So, this is probably going to start as a quick post which turns into a long waffle, winding round and round till finally getting to the point. But hey – you start rambling more as you get older. And I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while now.
Who’s excited about being able to travel a bit further afield and start exploring the wild places again? I know I am! Our local, open spaces have provided some much needed outdoors time, but honestly, I can’t wait to visit somewhere new. Saying that, we visited a not been to in recent memory, local National Trust site recently and had a really fab time. We strolled through the woods and gardens, Rowan spotted birds and Rocky handled all the other dogs brilliantly – what a brave doggo!
It seems like such a long time ago, especially having been working from home due to coronavirus for a year now, but I sitting at my desk at work, I happened to mention I fancied going wild camping. I work with plenty of brilliant people, two of whom are Angela and Beth. As it turned out, they also fancied a bit of wild camping and so we had the start of a plan! After synchronising diaries, and geeking out over the OS Maps app (ok, that was mostly me), we had a date and location in mind. Now it was time to prepare.
Standing at 290 metres, Castle Crag is the smallest fell in Alfred Wainwright’s pictorial guides. However, what it lacks in height, it more than makes up for in character. I’ve walked up Castle Crag a few times, and know how lovely yet interesting it is, so when my Mum decided to join me and Rowan for her first Lakeland hill walk, it seemed like the perfect choice. And given that the route I’d planned took us to, what Alfred Wainwright described as, the loveliest square mile in Lakeland, we were in for a brilliant day out.
Standing at 2,866 feet, Goat Fell is the highest mountain on Arran. On our first visit to the island, we decided against trying to reach the summit. It would have been by far the furthest and highest Rowan had walked, so we didn’t want to over-do it and potentially put him off days out in the mountains. But for our latest visit, and with Birkhouse Moor under his belt, we decided he would probably be ok. We just needed a decent mountain forecast during the week – and we were in luck.
Can you believe it’s December already? It’s certainly been a unusual/difficult year for most of us, but hopefully you have been able to get outside, maybe exploring local areas a bit more. We’ve recently been to local parkland watching the deer, and I’ve also found a quiet local field that has great visibility. Having visibility is fab for me and my two fearful mutts as they get a bit of off lead running and I can keep an eye out for other “scary” dawgs whilst watching their happy faces as they charge about. It’s certainly better than pavement pounding.
Long summer days mean it’s possible to really make the most of where you are visiting on holiday. After chilling on the beach by the Preaching Cave in Kilpatrick, we drove round the southern edge of the island to Sandbraes, just past Whiting Bay. Parking alongside some playing fields in front of the Whiting Bay and Kildonan Church (postcode KA27 8RE) just off the A841, we bundled out of the car for our second stroll of the day, this time, to Kingscross Point.
After a changeable day wandering round North Glen Sannox, we woke to glorious sunshine – perfect for the two walks we had planned. First up, would be the Preaching Cave at Kilpatrick.
It’s #AdventureCalling time again! How is everyone doing? Rowan is now back at school and loving being able to see his friends again. And while our Dig Camp at Lindisfarne had been cancelled due to coronavirus, we were still able to spend the weekend exploring the island – and what an island it is too! What has everyone else been up to?
In 2018, our honeymoon took us to the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. We fell in love with the place. So much so, we were back again the following year, this time bringing along my Mum, Dad and sister, Karen. Whilst driving around during our prior visit, I kept noticing a path running alongside a river in the mountainous north of the island. It was so inviting, and it was now time to see where it led.
