Autumn stuff

 Covid restrictions lifted in time for a great September with great weather.  Whilst our travel options were limited as we were trying to sell Carole's Mum's old bungalow.  Typically the sale fell through.  We still managed camper van trips, a birthday weekend, lots of cycling and some dinghy sailing and wild swimming. All in all not a bad September! We are so lucky and never forget it.

Camper van trips to Scotland and the Lakes

I was talking to a friend at Arnside Sailing Club and he told me about a small camp site at Sorbie near Garlieston, Dumfries and Galloway, out of curiosity I looked up the site and rang them, expecting them to be full but they'd just had a cancellation so we grabbed the chance for a few days away.  Great little site with a restaurant next-door.  Not so good for walking but Carole swam nearby at the Isle of Whithorn and in Garlieston harbour. 

Sorbie campsite

Garlieston Harbour swim

Isle of Whithorn harbour, the location of the first Christian chapel in Britain, St Ninian's, in AD390

We also snuck off to Park Coppice, Coniston. The weather was wet to say the least but we managed some walking (wading) around the lake and thoroughly enjoyed it.  And of course Carole swam in Coniston, despite the weather.

The Ship Inn, Bowmanstead, Coniston, a shortish and very dark walk from the campsite.

Boy did it rain

But we found a warm spot, with its own brewery - The Black Bull, Coniston

It actually stopped raining when Carole went for a swim...

Birthday Bash

Carole, Jen, Kyri and I went up to the Low Wood Hotel for my birthday weekend treat, 5 star, spa and a top restaurant.  My kind of swimming in a heated outdoor pool, my favourite walk up Dow Crag and onto the back of Coniston Old Man, fabulous food and to cap it all, the sunset of the year! Loved it.

Not a bad spot

A room with a view

My sort of swimming - warm!

On our way up Dow Crag, Becca came too, there was a LOT of stopping for photos

Scaring the sheep

We took the tricky route

And the weather turned Lakeland just before the top of the Old Man

Kyri and Jen on the peak cairn, a PB for Kyri at 2632.6 feet!

Simply stunning

Swimming

Jen got Carole a book on secret(?) wild places in the Lakes which covers a lot of amazing swimming spots so we managed to tick off a few including Banishead Quarry on the way down from Coniston Old Man on my birthday bash.  Jen's mate Becca went in too, Jen, Kyri and I admired their fortitude from a suitably dry spot.

Banishead Quarry, above Torver, Coniston

Carole and Becca braved the deep and very cold water.

Cycling

After much research and soul searching I bought myself a new bike to "complement" my much loved and very well travelled Galaxy touring bike.  I got a Giant Revolt gravel bike, or GRAVEL CRUSHER as the advert says, much to Carole's amusement!

A carbon framed beauty

It was a tough ride!