The Prince and the PPP*

Number 2 son, affectionately known by his siblings as The Prince** is still languishing in his university digs in Canada. This is due to a sudden (but well forecast) snowfall and PPP. The planning or lack of is the reponsibility of BAA and Heathrow who frankly couldn't organise a bunfight in a cakeshop. Cue many frantic phonecalls and websearching, a rebooked flight, a further cancellation, another rebooked flight and [breathe] a long lonely (for no2 son) wait until Tuesday. Cross your fingers for him.

It's all the more frustrating when the airport he's flying from remains open despite far more snow and temperatures remaining below -5 all day everyday.

* - piss poor planning
** - this is possibly because I have a tendency to overcompensate in an attempt to avert middle child syndrome. They say I spoil him. That can't be true, can it?

We went to the Gower Penninsula at half term; it was both gorgeous and grim in more ways than one.

The weather when we arrived was lovely, sunny and warm for October. However the next day when we had no choice but to walk in excess of 16 miles, there was wind and horizontal rain. More grimness followed as wet boots mean't I ended up with blisters the size of Wales itself, the showers at the YH were tepid, the drying room didn't live up to its name and there was no hot water in the kitchen.

The following morning with two packs of Compeed covering my blisters and dosed up on Ibuprofen we continued with the walk. This should have been all the way to Landland Bay but by the middle of the afternoon it was apparent that my feet would take no more and we had to bus the last couple of miles. The upside of the day was the fab weather and the most excellent B&B (Glenview at Mumbles - go tis great). The last straw though was me waking up in the middle of the night with a vomiting bug (probably due to the lack of hot water and hence less than hygenic conditions at the YH).


So I didn't get to eat my breakfast.

Whiteford Point

View back from Rhossili

Onwards

We are going the right way then?


Sunny morning over Oxwich Bay


From the headland back towards Oxwich


Three Cliffs

Blimey - where does the time go? I haven't put up my holiday photos. This isn't because I haven't had the time; it's because I'm lazy.

My middle son has gone to Canada. I'm feeling a bit bereft - he would have been due to go back to university anyway but Ottawa is a bit further and will be a bit colder come the winter!

Things I know.

I've been on holiday - photos later- and I've learned new things. They are...

1. That my bingo wings need more than two weeks at the gym and some fake tan to make them look good.

2. That I'm not good at judging heights.

3. And at 46 I'm too old to do a 'Lara Croft' over the sea wall to the beach. (see #2)

Ouch!

Another big hill

These boots were made for walking.....

We managed to cram in another quick trip to the Lakes this week. We're getting quite good at it; plan the walk(s), book a room, and throw stuff in the car. We can have our boots on and be walking by 11 am which at this time of year is easily enough time to get to almost 3000ft.

The conquest for this trip was Skiddaw, and her Little Man. Hmm, what can I say? The views from the top are fab - thankfully no low cloud - but the path up is hellish. It's quite tough initally and so boring. I like a route with a bit of variation; this was not my cup of tea at all. The best bit was the walk from Keswick which many people miss out on because they start from a car park further up. Whilst they may have fresher legs I'm not sure it's any compensation. Perhaps a different route next time will make me like this Mountain more.

Following a good breakfast at our B&B - Portland House - we decided on a less strenuous day involving a walk up Catbells and along the edge of Derwentwater. We should really have been more green and travelled to the start point by boat but the need to get off home afterwards mean't we had to drive over. Not a good enough excuse really. Great views from the top as the weather was kind again - a bit hot if truth be told!

Bit of a slog to the top. This is the view back down from (almost) the summit towards Little Man.

The view East from the summit of Skiddaw

And West

Heading up to Catbells

Keswick from the top of Catbells.

And a misty one from Helvellyn, plus a random sheep

As promised

Photos of the walk from Helm Crag to Far Easedale.

Busy, busy

Been so busy just lately and blogging has taken a bit of a back seat. It's work that's kept me away, nothing particularly exiting or entertaining.

I have though, recently celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary (I was a child bride) and MrP and I took ourselves back to our honeymoon hotel in the Lakes. We've had a really lovely couple of days, had great weather and done a couple of good walks (stiff climbs if truth be told).

We did Helm Crag to Far Easedale (no 10 on the link) and Helvellyn too. I got sun burned on Helm Crag but despite the weather being fine at ground level we pretty much got blown off the top of Helvellyn. It was grim up there, no visibility whatsoever so we sort of got there and turned around to come down again. It's a bit disappointing when that happens - all that effort for no reward. Hence there are no pictures from the top but I will post the Helm Crag views soon.

I also need to sort out the look of this blog. It's on my To Do List. But you know what I'm like with those. The last one I posted has had very little crossed off.

Back soon