After the very pleasant surprise of waking up in a proper bed we all eventually got up and breakfasted. The sun was shining for a while so a plan was hatched to drop Lynda and I off at Morrisons for some food supplies, then for Ady, Davies and Scarlett to be dropped off at Ben Nevis visitor centre before Stuart collected Lynda and I and we dropped food back at the cottage before joining the others. All a bit fox, chicken and grain – which reminds me I was telling Davies about that puzzle and he wants to know more about it so I promised to look it up for him online as I know there were ever increasingly complicated versions of it and he likes things like that.
In the event Davies decided he wanted to come with Lynda and I so Stuart dropped the three of us off and we got all the various components for a roast dinner while he nipped back for Ady and Scarlett. He then collected us, dropped Davies and I off with Ady and Scarlett and we arranged to meet up with Lynda and Stuart again a little later on for a lift back.
Lynda and Stuart climbed Ben Nevis a few years ago having practised on smaller munroes and hills for quite a while and kitting themselves out with the appropriate gear. Ady is very taken with the idea of climbing it and so we went to look at the visitor centre and start walking the very first bit of it to see how we felt about it. Scarlett is all for it, Davies is rather less energetic and as I mentioned last week I have my whole own theory on climbing mountains ;). We did all go a little way up today though. We have decided as it is the best part of an 8 hour walk all the way up and back down again and there are very firm recommendations about kit, footwear, provisions, navigation tools etc. that this is not the right time to do it with threats of snow and high winds and a distinct lack of decent footwear – I have steel capped boots or DMs, the kids have wellies or their primark boots. We will walk it one day, when we move up here though.
Back at the cottage we had lunch and then Ady and I got dinner on – roast chicken and all the trimmings followed by apple pie using apples Lynda and Stuart had brought from their garden. Scarlett commented that it felt like Christmas and it did actually, all very cosy and festive and sociable :).
After dinner we all watched Countryfile and then put on UP that L&S had brought along with them. Ady and I both had baths (although I managed to catch both the beginning and end of the film with the two bits that made me cry at the cinema and everyone laughed at me!) followed by chatting and bed.
L&S are very relaxed, easy company, dote on the kids and we have a perfect balance of them having paid for the cottage (and all the food so far, although we are paying for the rest) while Ady and I revel in having a kitchen to cook in again. So they get a nice break and are very well looked after, we get to enjoy playing hosts and a lovely time in a cottage – win:win 🙂
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Still haven’t watched UP. Don’t think I should. The cottage sounds lovely, enjoy your week xx
Comment by Michelle — 24 October 2011 @ 8:13 am