Well that’s it done for a while and what a day to finish on! Total contrast to recent conditions in the mountains. The van is yet to be unpacked and the bags full of kit from the last few weeks can be dealt with tomorrow, but I’ll be sleeping in my own bed tonight Read more

I finished the first aid course on Tuesday evening with another dip in the lake as the temperatures were still sky high. After having had a few gruesome scenarios to deal with, I met with some friends for an ice cream on the way home. Unbelievable heat.  I managed another night at The Cottage before Read more

When the weather is this good and it’s almost mid-summer, it’s amazing what you can pack into a day! Got back to The Cottage quite late last night and early next morning, I was dealing with this!…. As part of my outdoor qualifications, I have to undergo a two-day First Aid course every three years, Read more

Gold DofE on the Isle of Man – a bit of rhyming nonsense… Gold DofE? Sounds good to me,  A week away, just wandering free. Lake District? Nah, a better plan, is, Take the ferry to Isle of Man. With all we need upon our back,  All neatly packed in a rucksack. We’ll hike a Read more

Waking up to blue skies on a quiet cliff top gave a refreshing start to a day.    I sorted out kit back down at Calf Sound, then checked a few beaches in the hopes of a swim/wash. Didn’t get in, in the end, but did find the boys as they marched triumphantly, yet wearily Read more

A very bright dawn woke me at 5:47, but by the time I surfaced from the tent, a cold sea mist had rolled in! You can just spot my yellow tent in this picture.   I spent a lovely morning down at the southern most tip of the Island, watch seals on the Calf of Read more