Weather extremes in Ambleside

17th to 19th August 2012

We weren’t planning to go away this weekend, the intention being to have the school holidays off.  But itchy feet are itchy feet, hence a last minute trip to the C&CC site at Windermere.

Friday

First thing we noticed on arrival was how empty the site was.  There were at least half a dozen empty pitches in the bit we were in, although some were waterlogged!  We expected it to be full, and it did get a bit busier on Saturday.

Usually at C&CC sites the wardens take you to your pitch and help with reversing, but not this time.  D did ok, although he had to abort the first attempt and start again.

It was raining when we got there but it stopped just long enough for us to set everything up, then started again.  No awning this weekend.

It was only light, drizzly rain so we decided to brave it and walk across the fields to Staveley.

Had a drink under a canopy outside the Eagle and Child, beside the River Kent.  Then a visit to the Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall for beer tapas, before finally settling in the other pub in the village, the Duke William.  We ended up staying until about 10pm and had to walk back across the fields in the dark.  Luckily it had stopped raining by then.

Saturday

Awoke to the sound of heavy rain and discovered that some had got in through an open window and the corner of the bedsheet and duvet were soaking, although we didn’t notice it in the night.  It was due to the positioning of the aerial lead that we feed into the caravan through the window.

The original plan for today was to tackle Bowfell, but we got up far too late for that – there is very limited parking available in Langdale.

Instead we headed to Ambleside to climb Low (508 metres) and High (656 metres) Pikes and High Bakerstones (about 700 metres).

It was still raining a bit when we got there so we wandered around the shops for a while, hoping it would stop.  We finally set off around midday.

This was a longish walk for us, about 8 miles in total, and was very much a walk of two halves.  We soon entered the clouds and it was wet and damp to start with, followed by blazing sunshine on the way down.  Very wet underfoot on the way up.  The pics below tell the story.

J at the summit of High Bakerstones – not much of a view today!

A natural shower for D on the way down!

Picked up a couple of geocaches on the way.  Geocaching is becoming very much a part of our walks now.

Windermere 082012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Because of the late start we didn’t get back to the site until 7ish, which we thought was a bit late for a barbecue.  Instead we had a barbecue without the meat…and a barbecue – so really it was just salad and quiche outdoors!

A fabulous sunset, which we all but missed because we were in the laundry room drying our bedding!  We rushed up into the fields around the site and D managed to get a couple of pics, the best of which is below.

We planted a geocache under some rocks at the base of a tree and said farewell to Captain Jack Sparrow, who we picked up on our last trip.  I wonder where he will go next?  We have a trackable geo-coin which we are going to send off soon, but couldn’t find any way of attaching it to him, so I guess we will never know!

Sunday

It rained a bit in the night but was bright and sunny by morning.  Packed up and headed for home, a very uneventful journey.

Coming soon…

Castleton, Derbyshire.

Coniston

3rd to 6th August 2012

Day 1

The CC Park Coppice site is a great site but there are too many pitches to choose from, so we always spend ages driving round and this was no exception.  The first pitch we chose wasn’t very level but we noticed an empty one just behind it, which was much better, albeit a bit shady.

After setting everything up we headed into Coniston and had a couple of drinks sitting outside the Sun Inn.

D could have managed more, but instead we decided to head back to the site and have a barbecue.

Day 2

Today’s walk, a low(ish) level one around Tarn Hows and Black Crag (323 metres), with the added incentive of a geocache at the summit.

Tarn Hows

The summit of Black Crag

Windermere in the distance

‘Black Crag Delights’ geocache, we took some flower seeds and left a travelbug

Tarn Hows is quite touristy but once we got onto Black Crag we only saw a couple of people.  Good views of bigger fells at the top.  There are more pics in the gallery.

Got back to the site earlier than usual and spent a while relaxing outside the caravan.

After dinner we walked into Coniston and sat by the pier for a while.

We were about to leave when a little girl who was paddling in the lake stepped in some mud and her shoe got sucked off!  It was nowhere to be seen.  After much swearing and shouting, they sent the kids in after it, rummaging around in the mud.  Then the mum had a go.  Eventually the dad managed to find it.  More entertaining than it sounds, especially with their dog Oscar running around.

Excitement over, we headed into the village and had a couple of drinks at a couple of pubs and then headed back to the caravan.

Day 3

Drove to Hawkshead for lunch, then another walk in the afternoon.

Our first outing to the east of Coniston, but no summits of note.  Good views of the lake and Coniston Old Man, but lots of grey cloud.

Best pic of the trip?

Another geocache at the summit of Brock Barrow.  In it, was a figure of  Captain Jack Sparrow.  D really wanted it, but written on the front of the log book was ‘Ninja Pirate’ so we thought it was meant to be there guarding the cache so didn’t take it. 

A few minutes later we realised that it was actually the cache owner’s username so D ran back and took it out. We will attach a travel tag on to him and send him on his travels some time soon!

D rescuing Capt Jack!

Afterwards, a quiet night in.  We were going to go to a pub quiz at the Church House Inn but the walk was tougher than we thought it would be and we were too tired. 

Day 4

Awoke to the sound of rain and had to don waterproofs to put everything away, including the awning.  Well, D did – J did the inside jobs and stayed very dry!

Coniston 082012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

Coming soon…

Nothing booked until the beginning of September, a three night trip to Castleton, Derbyshire.  Might try to get away before then but everywhere is sooooo busy during the school holidays.

Here comes the summer!

20th to 23rd July 2012

At last, a decent weather forecast.  No extra fleeces and waterproof clothing needed this time, instead insect repellent and sun tan lotion.  Summer 2012 has arrived.

We visited Oxon Hall  just outside Shrewsbury earlier this year and liked it so much we thought another visit was in order.  Probably the only negative thing to say about this site is that they only give you one key to the facilities block.

Friday

On arrival we were allocated pitch no. 83.  Not the best pitch on the site but not the worst either.  It was the 3rd pitch from the entrance so we got a lot of cars going past, and also most of the other caravanners going to and from the toilet!

Time for a bit of reading and a glass of wine after setting everything up

We took a quick stroll to a nearby pub for a really cheap dinner and one drink!  Note, just one drink…probably would have been more but the range of real ales was non existent.  Luckily the local Co-op had an excellent selection of locally produced bottled beers, most of which D sampled.

Put up the awning and sat outside the caravan in the evening, which is something we haven’t really been able to do so far this year.  Ah, I remember, this is what caravanning is all about.

Saturday

Awoke to sunshine, albeit a bit hazy with plenty of cloud cover.  The plan for today a trip to Church Stretton and a walk up onto the Long Mynd, which means long mountain.  High point Pole Bank at 516 metres, about 8 miles in total.  Here’s the route…

Pausing for refreshments

A monument with a dial at the top pointing out all of the mountains that can be seen, including Cadair Idris and Snowdon in the distance, so pretty good views.

Searched for a geocache at the end of the walk.  Took a while but soon found a large metal ammo case.  Very exciting, because there were lots of muggles around (Muggles are  non geocachers who may steal or  move the cache) We watched  a family searching around the bottom of a tree nearby, who looked like they could have been searching for the cache themselves.

Also came across a very good tyre swing, and D couldn’t resist having a go!

Sat around the caravan in the evening, after a very successful barbecue.

Sunday

J listened to the Archers and then we decided to catch a bus into Shrewsbury…but there are no buses on a Sunday even in the town centre!  So instead we walked, partly alongside the river Severn, about three miles in blistering heat.  Finally staggered into town and enjoyed sandwiches in the park listening to a band playing big band music.  We got there too late and only heard a couple of songs. 

A taxi back to the site and then another (not quite as successful) barbecue and drinks around the caravan.  A very tiring day!

Not too much drinking this weekend!

Monday

Managed to put everything away, including the awning, by 9.30, so set off early.  Short journey of less than 90 mins back

Coming soon…

Three nights at Park Coppice, Coniston.