3 Peaks are conquered

Grubby fingers

So, last week we were back to the usual routine.  Tom at school Monday to Friday, and Matt and I working - I had to get into the swing of a daily work routine again after quite a long time off.  Tom is also doing football on a Tuesday after school (this term with Finn and Matthew and Isabella which is great - he didn't have any friends last term) and swimming on a Wednesday after school.

So we are all quite busy.  Tom is getting used to doing more work at school, he is certainly coming back with more info about 'working', especially maths - I can't remember him ever saying that he did maths in Reception.

Typical that the weather cheered up as soon as he went back to school, and typical that both Matt and I are busy at work, meaning we can't enjoy it!  Sod's law of course!

Sleeping!

The weekend started with a bang, we met up with Rachael, Graham and Isabella at The Game Cock for tea.  Tom and Isabella had a ball.  After dinner (they shared a pizza over candlelight) they headed out to the beer garden and ran and ran and ran (well when they weren't stamping imaginary ghosts into the ground, or sleeping together on a bench etc etc)  We of course had a wonderful time watching them play, and stayed until it got too cold to stay out any longer.  A very good evening, just what Tom needed (he came home on Thursday with cuts and grazes on his hip, chest, arm and head after having been knocked flying in the playground and was sad all afternoon).  We call came home happy.

The Blea Moor Troll

Saturday was a nice day so we decided to climb Whernside (the highest mountain in Yorkshire) and the last of the 3 peaks for Tom to climb.  Unfortunately there were a lot of 3 Peakers on the mountain, making it a little congested, but this didn't seem to bother Tom.  In fact I think he bothered more people being so small and happily walking up the trail without missing a breath, while they were struggling and complaining!  Typical quote from the day, "Mummy, why are you making that noise?!" I try to catch my breath to tell him I can't breathe!

Tasty gold medal

The trail to Whernside is full of interest: the beginning of it is parallel to the Settle and Carlisle railway, then there is a troll bridge and an aqueduct to walk across, and then it is a gentle uphill walk up past a waterfall and a lake to the top of the mountain.  It is just over 4 miles to the top so a decent walk.  We had plenty of rests and got there in good time to have a picnic and Tom was chuffed to make it to the top and be called '3 Peaks Tom'!

The highest boy in Yorkshire

We headed back down the same way.  Tom once again didn't seem to realise he was doing any exercise and chatted the whole way down.  When we got to the aqueduct we bumped into one of his class mates, Lucy, her Dad and her little sister Katie who were just finishing a picnic.

Ministry of Silly Walks

They headed back to the road with us.  This was perfect, Tom might have slowed down and got whiny during this part, but he now had two girls to impress.  So what did he do...he ran the remaining 2 miles back to the car, not even in a straight line as he an Lucy were playing hide and seek with Katie!  All 3 did really well, so well that we all headed to the pub for a well deserved drink before saying our goodbyes.  We didn't really know Lucy until today, she is a real sweetie, her sister too.  I'm yet to come across a child I don't like in Tom's class, they all seem really lovely children.


Sunday Tom was pretty zonked from his exertions yesterday.  We were going to go for a lap around the Dales in the car, taking in places we haven't yet been, but just as we were getting ready, we heard from Jude that she and Craig were in the area and would we like to meet up.  We did, so we quickly packed up and headed to Ambleside where we met them (they had been to a wedding in Hawkshead).  We went for tea and a bun and then a little bit of shopping.  Tom wasn't exactly the life and soul of the party, but wasn't grumpy, just wasn't his usual lively self.