Our Holiday

Looking back, I've not posted since last time we went to Wales - to buy my new tuba (which is still big and still shiny). Seems about time then to tell you about our holiday to Snowdonia a couple of weeks ago. We've settled on a mini tradition of having a few days away over our anniversary (three years...), and with tackling the coast to coast walk later in the year, we decided we needed a bit more walking than Bedfordshire had to offer, so away we went for a week in North Wales.

We camped at a lovely site at Llyn Gwynant, which was very peaceful - camped next to a little river flowing down to the lake, with no cars allowed on the field we chose, and indeed no people sharing our field for the midweek nights. Campfires and one-burner dinners: good stuff!

Mostly we walked: a slightly busy Cadair Idris on the bank holiday, setting the pace for the week in terms of the weather;

Carnedd Dafydd and Llewelyn, the next highest hills after Snowdon;

a demanding and fulfilling scramble up Tryfan;

and a walk in the Snowdon foothills around Beddgelert on the one day there was cloud on the tops: we met some local widlife.

We never climbed Snowdon itself - I think after the beautiful day on Cadair, the majesty of the Carnedds and the brutality of Tryfan we didn't feel the need to go up the biggest one of all. We did allow ourselves a day off to go on the Welsh Highland Railway (Elspeth's choice) and wander around Caernarfon Castle (mine).

We also had a really nice meal on our anniversary at this bistro in Betws y Coed which we'd thoroughly recommend to anyone going that way.

I am very thankful to various family members who have contributed to my birthday present - a Pentax DSLR - which I have been beginning to learn over the holiday and since - expect some more photo posts from me, and I'm always interested in hearing people's views, so comment away. I think this one is my favourite so far - probably because it's a big picture of Elspeth :-)

All in it was a really good holiday, and we're very looking forward to upcoming camping weekends in Brecon and the Peak District with friends, and to our two week walk in September! I am extremely proud of Elspeth for tackling Tryfan the way we went up - it was a challenge well surmounted - well done love.

Spring is coming...

... and we have the flowers to prove it. It's been a lovely sunny day here, though still rather cold. Tim, a man who is always warm, is refusing to let me use him as my hot water bottle. I think this is very selfish of him - after all, he gets a hug out of it, even if he's shrieking from the feel of my icy hands so can't enjoy it!

In other news, we spent a week in Whistler skiiing - very good fun. So much fun in fact that we didn't take any pictures as we were too busy. To give you a tester, this is a photo from the week we were there, on one of the runs we did fairly regularly. Lots and lots of lovely powdery snow - yum.

What we did on our holidays, part 2

After a week of sunshine in the Lake District, we flew out to Malta for five days of relaxing - oh, and a bit more sunshine. It turned out to be an even better holiday than we could have imagined - the hotel was wonderful and the town we were staying in (Mellieha) was hardly influenced by tourism at all. Once you moved away from the main street there were no touristy shops or restaurants, just quiet streets full of houses and tiny 'corner' shops. It was lovely to have a few days of sheer relaxation, along with a little bit of sightseeing.

Completely randomly, we managed to stay for the week of mellieha's festa - a week long celebration leading up to a solemn mass on Saturday with the procession of the Saint's statue through the streets. Every night the Church was illuminated, brass bands paraded through the streets playing marches and fireworks were let off. As you can imagine, Tim very much enjoyed the bands. We played 'hunt the band' round the streets on several evenings, and spent Friday night in the parish square listening to the music, eating nougat and enjoying the fireworks. It was great to see the whole town involved in the celebrations, and a shame that we had to come home before the main procession.

I could post loads of photos, but here are just two more, showing me and Tim in typical holiday poses:

Elspeth the 'information hound' (Tim's new nickname for me)

Tim relaxing in the pool!

What we did on our holidays, part one

Last week we went camping in the Lake District and in spite of the dire predictions of my workmates, the weather was lovely. We're back now and re-packing for our trip to Malta, but here's a summary of our holiday so far.

Saturday: after a lazy morning and a cooked brunch, head up the M1 towards the Crocker family B&B. A long hot day in the car, relieved by afternoon tea at the Mouseman cafe and afternoon tea number two when we reached my parents'.

Sunday: A Walk up Pen-y-Ghent, continuing our aim of conquering the Three Peaks in three years.

Monday: a drive up through the Dales and into the Lakes. Lunch at the artisan cafe at Booths in Kendal - yum! A short Walk around Brother's Water and up to a waterfall, before arriving at the campsite.

Tuesday: Another Walk around Haweswater and up to High Street. This included a very precipitous descent and much smugness when we reached the bottom of it and met a family about to climb up the same way.

Wednesday: Some walking wear shopping in Ambleside, followed by a quick Walk over High Rigg - a small lump by Lake District standards, but ideally located for great views over to Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Blencathra. The walk also passed a tea shop, which would have been a great stopping point if the owner had been a little less surly. We walked on instead and found afternoon tea later in Keswick.

Thursday: A Walk just North of Mosedale - well it had to be done... a good walk this, with a very steep ascent then great views of the clouds from the (very windy) top. The sun came out after lunch, and we strolled back to the car and found afternoon tea on the way home.

Friday: no walking today as the clouds were very low. Instead, a trip to Honister Slate mine to marvel at the engineering involved at hollowing out a mountain without making it fall down. Then a Lakeland Tea at Bryson's in Keswick - yum!

Saturday: a drive home, broken by visits to Grange-upon-Sands and Ingleton. Fish and Chip dinner when we got home - this is fast becoming a tradition of our holidays, and one we're happy to keep.

Sunday: a day at home to wash and re-pack. To keep up the exercise, we head to Willen Lake and attempt the trim trail. Elspeth discovers she has no upper body strength.

We're all packed now and heading for Malta tomorrow. See you in another week!