Coniston - Assessment Day

The weather was everything you could want - warm & sunny with a light breeze, the morning was spent doing high speed maneuvers above the 10 mile an hour limit on the lake - this was for training purposes and is allowed. (I got up to 30mph!!!!).

Amanda's Assessment

Kety's Assessment



Ian's assessment

In the afternoon we all went out one by one to be assessed - Kety (from Adventure21) got involved in a real rescue as the Safety Boat was called to offer assistance to a lazer dinghy in difficulties on the lake during her assessment!!!

We all passed our Power Boat level 1 & 2 assessments.

Coniston - Messing About On The Water

For those of you who think I already play with the "Big Boys Toys" today we played with the BIGGER Boys Toys - Coniston Water's Safety and Rescue Boat!!!

There was a serious side to it - to learn how to drive and control a RIB at speed and various rescue techniques for our assessments tomorrow. There were 3 of us on the course, Kety, Ian & myself and our instructor was Phil from Coniston Boating Centre.

The nice surprise was that Ian had booked us into the Sun Hotel for the night to save an hours drive home & back the next day.

Easter Sunday & Shivering Mountain

Today we went to Castleton and Mam Tor - better known as Shivering Mountain due to the fact that the mountain keeps moving and the road is now closed due to continuous landslides and another route has to be taken to the valley.

On our return we had an Easter Roast & lots of champagne.

Remote Control Cars

Wayne & Ian decided they were going to play with their remote control cars!

Mountain Biking Around Birch Vale

Ian & Wayne went out for a short ride on the mountian bikes from Birch Vale across Mellor Moor and down to the Roman Lakes taking in the climb past the Fox at Brook Bottom and New Mills golf course.

Both of them ended up having a mechanical crisis at some point in the ride and spent more time mending their misshaps that actually riding the route. It was however a very enjoyable few hours on the warmest day so far this year.

The Peak District For Easter

Wayne and Lois joined Ian and Amanda at Ian's old cottage (currently up for sale) in Birch Vale, High Peak, near Kinder Scout and Hayfield for the Easter break.

New Year Water Festival (Thingyan)

New Year is known to the Buddhists as the Thingyan (Water Festival) so in true style we took 4 very large water pistols, 4 humans & 2 dogs into a large field behind the cottage to celebrate and came back very wet!!!!

After we dried out we went to Glossop for the afternoon & then The Sycamore (opposite the cottage) for a meal in the evening.

A good time was had by all!!

Skipton Castle, Bolton Abbey & The River Wharfe

Ian took the day off today and we drove over to Skipton Castle which isn't in ruins and gives a good insight into how people used to live - the castles about 900 years old.

From there we went to Bolton Abbey - which is a ruin thanks to Henry & the dissolution of the monasteries and we had a great walk down the River Wharfe with dogs who also went in for a swim.

The sun was shining but it was bitterly cold and very, very windy!!!

A Cold Walk On Bleaklow

I took the dogs up to Snake Pass in The Peaks today for a walk along Bleaklow.

Wow - was it cold up the tops today - at least that explained why I could park in the layby - no one else in their right mind would have ventured out!!!

However the sun was shining even if the wind was so strong it kept trying to blow me over!

I'm not sure who got more mud on them though - the dogs of me!!

Birthday On The Lake

Today we took a boat called Complicated Lady out for a champagne buffet on Windermere, the boat is a 36ft bayliner motor cruiser with an upper and lower deck as well as an indoor heated cabin complete with CD player! A must for a party!

The party goers were Ian & myself, Steve, Wayne, Andrea, Mark, Liz, Adam, Denise, Billy and Daddy Brian.

Steve was also the skipper for the day.

We cast off in the snow & moored back up in the snow but only had a few rain showers whilst out on the Lake, we cruised up to the north of the lake first and then back to Bell Isle where we halted the boat for lunch & champagne & then headed off to the south end of the Lake.

The mountains were covered with snow & we sailed down in the sunshine drinking several (hic!) bottles of champers on route!!

Everyone then came back to our house for chilli, pitta & garlic bread along with even more booze and a merry evening was had by all til the wee hours of the next morning!

(the boat, Complicated Lady, is available for day charters on Windermere)

Birthday at The Old Station Inn

Ian & I decided that as some of my pals were coming up for the weekend to celebrate me getting old we'd book a meal at our local pub The Old Station Inn, between Holme & Burton, for anyone who arrived on the Friday evening.

Mark, Andrea, Liz & Adam joined us & Mark & Andrea arranged for a bottle of champagne to help the celebrations. The food was excellent as always!

Lois & Wayne had arrived at home by the time we got back and we carried on drinking to the early hours of the morning!!!!