Ullswater

Start of the hols and what a kick. We went to Ullswater and stayed on the lake shore at a campsite.
The weather started out really warm and we thought we were in for a great time. But by Thursday the weather had won. From Sunday to Thursday though we packed a whole lot of fun and exercise into the days.

We cycled quite a few times into Pooley Bridge, Three pubs, Three shops, One church, a tea room and public loos with a ferry port for the Ullswater Steamers. One day we cycled to Howtown a small Hamlet on the lake side we had morning drinks at the Howtown Hotel what a lovely place. The room we sat in was like a "snug" with oak panelled walls and stained glass and tea and coffee in real cups, a change after drinking wine from a plastic cup from a well known Swedish furniture store. We cycled down to the pier and we were just in time to see the ferry pull up alongside. Quite a few German hikers kitted out in the finest of walking clothes disembarked. I can't help wondering what they thought of us waiting to get on with not a Berghaus item anywhere to be seen. Anyway the trip up the lake to Pooley Bridge was magnificent the Steamer I was reliably informed was 118 years old. We passed another steamer going in the opposite direction which was the oldest in the 4 steamer fleet at 130 years and they were both in pristine working order hats off the to Steamer Company of Ullswater.

We also visited Glenridding where we had an enjoyable rest and game of hide and seek in the long grass. The views are incredible made all the more exciting when an old bomber came over the hills and flew low level over the lake in true Dambuster style.

The lake looked very serene but we heard tales of paddlers going out a short way and then losing their footing over the ledge and drowning, not so serene then. We had great fun at the Camp site playing a few games we had brought with us Yes/No game, Tangrams and Guess Who all traditional none electronic which allowed the younger people to make up variations of the themes.
The campsite was well run and although the amenities were basic they were well cleaned, the lady on toilet duty went about her job with a passion and was obviously a perfectionist which was appreciated especially the morning I saw her frantically trying to rid the toilet block of its many flies. The windsurfing was great if gusty, a particular facet of Ullswater I was told by a fellow wind surfer who flew across the lake like a dart when the wind was in the right direction.
I found the waves from the streamers particularly challenging but learned a great deal. My Gybing is improving no end and as soon as I get proper harness lines I am sure I will be able to hook in without using my hands to do it.
The kayak we brought along was great the kids loved it. We had a trip to Keswick which I think was the thing that prompted us to come home, The previous night I had been awake with the pounding rain and wind I thought at one point the tent was going to end up in OZ ( and I had no red shoes).
The Campsite was obviously awash with water, not a bad thing but walking around Keswick, a fine place nonetheless was really what made us decide to come home.
We have become expert tent erectors and dismantlers though and what took initially 3 hours to work out is down to about 1 hour still 20 minutes shy of the 40 min's the manufacturers say it takes to erect though but you know what they say "practice makes perfect.
Would I do the camping thing again? Yes.
Would I take as much stuff as I did this time? No.
Would I go back to the lakes again? Without a doubt.
We had a really good time all round. See the pictures to get a feel for the place, Berghaus or no it is a wonderful place.
Photos

Blogging in Media rich world

Just tell me how do people find the time to write a blog when there are so many other things around for them to do, social events, family events and I include supermarket shopping here, leisure events. The list is endless, I am writing this now because I saw I hadn't written anything since my first post shameful I know but I lead a busy life... well I don't really I just like to think I do, as most of us we can readily put off doing the jobs we know have to get done because we are so busy.
Changing banks now that is a chore when you are fed up with the bank you have been with for 15 yrs because they were not there for you when you needed them. It is only then that you realise how mean they can be. So it is their fault that you are changing banks but they make it as hard as anything, they want all correspondence in triplicate you have to have written consent from both parties of the joint account even though you have already furnished them with that information.
I am at present the proud owner of two bank accounts an old one which has no direct debits as I have cancelled them all with my salary in and a new one from which my direct debits are going to come out with nothing in. Interesting state of affairs eh? What's the bet that direct debits come out of the wrong place and I end up paying for the privilege. Anyway that's the world we live in. I look at the world and hear of children killing each other whilst starving. I hear of people blowing themselves apart in the name of religion, of parents searching in vain for their children who have gone missing whilst on holiday and I think that my bank problems are minuscule in comparison. Well that's that off my chest... I do feel better now and I am resigned to keep up this blog ( the road to hell is paved with good intentions) I suppose only time will tell. Compare the times of the next post and that will give the answer.