A Simple Life of Luxury

Sorry Anna, but I couldn’t resist posting this as it makes me giggle every time I see it…. Watch out Lewis Hamilton, she’s after your job!!

F1 Anna

Playing in the water at Somerford Keynes

After a busy day on Saturday, the plan for Sunday was a day by the lakeside at the Cotswold Water Park.

Thankfully the weather co-operated and we had what was probably the best day so far of the summer with temperatures at around 30ºC and glorious sunshine. A little too hot really, but we are British and therefore never completely happy about the weather!

Of course, the warm weather and the school holidays meant that it was pretty busy at Somerford keynes, but we soon found a spot and set up camp for the day. The lake itself is quite large with several different areas. We had been to one area before where you can hire canoes and such like, but today we went to the area specifically for under 8’s. It has various bits of playground equipment, a small artificial sandy beach and a small enclosed shallow area of the lake. This meant that the little-ones could run around and play all day long whilst the adults sat and relaxed. Not really my sort of thing so I soon had itchy feet and wanted to do something, but Morgan was having fun so in the end watching him play with his cousins was my entertainment for the day, interspersed with the odd little stroll here and there.

There is also a large beach-like area opposite the children’s area where there are playgrounds for older children and a designated swimming area. This area is larger than the ‘younger children’s’ area. We did have out inflatable canoe with us and probably should have pumped it up and put it on the water but we weren’t sure of the restrictions. Also I would have had to do this away from everyone else which wasn’t really the idea. I was hoping we would have been able to use it on the lake and let everyone have a go so that I could have taken the children on trips of ‘adventure and exploration’ around the lake. Maybe next time.

As well as the various swimming areas and the watersports region of the lake, there is also a shop, lots of barbeque area and a high ropes adventure facility. It is also possible to fish on the lake and I’m sure there are some decent fish in there. We saw loads of baby fish in the swimming area and from the balcony around the shop it was possible to see loads of huge mirror carp too.

All in all it was a good day out with perfect weather, nice lake scenery and most importantly Morgan got to play with his cousins all day long.

It didn’t end there either because once home The water-slide came out in the garden and Morgan, Megan, Harry, Charlie, Jack, Kia and Shaun had a whale of a time playing in the garden too.

Anna enjoying the sunshine

Morgan playing in a rubber dinghy

Fun in the sun at Cotswold Water Park

Somerford Keynes Water Park

We’ve just got back from a busy weekend. We drove to my parents house in South Gloucestershire on Friday evening. Saturday was then spent first taking my car to a garage in Dursley. Mitsubishi had recalled all cars like mine to have a part exchanged so as they were doing it for free in it went and we found a playground for Morgan to play on.

Next stop was a trip to Ikea for Anna. It isn’t often that we get to go to ‘big’ shops. We had breakfast in Ikea although I think I was cheated out of a sausage and a hash brown! We then bought a few bits and pieces before heading off to the Early Learning Centre where Morgan bought a new toy! Next was lunch in the Pizza Hut Another treat whilst in the big smoke!

We then drove out of Bristol and back to South Gloucestershire, up onto the Cotswolds and visited the National Trust property of Newark House. Morgan fell asleep on the way there so we sat in the car park for a while. Anna had a sleep too so I sat there twiddling my thumbs waiting for them both to wake up. By the time we were ready it was getting late so we didn’t have much time but we did manage a quick look around the house and a quick stroll through the woodland garden.

Newark House is situated high on Cotswold Hills so has some really nice views over the rolling Gloucestershire countryside. Many of the views are completely devoid of anything from the 20th Century. The house itself started life as a hunting lodge in 1550 and is now owned by the Clutterbuck family who bought it in 1790. The Clutterbuck Family still own it and live in it although some parts are open to the public.

Morgan quite enjoyed his quick look around the house as there was a little teddy-bear hunt with bears hidden in each room for the little-ones to find.

After wandering around the house we had an ice cream and then took a stroll through the woodland and down to the lake before heading back to my parents for dinner.

As with many National Trust properties, the admission price is quite steep unless you have an annual membership or are particularly interested in the history. We like stopping off at these places and with a membership it doesn’t matter if you don’t spend too long there or visit often for a nice little walk. To be honest we aren’t that interested in the history. I do like the gardens and we do like to have a quick nose around the property. The advantage of the membership though is that it doesn’t matter if you don’t spend too long there as you don’t feel as though you need to get your moneys-worth on that one visit.

Newark Park Gardens

Morgan with ice-cream on his nose!

Anna and Morgan at Newark Park

Newark Park

Sunlit garden building at Newark Park

Summer Foliage at Newark Park

Newark Park House

A tired 3yr old!

I keep saying that it is all too easy to take what you have around you for granted and not make the most of it. So, to make sure didn’t fall into this trap we joined the holiday-makers and had a nice day out at the beach last weekend.

Actually we beat them to it really as Morgan and I loaded the car up with all the tourist trappings; beach towels, beach shelter, swimming stuff, wetsuits etc etc first thing in the morning. Slapped on the suntan lotion and headed off in the car. Less than a minute later we were on the beach at Ynyslas which was virtually deserted. We could have walked of course but we also had our canoe with use which is a little heavy to carry.

I started setting up our little beach campsite for the day when along came one of the wardens from the nature Reserve. We got chatting as they were organising some kids activities at the visitor centre all about the weather. I therefore told her about my weather station and offered to arrange a data feed to the visitor centre if they wanted one.

Once the beach shelter was set up and Morgan and I were in our wetsuits, I pumped up our inflatable canoe and we headed off on an adventure on the waters of the Dyfi Estuary. The tide was low so we explored the channels and went up the River Leri a little bit. We then stopped for a picnic on one of the sandbanks before slowly making our way back to the car. The water was really calm which was good as our first attempt in the canoe with Morgan was a little rough, but he enjoyed it this time.

Back at the beach and Anna was there so we played in the sand for a bit before going across to look at the displays in the visitor centre and getting an ice-cream. By now the place was pretty busy with holiday-makers so we headed back home and spent the rest of the day in the garden.

It was however nice to spend the day on the beach and make the most of the things on our doorstep.

We’ve just got back from a nice weekend away visiting family in the South West. We went this weekend as there was a windsurf demo day at Axbridge Reservoir. Although this isn’t the sort of place I would normally windsurf my brother moors his boat there so we though it would be nice to meet him there and play on his boat too.

As it happens there was very little wind. There was just enough for jays boat though so after he had a quick sail in it I jumped in with Morgan and went for a little sail too. I hadn’t been in a sailing boat for years and even then had only sailed one once or twice, but I soon worked it all out and did manage to sail out, backwards and forwards a few times and then sail back to where I started from all without getting me or Morgan wet!

We then sat in the sun watching people on Stand Up Paddle boards playing around and a few people just about get planing on windsurf boards. It’s a shame there wasn’t more wind so that I could have gone windsurfing but it was a actually nice just sitting in the sun chilling whilst Morgan played in the water with Harry.

Certainly a nice way to spend a relaxing morning.

After yesterdays successful work-life balance day I couldn’t let it slip today so managed yet another good day. I didn’t get up quite so early today, in fact for a change I managed to stay in bed until about 7am. I think yesterdays epic cycle ride must have tired me out! So, after some housework I settled down to work, went through my e-mails and then had a meeting with a client. By 11am he sun was blazing and the wind had picked up so I headed over to the beach and had a lovely windsurf session with just the right amount of wind and plenty of sunshine.

Back home and another hour or so of work and then off into town to buy a few toys for Morgan (An inflatable canoe, wetsuit and float coat). Collected Morgan from nursery and then headed back to the beach to take him ’surfing’.

OK, so maybe the balance was more towards life than work today but I’m not complaining about that and I am doing a little bit of work this evening as well!

We’ve just got back from a ‘proper’ family holiday in Slovenia. We stayed in Kranjska Gora in the NW of the country. It is a small resort town, aimed at snowsports in the winter and wlaking and biking in the summer. We were there at the end of the winter season so the snow wasn’t great whilst we were there, but we did manage to snowboard every day, and then on the last day it snowed properly so at least we got to see it in ‘Winter Wonderland’ guise.

Overall we had a great time. Morgan enjoyed the kids club and the swimming as well as playing in the snow. Anna and I had fun snowboarding, although Anna ended up with a few more injuries than I did! The hotel was nice, the locals friendly and we made friends with some other holiday makers there. I managed to do some geocaching whilst there as well.

Getting there
We flew from Manchester and the drive up went without hitch. We parked at a budget parking place which only cost £13.99 for the whole week and were mini-bused into the airport. We were extra early so had a bit of a wait in the airport but that was our own fault. We then got on the plane and found out that one of our fellow passengers had decided they were too ill to travel, so all the luggage had to be taken off so that they could find their luggage. This meant we missed our take-off slot and were sat in the plane on the runway for an hour and a half.

On arrival in Salzburg we had a small issue getting our luggage as the baggage handlers didn’t seem to know which carousel it was one. After being told it was on a different carousel 3 times by the airport staff and waiting at each carousel for a while it eventually turned up in a pile in the corner of the airport. Once reunited with our luggage we got on the coaches ready for a 3 hour transfer to Kranjska Gora.

On the coach the First Choice rep went through our booking for snowboard hire and lesson and informed us that I hadn’t booked board hire. I definitely had, but they were certain I hadn’t so we decided to sort it out in the morning at the meeting with the reps. Not a great start as we were now worried that I wouldn’t have a snowboard and would have to pay again to hire one.

The Hotel Alpina
Once at the Hotel Alpine in KranjskaGora it was getting on for midnight, so we had had a long day which started at 5am in Ynyslas. Thankfully there was some cold meats, cheese and bread waiting for us along with some biscuits and a drink, so after eating that we fell into our beds. The hotel was really nice, fairly plush, but nothing too special which is just the way we like it as it allows us to relax without worrying about too much. Breakfast was good with a choice a cereals, sausages, bacon, eggs, cold meats and cheese, yoghurts, croissants and bread, along with juice and various coffees etc.

We were booked in for half board and the dinners were nice too, plenty of choice and plenty of it as it was a buffet dinner. Coffees and cakes from the bar were also really nice, and the hotel was well situated just a little way up the hill overlooking the town and right on the edge of the ski slopes. The kids club was also in the hotel and there was storage facilities for our snow-boarding kit.

First Choice - Second Quality
As already mentioned, the snow wasn’t great and things weren’t looking good on the way to the meeting with the First Choice Reps. At the meeting we argued our point that I had indeed ordered and paid for board hire, but they were having none of it and were trying to get an extra 70 Euros out of us. We didn’t give in and headed off to the hire shop anyway, already stressed and ready to argue our point there. As it happens the locals in the hire shop didn’t even look twice and simply gave us the board so we were glad we hadn’t given First Choice an extra 70 Euros! We’ve since double checked our booking and it clearly states Board and Boot hire as separate items, so we did definitely order and pay for it and First Choice were the ones in the wrong.

The meeting also confirmed that the snow wasn’t great and only a couple of lifts would be open. 3 out of the 19 available. One of those was on the world cup downhill black run so out of our league and the other two were on the same slope, so really only one run was open. Of course First Choice were willing to sell you excursions to higher slopes, but not with any discounts, so that would cost another couple of hundred Euros for each day and wouldn’t have worked for us anyway as Morgan was in the Kids Club at Kranjska Gora so we couldn’t head off elsewhere.

We had other issues with First Choice too, as I had booked separate snowboard lessons and kit hire rather than a ‘learn to board package’. This was supposed to give me separate lessons at a higher level to the learn to package, but as it was the end of the season there weren’t enough instructors so I was grouped with the learn to group and therefore didn’t really get any lessons at my level. I brought this up with the rep and he said he’d meet me at the ski-school the next morning. he didn’t turn up and was also never present in the hotel at his allocated times, so I was unable to sort this out. The instructor himself was fine and did towards the end of the holiday try getting me to do a little extra, but overall I didn’t get the instruction that I had paid for, and the First Choice reps did nothing to rectify the situation.

Kids Club
The Kids Club was in the hotel and although Morgan was a little tearful to start with he enjoyed it there and had fun. This was also run by First Choice, but was better than the rest of the service we had from them. The staff were friendly and nice to Morgan and they did plenty of activities depsite the lack of snow.

Snowboarding Lessons
Despite the lack of snow and me being in a learn to board group the group and instructors were good. The first day was a bit of a wash out with slushy snow, rain and an instructor who was a little difficult to understand, but things improved the next day and the group (Me, Anna, Tom, Isobel, Kate, Anna and Estelle) all got on well. I had already boarded a bit so could already do the basics, Estelle had to. Tom picked things up quickly as did Kate and Anna, and Isobel was a skier so caught on quite quickly too. Anna doesn’t normally do these sorts of sports so picked things up a little slower and ended up with more bruises than everyone else, but still enjoyed it and could turn in both directions by the end of the holiday. To start with Tom, Anna and Anna struggled with the button lift and Anna even said that her aim for the week was just to get to the top, but she managed that earlier in the week and from then on didn’t look back. until hurting her arm and having to sit out of the last day of lessons.

Apres Ski
The hotel we were in was part of a chain of about 6 hotels in the resort and we were allowed to use the facilities in the other hotels, so afternoons were generally spent in the swimming pool at Hotel Larix. Morgan loved the pool and the hot chocolates afterwards, and the hotel itslef was right at the bottom of the slopes so we could watch people on the slopes from the pool

Kranjska Gora itself is ideal for families, the whole resort is compact and the main slope that we were on meant that everything was happening in the same place all with easy access to the things we needed. This may have been a little different if all the slopes were open, but for the week we were there it was ideal for use and would be good if Morgan was in ski school too.

I went on a few early morning walks to find some local geocaches too.

We went sledging and built some snowmen too and Morgan enjoyed the snow even though there wasn’t much of it. Typically, just after we gave our hire kit back on the last day, it started snowing heavily and on the morning of our departure the new snow was knee deep, so Morgan and I donned our snow-clothes and got out and played in it a bit before setting off on the coach. It was a shame the new snowfall didn’t come earlier in the week, but I guess there is little we can do about the weather.

We can’t wait to have another winter sports holiday, we would go back to Kranjska Gora again, and may even o with First Choice as they were the cheapest, but we would make sure they get the booking right and wouldn’t rely too much on them for the hire and instruction etc. However, if going to Kranjska Gora again we might go a little earlier in the year to get better snow, or may look to go elsewhere where snow is more likely.

Overall it we made themost of the conditions and the location and had a great holiday, but it could have been spoiled by First Choice if we had let their inefficiencies get to us.

Full details of my snowboard and geocaches sessions can be found in my diary entries at Forces-of-Nature and here are a few photos

I spent a weekend in North Wales recently and had my first real taste of Youth Hostelling. Steve and I stayed at the Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel, on the west side of Snowdon. We were in shared room that had 6 beds, but luckily we were the only one in it which was nice. There were other people staying at the hostel, but obviously the owners had put us all in separate rooms, which was good of them.

The rooms were clean and comfortable and the Hostel had a few useful facilties such as a bike store, a really good drying room and of course they offered food. Both the breakfasts and the evening meals were good with plenty of quality food, just the way we like it. The lounge was comfortable too with lots of local interest books and magazones to read and overall it was a good place to stay.

The location is perfect for wandering around Llyn Cwellyn  and the surrounding hills and for some easy walks to the Summit of Snowdon. We chose to take the Snowdon Ranger Path to the summit. I’d never walked up this path before and didn’t know much about it, but it proved to be a quick and easy walk to the summit. The path starts right niext to the hostel, zigzags its way up the first little hill and then levels off a bit before hitting the steeper climb to the Snowdon railway line that comes up from Llanberis. This section of the climb was a little steeper and harder going, but the path is well defined and fairly easy under foot. There were great views down to Llyn Cwellyn all the way up the climb and the views beyond the lake to the surrounding hills were pretty spectacular. We also had a view down the valley towards Llanberis at one point.

Once we crossed the railway line we joined up with the Llanberis path and all of a sudden there were people all around us! Another benefit of the Snowdon Ranger path was that it was quiet in comparison to the paths coming from Llanberis and Pen y Pass. It wasn’t far to the summit from here though. In fact is was such a shrt, quick walk that it almost felt like cheating and is certainly recommended for those who want an easy approach to the summit.

We descended along the Rhydd Ddu path, which again was well defined and fairly easy going. The very top part along the ridge had a few spots that induced a bit of vertigo in Steve, but I don’t think the strong winds (up to 70mph) were helping. other than that it was a nice easy path and once again not too busy.

Climbing Snowdon from the West may not be the conventional routes, but they are easy and well worth the effort. If you stay in the Youth Hostel then this is the obvious way to reach the summit.

Why no photos?? Because I’m useless and forgot to take any!

I’ve been doing well with my attempt to get a little fitter, or at least slow down the decline brought on my increasing age! I went for another run yesterday with my Garmin Forerunner 305. I had planned to take it relatively easy and keep my heart rate at around 150bpm, but as usual, the first few minutes of the run saw my heart rate go mad. This time it hit a maximum of 196bpm, much higher than my theroretical maximum of around 183bpm.

I haven’t decided why this is yet, I wasn’t running that hard, in fact I was taking easy, and I have a feeling it may be due to a poor connection between the sensor and my skin. After a couple of minutes (once I have worked up a bit of a sweat and the connection becomes better) everything settles down and my heart rate seems more normal… It could also be due to some interference from something as so far I’ve been running along the same route so this peak happens at about the same place each time.

It could of course  be nothing to do with the technology itself, which seems perfect the rest of the time. It could be that the technology is recording things accurately and I’m a freak of nature!

I shall have to try another run on a different route soon and make sure the connection between the sensor and my skin is good before staring off.

OK, we live a ’simple life of luxury’ here in West Wales, but we are guilty of not really getting away much, simply because we like it here so much. However, family holidays are always nice so we have finally decided to spend some of our hard earned money on a snow-boarding holiday. I’ve done a little bit of boarding here in the Welsh hills before now, but we are really all beginners. We were therefore looking for a nice family friendly resort that was as cheap as possible. After a bit of searching the resort of Kranjska Gora in Slovenia looked ideal. It was cheaper than elsewhere and seems to pride itself on being a great place for families and young children… Lets hope it lives up to that.

Now we can’t wait to get on the slopes and learn to snowboard.