Easter Holidays

The Easter holidays are finally with us - phew!  We have all had colds, been working too hard and are ALL in need of a break.  

The plan is to try to switch off and relax, and maybe even get out and a bit fitter.

Friday night I started to feel unwell - funny throat, phlegm, tossing and turning at night etc, headache in the morning.  I was sure I was coming down with something.  Typical!  Tested for Covid, negative - phew.  We decided to head out for the day, I wanted sea air, so we went to Bolton-le-Sands and Archers Cafe for lunch and then walked north along the shore, across fields and back along the canal.  It was so nice to discover a new walk, it was a nice day - not a hint of a breeze so I didn't really get any sea air but it was good for the soul and I felt so much better afterwards, if a little tired.   Came home, had a bath and collapsed.

Sunday I was feeling much better - phew!  After a leisurely breakfast we decided to go on a bike ride, the first family bike ride of the year.  We got all our gear out and headed out on a route to Clapham Station, then Clapham and back again.  11.5 miles all together with a fair amount of elevation.  It took just over an hour which was pretty good.  It was Tom's first time on his bike in ages.  It took a little while for us to work out a rhythm which worked and then we were good.  What gets me is that Tom doesn't even get slightly out of breath, HOW?!  I really enjoy going for bike rides now, my e-bike makes it all so wonderful.  I keep up with the boys and enjoy the ride, makes such a difference. 

Monday we packed up ready for our couple of days in Cumbria.  It took us half a day to get ready - always so much to remember, plus I decided to make tea and take it with us so that took some time too.  We had all the left overs in the fridge fried up for lunch and then headed out.  Our plan was to drive to Penrith - go food shopping and then head over to our lodge in time for 4pm check in time. However as we we entered Kirkby I just thought I would check had packed his walking boots as the plan was to go for a mountain walk if the weather allows.  Blank face!  Oops!  So, Tom and I went to Booths in Kirkby whilst Matt went back for his boots (words were spoken!). 

After that little hiccup we headed off, by-passed Penrith and went straight to the lodge.  We got there almost bang on check in time.  Yay.  Checked in, unpacked and headed straight to the hot tub - now he have done quite a few of these hot tub places before and normally the hot tub is set to 40 which is ok, but not mega hot, you can stay in for ages and not get overly hot.  This place is different, the heat stung your skin as you stepped in and after 15 minutes we were all very red and sweating.  Fantastic.  We all stayed in a little too long, when we got out we were all a bit floppy and had to lie down to recover!  Matt and I had headaches too (may have had a celebratory alcoholic beverage beforehand).

Anyway, a lie down, then tea, a game of wingspan and we headed back in again.  Came out floppy again, lay down again and went to bed around 11pm

Tuesday - woke up late to a grey rainy day!  Oh hum, we had a feeling this might happen which is why we booked a hot tub lodge.  It wasn't chucking it down, so after a lazy lie in, breakfast and hot tub dip  (we have learnt our lesson and took soft drinks with us to drink whilst in it) we headed out to the coast to Silloth.  Matt had been there once on his motorbike.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  Most English seaside towns are a bit miserable.  This one wasn't.  There was an obvious sense of civic pride with all the seafront buildings newly painted and a huge pristine village green.  We went for a wander.  It was very very windy.  Somehow we found ourselves at the local amusements - once again the building was immaculate - inside and out.  I have never seen a cleaner amusements ever.  We changed up £3 into 2ps and away we went.  We did well, probably took about an hour to spend it all - they had the usual 2p shove halfpenny machines, but also 2p one arm bandits and 2p betting machines all of which were ace and very clean?!  We then headed into town for lunch and found ourselves at the very lovely looking Mrs Wilson's Coffee House - all very nicely done - named after an award winning opera singer from the 1940s.  Tom went for a banana and white chocolate crepe whilst Matt and I were a little more sensible and had quiche and loaded chips.  All very lovely, if a bit naughty.  We then went in search for the motorcycle museum which was closed, carried on and found one of those sell everything shops, and what a shop!  It looked small from the outside but was big.  It sold seaside stuff, kitchenware, DIY stuff, arts and crafts, food, alcohol, rodent killers, lama slippers, the most fantastic sweets, broken biscuits, lightbulbs - well everything!  I asked if there was anything they didn't sell - the answer was confetti - they were asked for some last week and were upset they didn't have it!  We bought an eclectic array of things.

Afterwards, we thought we should walk off our lunch so went in search of the lighthouse on the sea front.  We walked to it (quite underwhelming) but the sea was angry and it was very windy - to our favour until we turned around and walked back...wowzers, it was sooooo windy, it was a work out to move at all!  We battled against it and saw a RNLI shop in the distance and headed to that, walked in to two lovely ladies who made us feel very welcome as we recovered.  Ended up spending quite a bit there! We then somehow found ourselves back in the sell everything shop, bought even more goodies, before returning to the van and heading back to the lodge via the coast road.  Did a quick detour into Maryport and found an aquarium and indoor climbing centre - think we maybe back to to play there as the weather does look terrible for the week.  We then headed home via Bassenthwaite and drove past a beautiful looking set of railway carriages that have been turned into a cafe - suddenly we remembered that Katie and co had been there and said how fantastic it was, so we think we will head back to visit that too.  

We got back, had a dip, recovered, had tea, a game of Wingspan, another dip, recovered and bed!

Wednesday - after looking at the weather for Wednesday on Tuesday night (rain, wind, grey) we planned ahead.  So we booked breakfast at Bassenthwaite Lake Station in the Orient Express coaches, then we decided to head back to Maryport to go to the aquarium and then we booked a session at the clip and climb (Tom loves his climbing).  So a full day to enjoy despite the weather.  We had to get up early: 8.30 and headed to Bassenthwaite.  All was going well until the last road which was closed and we ended up being massively diverted (we are talking 10 to 15 minutes) trying to work out how to get to where we needed to go - not helped by the fact that I can't read a map on the go anymore, especially without glasses!  

We got there about 10 minutes late, but it was fine, they weren't inundated.  It was very lovely, deep blue navy carriages big chairs and pleasant service.  I went all posh and had eggs benedict - very very lovely too - proper carved ham and posh grainy mustard.  The boys went for bacon / sausage butties.  When we were ready to leave the heavens opened - it chucked it down and guess what...our coats were in the van!  We hung around hoping it would ease.  It didn't!  We got soaked in the 20 seconds it took us to get back to the van - oh hum, just as well the van has heated seats!

We headed over to Maryport and went to the aquarium.  It wasn't huge and there weren't any star attraction fish, but to be fair, they packed a fair bit in, and we all enjoyed it.  Our tickets included a free 14 hole round of mini golf and when we came out of the aquarium it was sunny so we decided to take the plunge and do it and hope the weather was good to us.  We were lucky, the weather was good and we had fun - the course was quite inventive too.  

Matt, of course won big time: he got 29, I got 50 (not helped by me scoring 10 at the last hole which was a simple putt which I just couldn't get - Matt and Tom both got a hole in one for that one which shows how rubbish I was!) and Tom 57, so I didn't come last!  We then snuck into the aquarium cafe for a little bite to eat (I certainly wasn't that hungry after my mammoth breakfast!)  

Then back to the van and we all got changed for click and climb.  We had all booked on (knowing that Matt and I would probably be the only adults doing it)  I was a little trepidacious having never been climbing before and also I'm not exactly slim and fit at the moment, however, decided it was a good thing to do something out of my comfort zone.  We had a briefing and were let loose on the various walls.  Think the average age of the kids doing it was about 10 - all lovely and slender, all their parents were watching.  Oh hum, guess we are the only 'fun' parents then.  I was a little scared, chose a wall got attached to it by a guy who then told me it was the hardest one - typical!  I moved to another, which apparently was easy, but I found it hard.  I also was worried about the auto belay taking my weight and what to do when at the top.  

 the wall I had was out of view from most people so I had a play and discovered it did take my weight but I was slightly out of control coming down.  I tried a 'typical' climbing wall and did ok - I got to the top, let go and then spun out of control and hit my back on the grips.  

Oops, don't think I did that properly.  I tried again, used my feet more to push off at the top and did better - phew!  By then my arms were shaking, so I watched Matt and Tom a bit before having a go on some other walls.  Some were ok, some were impossible (for me - especially the ones without proper hand grips).  I think they are really made for kids, but I am really pleased I gave it a go and got over my initial fear!  Matt and Tom, of course just leaped up them all.  I was very pleased when they called time as my arms were killing me!  We came out, went for a little walk in the harbour and then headed home to the hot tub to relieve our aching muscles. 

Thursday - hummm, we didn't cover ourselves in glory today!  So, the weather was supposed to be nice today and we were going to climb a mountain.  But it was windy, with forecast of showers, so we decided against that.  Next option: a bike ride...Matt's knee was hurting after banging it at climbing yesterday, so he went for a lap of the lodge park to check it out, he thought we would be ok.  So we headed out to Greystoke - where there is a forest of trails - we figured we wouldn't get too wet if we were in a forest.  We headed out, wowzers it was cold.  Matt was struggling with the hills.  We got to Greystoke ok, it had a pub and shop and was about half way round.  We decided to carry on, but then it was a huge hill out of Greystoke, Matt struggled and had to walk with his bike.  

Humm, he carried on, but when we got to a village called Berrier, he was in pain and didn't want to go any further.  It was freezing cold, windy and beginning to sleet.  We had to leave him behind and then Tom and I cycled as fast as we could back to the lodge park - easier said than done with freezing wind and sleet.  Bless Tom, cold wind has never been his idea of fun, but he knew he had to keep going so he did.  Not sure how long it took us to get back, but it was a fair chunk of time.  We literally dumped our bikes, got in the van and headed back to Matt.  We found him in Berrier, sheltering behind a wall.  He couldn't move he was so cold.  We both had to help him to the van and put him on the headed passenger seat, whilst we struggled to get his bike in the van - it didn't want to fit, but eventually through sheer determination and by moving everything in the van around we finally got it in and headed back to the lodge.  There we got his clothes off, put him to bed with blankets and a woolly hat on and put the heating up to max to get him to thaw out.  He came back to 'normal' Matt surprisingly quickly, but it was a little scary for a bit. 

With hindsight, what we should have done was get Matt and Tom to cycle / walk back to Greystoke where there was a pub where they could warm up.  Then I could have cycled at turbo speed back to the lodge to pick up the van and then picked up Tom from the pub, took him back and then returned for Matt.  Isn't hindsight a great thing?  Basically we need to not go cycling when one of us is injured, we don't know the route and the weather looks cold.  Something to remember for next time!

We had lunch in the lodge, we all had showers, a game of Wingspan and then we were all ready for a dip in the hot tub which was just lovely.  Then a chilled afternoon, tea and a bit earlier to bed than we have been managing to recover from the ordeal!