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

Morning mists soon cleared to give a nice day on the west coastal path of the Isle of Man. To be honest, it was a pretty chilled day for me, dropping in on various check points and checking that the team were surviving!   At a tiny, beautiful and secluded beach near Fleshwick, I couldn’t… Read more