Usually at this time of year I’m getting ready for our summer trip, organising equipment, travel and training ready for the coming adventure. However, the past ten days have passed in a frantic haze of caffeine fuelled activity that has left little time for sleep or alpine preparations. Since my last day of working in the mountains, standing on the summit of Tryfan as the sun rose, much has happened!

After running the safety and logistics for an ‘Ironman’ triathlon event, I’ve also dug out my suit and prepared and given a couple of speeches about Outdoor Education.

While all this has been happening, the final set of builders have finished insulating The Cottage. We’ve been cleaning and decorating around them until late into the evenings, when we’ve tried to nip out and catch the sun sets.

One morning, we took a swim in the river, but recent rains had chilled the water right down and it felt freezing cold! Was good to make use of the few spare moments though to get a buzz!

Meanwhile, this video gives a little insight to Cottage life this week. With hours to go before leaving The Cottage, the scaffolding came down and the last workers van rolled away. We packed hoovered, dusted all over again hoping that we’d got everything sorted. Clare arrived home from working in the city on Wednesday evening and by Thursday afternoon we’d got to Fort Martin. It’s Friday morning now and we’re on the tunnel train, finally alpine bound…. Phew!….