5th Week of the Holidays

Saturday - Matt was supposed to be playing cricket but it got cancelled when the other team couldn't get a team together.  So what to do.  It was cold and miserable.  Tom has been showing himself to be better at swimming recently, so I suggested swimming at Settle.  We went and had a great swimming session - the best to date.  The pool was almost empty so we were able to spread out and use all of the shallow end.  We realised that if Tom puts his face in the water his bum rises up - giving him the ability to swim.  We encouraged this and lo and behold before too long he was swimming a couple of strokes.  In fact he did really really well, by the end of our time there he wasn't even interested in the woggle, wanting to swim rather than use it.  Wow!!!!!!  I think he was doing about 5 meters at his best and his head spent more time under the water than on top of it.  He had fun as well, giggling and smiling the whole time.  Now there's a turn up for the books!  We are getting there, just need to keep this going now...

We went for lunch at Inglesport as a treat for Tom and then he went for a nap (he was obviously tired after the swimming - fingers in his mouth, small voice etc etc)  I did some cake stuff and Matt some work before all heading over to the Atkinsons for the afternoon.  Finn, Matthew, Sierra were there too so the children all played together whilst the adults chatted over whisky and G&T.  Very civilised, a very good way to spend a grey, miserable and cold afternoon.

Lovely day in the Lakes

Sunday was a horrible day: thick, grey clouds and rain, rain, rain.  However, we had a cunning plan.  Quite often when we have been in the Lakes we have noticed the 555 double decker bus - it seems to go everywhere, so we thought we should spend a day on it and enjoy the Lakes from up high.  We got ourselves to Milnthorpe for the first bus of the day.  Guess what, the best seat (upstairs at the front) was free so we made ourselves at home.  As I said it was a revolting day - unfortunately there aren't any windscreen wipers for the top deck so we had a slightly blurred view, and the seal wasn't intact meaning we had a little river of water coming through (or as Tom said ' there's a flood!'  The king of exaggeration!).

Double decker!

It was a good view never-the-less, we enjoyed looking down on the houses, gardens and roads and before we knew it, 2 hours had passed by and we were in Keswick.

As I said it was a horrible day so we spent most of it ducking and diving into shops.  Tom did well out of it getting a body warmer and a new pair of rather lovely looking wellies from a sale.

Lunch was in a pub, then a bit more shopping, including a rather good chocolate shop (it was too horrible to go down to Derwent Water) before heading back to the bus stop which was conveniently located outside Booths.  We managed to be the first in line for the return journey, so we had another 2 hours excitement on the bus before collecting the car and returning home.  The best use of a horrible day.

Monday, Tom and Matt had the day out together so I could get some cake things done.  They headed to Preston on the train so they could do some train spotting and so they could recce Preston as we haven't been there yet.  From what I gather the train spotting was good but Preston is best avoided - for the shops, atmosphere and people!  They came back to Lancaster in good time to pick Vera up from the train station - yes she made it on time, on the right train AND she had to change twice!  Well done her!!!!!!

Tuesday Vera had asked to visit some caves when up.  I decided that Ingleborough Caves are the best - I think the features are better and the guides more entertaining.  So we headed in the car to Clapham and then walked up the nature trail to the cave entrance.  We made good time and joined the 12.30 tour.  We had a different tour guide to the one we had with the Smyths, but he was good, making fun of Vera because she was from London etc etc which is always enjoyable.

The tour went on for the best part of an hour.  Unfortunately Tom started jigging right at the start of the tour.  He refused to acknowledge that he needed a wee, and carried on jigging and jigging.  This meant that I couldn't relax and I doubt he took in anything from the tour.  When we got to the end he had a wet patch in his jeans!!!!  So frustrating!!!!!

We walked back along the nature trail with the intention to have lunch at the tea room / bar next to the car park.  However, it is closed on Tuesdays so we ended up at the Croft Cafe - very nice but the lady is soooooo grumpy.

Vera and Tom

Climbing trees

Wednesday I took Vera to the Apple Store at Wyresdale Park.  Heather at Elemental had recommended it to me as somewhere I should take her.  We arrived around 11am and found the cafe in some nice grounds.  Not manicured at all, very rough and ready, but very pleasant.  We had a little explore.  It was a strange place, no map, no instructions, so we assumed we could roam free around the grounds but weren't really sure.  We found an Estate House in quite tired gardens which Tom ran up and down.  The house said private but no where did it say we couldn't look around the grounds.  I felt quite lost as to what we should do, so we returned to the cafe where there were some swings, a croquet set and a football.  I was made to play football for quite a while - tackling was the order of the day so we tackled and tackled until we were hungry and thirsty so we ordered lunch.  A very nice lunch too.  I asked the waitress about walks we could do but she seemed clueless, however, a nice couple told me that there was a lake to walk around if we wished, so we decided to do that.  First though I could hear children playing in the woods and decided to investigate.  Oh, now I get it...the woods were full of trees to climb.  There was a rope swing, dens to play in, a truly fantastic area to play hide and seek, which we did.  I relaxed and began to enjoy it all.

In a tree

I did some climbing too

On a rope swing

Vera was very keen to find the lake so we went across the road and found it.  We walked around it to a little beach - across boggy land, walking on planks etc - all very exciting when you are 5 and have been doing about pirates in school.  Maybe a little daunting if you are Vera - but she did it all in good humour and no one fell over.  We spent a good hour or so on the beach, Tom paddling and throwing stones, Vera watching and me throwing stones as required by Mr B. Boots.  It turned out a lovely, relaxing day in the sunshine.  We must return with some of Tom's friends one day, it really is a boy's own adventure sort of a place.

Playing on the beach

Walking the plank around the lake

Thursday - we all took Vera to Lancaster Station, to make sure that she got on the right train up to Edinburgh (she was staying with another friend so she could see some of the fringe performances).  It was really lovely to spend some days with Vera, she's as mad and as lovely as ever - thanks for making the effort to come and see us - we are missing you already!

Cool straw!

It wasn't the nicest of days, so Matt and I decided to try out the one Japanese restaurant in Lancaster.  However, it wasn't to be as it was closed for the holidays.  Not to worry though, Kate had told us of a good cafe in the city centre that does really good coffee, so we headed there.  We had a lovely lunch (Tom got the best straw ever with his drink so he was happy) and Matt said the coffee was very good.  So good in fact, that we hunted out the shop that supplied them and stumbled across an amazing shop where they roast their own coffee beans, the smell was amazing.  But not only did they sell coffee, but tea and whisky.  Not any old whisky but good quality, rare whisky.  Matt was hooked and very interested and I now know where to get his future birthday and christmas presents!

Friday was a nice day, Tom had a swimming lesson first thing.  Following his swimming session with us on Saturday, Matt had said to him that he would get a present if he swims a width by himself.  He got in the pool and swam a width easily, in fact so easily that he was staring at us and grinning as he did it (his head didn't go near the water!).  The little monkey!  He was very pleased with himself and ignored what the teacher said to him for the rest of the lesson and just kept swimming!  We were very proud and yes he got a present.  It was his last session, the teacher said that he is a swimmer now and that he needs to work on his reach with his hands to give him more propulsion.  

We then had lunch at Inglesport before heading to Ribblehead to get our train to London.  Tom was as excited as always and we had a good trip down arriving on time.