be the norm as every other family cycling group we came across was doing all the same shouty stuff as us!

Stopped for fish and chips at Ambleside Pier.  Every bit as good as we remembered it too.

Day 1 - Four arrive and look around

When we got to the site and unloaded our stuff, we looked around the campsite. We checked out the amazing view from the shore of Lake Windermere.  You can camp right on the lake shore on this site. Imagine waking up to that amazing vista every morning.  Was a bit envious but still happy with our set back woodland spot.

View from the campsite

Sitting on a rock admiring the view above

Four Go Wild in a Yurt

Oh yes we had a simply spiffing time last week.  A wonderful Easter Break in the lovely, lovely Lake District.  As it can get rather chilly at nights this time of year we decided to do something a bit different and so booked the week in a yurt.

Our woodland yurt

We found a yurt on the gorgeous Low Wray Campsite.  The site is owned by the National Trust and is in a fantastic setting on the shores of Lake Windermere.  It's an idyllic, hidden gem of a place and we have been wanting to stay there for ages.  When we spotted the alternative camping options that are available now we didn't half get excited.  There are camping pods, tipis, yurts and even gypsy caravans available for something a bit different.  Our yurt was from the lovely people at Wild in Style who also have the gypsy caravan.

Gypsy Caravan at Low Wray

Bright and cheerful tipis

Look how cosy our yurt is!

The yurt was an 18 ft yurt, so there was plenty of room for the four of us.  There were two very comfy sofa/futons, a table and chairs, small stove for cooking and, best of all, a wood burning stove.  It's very light and airy inside too with a window at the apex.

Our view of the sky

 There was a quirky barbecue outside the yurt that looked like it was made from an old washing machine drum.  Did the job though and we enjoyed making coffee in our coffee pot on it. ( this was the only food/drink related item we had brought with us since everything you might need was already supplied)

Barbecue - making coffee and alternative brazier later on when it got chilly!

As I mentioned earlier, Low Wray is a gorgeous campsite.  It's absolutely fantastic for children.  They can roam around and go wild.  There are a couple of play areas for them and plenty of locations for den building and having a rumpus. There are lots of other children so new best friends are made almost every day.  There were loads of girls around this time which was brilliant for our two.

Making friends and building dens at Low Wray

One of the best things about the site is the space you have.  The woodland section is especially good as everyone is in their own little hollow so it's really quite private.  It's also very quiet - well, by quiet I mean there is no traffic noise, or music or modern noise.  The geese are very noisy at the moment and there are lots of woodpeckers, owls and feral children at different times.  It's not overly lit either so lots of fun going to the loo at night with torches an absolute necessity ( unless the moon is out - don't need a torch then).

Concert

LSMS Concert at Shuttleworth College, Padiham

On possibly the best day of the year so far in terms of weather we had to go to a concert.  Big Girl started to learn euphonioum (posted here ) in November and was playing in her first ever concert.  I must confess that I was a teensy bit naffed off about missing out on such glorious weather but am pleased to report that I was blown away by the whole thing.

The lessons Big Girl goes to are provided by the Lancashire Schools Music Service so this was a concert by all kinds of groups within that remit.  There was a local Samba percussion group, string ensemble, guitar ensemble, flute ensemble and various windbands of all ages.

They were all amazing and when the Burnley Junior Windband performed, with big girl on euphonium, I just about burst with pride.  This is the great thing about a big brass instrument - there usually aren't many of them so you can actually HEAR them playing (unlike trumpets or clarinets - there's just too many of them).  And she played her little heart out and kept going all the way through.  She was thrilled!  And I nearly burst with pride!

There was a lot of shifting about to allow the various groups to perform and there must have been at least 150 children involved.  The organisation was excellent.  The venue is the local high school in Padiham, Shuttleworth College, which is a brand new building and very modern.  They took full advantage of the open arrangement and some of the smaller ensembles played in the various balconies rather than on the main floor.  It was really different.

The standard of playing from the senior groups was astounding with some great mixes of modern and traditional pieces. From a lady gaga mix from the strings to pomp and circumstance from the Lancashire wind players.   Can't wait for the next one.

Mist before seven, sunny at eleven

Clocks changed last night so I'm all confused at the moment.  It always takes me a day or two to get used to the clocks changing.

Woke to a really foggy,misty morning and husbeast jumped into his magic knickers (aka compression shorts) and headed out for a run.  I, on the other hand, looked at the sunny haze, sighed and went back to sleep for half an hour.

Sure enough the mist lifted as the morning wore on so it was definitely time to nip out to the shop with the girls.  It was glorious today.  Felt more like a summer day than early spring and we were out in tshirts and strappy tops.  Fab!

Usual long way round was agreed to see how the pussy willows were getting along and check out the ducks. I'm always amazed by pussy willows.  They are so fluffy and almost like little animals and then the next time you look at them, they have sprouted yellowy bits and have turned back into plants. Bizarre.

Pussy willows and sunshine on Padiham Greenway

How does your garden grow?

Now I don't want anyone to think for a minute that I am any kind of gardener.  I'm not.  Anything that occurs in my garden is usually a bit of a fluke and not at all deliberate.  I am still always overly excited when anything I've planted actually grows.

Last year I decided that it was about time that I grew some daffodils.  I love them so much.  They are so cheeky and brassy and in-your-face-it's-spring-y.  I'm always admiring them when I see them in other peoples' gardens, the park or on the grass verges along the roads but I've never had any of my own to admire.  Never had the gumption to get some bulbs and plant them at the appropriate time.  I don't know why.  It's a little bit sad to get to my forties and admit to never planting daffodils.

Anyway, I had a bit of a bulb buying frenzy in Aldi late last year and as a bit of a bulb planting novice, not to mention the paranoid notion that nothing would grow in any case, I again had a bit of a frenzy when it came to planting said bulbs.  I made no note of what went where, or even what kind of bulbs they were (other than a general "flowering" category).

Time passed and I forgot all about this little episode of bulbtastic frenzy.  Until things started to appear.  It's all bit haphazard and random but I've had soooooooo much pleasure when something new has popped out.

Here are my latest specimens and very lovely they are too!

I love this cheeky orange nosed daffy!

Four handsome daffs in a pot standing guard together

Beautiful stripy tulips.  They are simply divine

Side view of those lovely stripy tulips

I'm feeling quite the Percy Thrower right now.  I will definitely get more bulbs for next year - this time I might even attempt to have some kind of organised planting plan.... but I doubt it!

A lovely surprise

I got given flowers this afternoon. A thank you from a colleague I helped out. I didn't do anything especially amazing either. It's made me stupidly happy because, let's face it, it's great to be appreciated!
Lovely pink chrysanthemums that smell
really sweet.

Equi-what nots

I declared spring on 1st March but I thought I should just mention that we have had the spring equinox and it is therefore OFFICIALLY spring now.  Hooray!

Being a bit of a pedant I felt compelled to look up equinox to find out what it was exactly and discovered that there is also an equilux. This is when the day is half day and half night and may not necessarily occur on the same day as the equinox.  All very interesting.

The good news is that every day is going to get a teensy bit lighter for a couple of months so lots more light to enjoy and do stuff in.  Lovely

Mothers Day Outing

It was Mothering Sunday at the weekend so what to do, what to do.... the weather looked promising so we decided to head out for a walk and then some lunch well deserved after a bracing walk. Off to Silverdale.

Me and my mum

A real family favourite and I always have a hankering to go and have a wander round once or twice a year.  It's not too far away and sits on Morecambe bay on the Lancashire border.  It's an area of outstanding natural beauty and, well, I just like it lots and lots.

Lindeth Tower where Elizabeth Gaskell spent her summers

We parked outside the Wolf House Gallery and walked down the lane past Gibraltar Farm and Lindeth Tower where the victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell spent her summer holidays.  It must have been a wonderful escape from the smog and grime of industrial Manchester.  The views of the bay from the tower must be spectacular.  We got to the footpath on Jack Scout, a promontory owned by the National Trust and just about the only cliff on Morecambe bay.  It's a hot spot for lots of orchids at various times of the year probably due to the mild microclimate that's there.  We didn't spot any orchids but there was lots of gorse in flower.  Gorse has a lovely coconutty smell.  Yummy.

Gorse on Jack Scout, Silverdale

There are one or two little coves to explore here which are rocky and interesting.  You can't venture too far out though.  Innocent and enticing as it may seem danger lurks in these parts such as sudden fast tides and quicksand.  Can't be too careful.

Magnificent Morecambe Bay

We headed along the edge of the coast as the tide was out to Jenny Brown's point.  Lots of rock scrambling for the girls and interesting stuff to look at.  Love the green posts that were sticking up randomly. Presumably to moor boats... I'm not sure.  They look great though.

We were blessed with lots of lovely sunshine.  It was really warm at times but quite chilly in the shade or when the sun briefly disappeared behind one of the infrequent clouds.

A PadihamKnitter shadow!

Reached the picturesque Jenny Brown's cottages.  Time to sit for a few minutes with our flask of hot chocolate and some biccies and just look and ponder.

Jenny Brown's Cottages

The sea must come right up to these cottages as there judging by the bits and bobs hanging over the wall.  Lovely spot though, if a bit isolated.

Time to head back to Silverdale for some lunch.  Just one more place to visit on the way back around - the Giant's Chair.  Luck was on our side and we had it all to ourselves.  It's really annoying if you get there and someone is already sitting on it, or worse picnicking on it as they are in for the long haul then.

All together on the Giant's Chair

Back into Silverdale and lunch at the Silverdale Hotel.  It was warm enough to sit outside too which was handy as we had dogs with us.  Sarnies and chips - nothing too fancy and then a stroll back to the cars via the Wolf House Gallery. Had a coffee there while the girls had a run around the play area and we checked out Janice McGloine the resident artist.  I love her quirky paintings and her unique style - check them out.  Here's an example

Janice McGloine  'Quirky' picture

So there you have it, a really splendid day out!