Jack and Maisie arrived at our van this morning while we were still breakfasting (acually I was still technically in bed but I was awake and in the process of putting make up on, so sort of up). Lorna joined them while Julie was washing up and then the four big kids set off to climb a mountain 🙂 We are surrounded in all four directions by mountains or very large hills and they had decided they wanted to climb one. So they set off with water supplies and a rucksack packed with essentials and Julie, Lorna, Ady and I put up Julie’s awning and then settled down to drink tea and chat. Davies kept me updated by phone on their progress including a picture message of the campsite from above and a little video message with all of them waving and reassuring us they were fine and well 🙂 Very cute and funny. They rang again to let us know they were halfway and could see Julie’s tent so we all went outside to wave to them and then again when they reached the actual top.
We made lunch for us once they had reached the top – and for Jack who had called it a day at the halfway point and come back down on his own. Jack was feeling ill so went for a lie down and fell asleep for an hour or so. The wanderers returned ravenous and victorious 🙂 so we fed them too. They didn’t stop for long and were off playing again within half an hour. Jack woke feeling a bit better and ready for a walk into the town.
We went along the tow path beside the canal and saw the ponies pulling the barges. Scarlett and Maisie spotted an eel and we saw loads of fish and ducks swimming along the canal.
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We had a good look around the town, checked out the charity shops, Julie picked up some bits in the wholefood store and the deli and we all had an ice cream. Scarlett was desperate to show Maisie the little gift shop she had so liked when we were here last all crammed with crystals and trinkets so I took the girls in there while Ady took the boys to the train station and Julie and Lorna followed at Lorna pace along behind. We caught up with them at the station just in time for the girls to run ahead and meet up with Ady and the boys to stand on the bridge while a train went under which they all loved.
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Amazing how different they all look in a group line up now (including the additional little one on the end!)
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We walked back slowly and then had a communal cook up of some bison burgers Julie had brought along and some beefburgers we had brought. The kids did some more roaming off and about and I caught up on phonecalls to my Granny and parents before having a last half an hour chatting with Julie and drinking some elderflower champagne that Chris had been given by the Roddick (as in Anita of Body Shop fame) family who he works for sometimes and Julie had brought along to share as her and Chris really don’t drink.
We’ve had lovely weather all day and it’s been fab hanging out and enjoying being with them all 🙂 It’s been a mad southwards dash really considering we are heading for Scotland but totally worth it to snatch a few days together, particularly in somewhere we are so fond of anyway :).