Mummy and Tom Weekend

Looking for specimens

Tom and I spent the weekend together as Matt was leading a translator's walk on Saturday (we were a little too nervous to take him to the open countryside so soon after his episode, especially as Matt was in charge and therefore unable to help if anything happened.  On Sunday he was playing cricket, so we were left to our devices.  We had a lovely quiet weekend - just what we needed after last week!

A newt?

On Saturday we joined up with the Bickerstaffs and went pond dipping up at Ingleborough Nature Reserve (we didn't even know the Reserve existed until Janine told us about it).  So armed with a net and tupperware we headed up there.  We had a great time, we found 3 ponds and a waterfall and river.

Dipping

One pond was full to bursting with tadpoles - some were big and fat, some had legs.  Many were caught and prodded and poked.  We then went to look at the waterfall and did more dipping. We found lots of larvae and slug type things.  Craig found a small frog, a big frog and a newt (he was doing so well at finding the big things, we half expected him to find a crocodile!)

We then found some more ponds complete with lily pads and fish.  A fab way to spend a couple of hours.

Just as we were about to leave I noticed my fitbit was missing.  I was devastated.  The Bickerstaffs had to leave, so Tom and I stayed and spent an hour going over our footsteps trying to find it - but to no avail, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack!

Lillies

We decided to carry on to Hawes for a circuit of the cheese tasting room and tea and a bun.  Matt then called to say he had finished his walk and was heading to Ribblehead to watch a steam train cross the viaduct.  We thought this would be a good idea so headed over there as well.  We waited a good amount of time but it didn't come.  Then Matt spotted us and came over, apparently it was still in Appleby and not moving - so we headed home.

Sunday, Tom went to his cricket practise in the morning (he did really well too - was named best bowler).  We then headed off to the Lake District (Matt stayed at home as he was playing cricket) - the plan being to go for lunch at the Motor Museum and then go to Miller Beck.  However, just as we drove past the Bickerstaff's house I got a call from Janine: Jack had been in an accident and she was away from home in the car.  I did a U-turn and headed to her house to find Jack on the sofa with a small cut to his nose - Craig had managed to hit him with a spade as he was digging the pond.  He had told Jack to stand back many times, but of course he was too curious to heed the warning.

Splashing in the Beck

On the Boggy Bottom Light Railway Train

It wasn't a bad cut, but it was deep.  Craig wanted to take him to A&E, so I got on the phone to Matt so he could find out where A&E was (Lancaster) and we all piled into the car and headed off.  (Tom was upset that he wouldn't be going to Miller Beck but understood that Jack needed the Dr more than he needed Miller Beck!).  We had an uneventful trip there, dropped them off (Janine was meeting them there - as she was in Blackpool) and then we headed to Miller Beck after picking up some sandwiches from a garage to eat in the car on the way over.

Exlploring

We got to Miller Beck around 2pm - the sun was out and all was well.  We had 3 train trips all together - two on steam trains and one diesel.  There was a Thomas story time and of course the beck to play in.  Luckily I had packed Tom's river shoes, so he was straight in and very wet very quickly.  So it ended up a good day in the end.

We headed back home and found Matt already back - having won at cricket - first Ingleton win that he's been involved in this year!