This is our first proper trip away in the van this year.

Early weather forecasts for the area weren’t great, however in the end it could not have been better.

We met up with friends for an Easter of mountain bike riding. We started off at Dalbeattie – it’s been a long time since either of us have ridden any technical singletrack and it showed! I am not sure if it’s a case of honing skills or getting some miles under your belt without crashing and burning spectacularly! We survived.

We then headed across to Glentrool, and after a few beers we settled on doing the big country ride the next morning. Beers/decision making – not always the most reasoned. Whilst not technical this is a 60km loop with no bail outs and some serious fire road climbing and by the end of the day I was glad to be off the bike – a feeling I have not had in a long time.

Glentrool – Big Country Ride

On Easter Sunday we headed down the road to Kirroughtree for a loop round the Red, this is definitely one of the best if not the best of the 7 Stanes and even with the route cut short due to forestry work, something my legs much appreciated, it was still some great riding.

Kirroughtree – Red

Kirroughtree in the sun!

Kirroughtree – Red

Back at the campsite now with beer in hand, all pain forgotten, planning where to ride next bank holiday!

Just back from a long weekend in the Purbecks catching the last of the summer rays – hopefully not!

Great riding and walking combined  with homemade cider of indeterminent strength from the Square & Compass at Worth Matravers, and chips and cheese sandwiches on the beach at Bournemouth  – simple pleasures!

Expected a relatively quiet stay, however coincided with the Swanage Folk Festival so beards a plenty!

Dancing Ledge

Along the top of Nine Barrow Down

Bridleway near Kimmeridge

Corfe Castle in the mist

Goth Morris Dancers

Low carb riding lunch!

Just spent the Bank Holiday weekend in Sedbergh, where we met up with some friends to explore the Howgills.
Remarkably for a Bank Holiday weekend it wasn’t rammed, as Sedbergh is probably one of the least touristy / promoted areas of Cumbria / Lake District , and it didn’t rain – well not much, got caught in one sharp downpour!

Campsite Sedbergh – Rustic! but a great spot

There’s always an up!

To be rewarded with a down

Back of beyond

Campsite cat – one of many

A drink and a fire at the end of the day

Definitely worth a return trip.

It’s coming up to nearly a year since we finished our adventure, as I am reminded by the need to renew our WordPress subscription, and as we are paying for it figured better keep using it!

Our current trips are limited to weekends but we have made the most of any opportunities we had to get away: managing a couple of weekends over in Norfolk (Cromer and Sandringham) where we found an unexpected amount of off-road riding – flat but fun all the same; a trip down to the Lambourne and the Ridgeway; a long weekend in Kielder Forest and a local campsite no more than 1/2 an hour from our door near Bulwick in Northants, again with some unexpected off-road riding, which we think will become our default for a night away, even when we are busy with jobs at home

So for the moment it is weekends away – who knows what the future holds!

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After spending a couple of days in Paris we headed for home for a week.

I have used my limited cartography skills to show the route we took around Spain and Portugal below.

So where next?  After a bit of umming and ahhing we are looking at heading off to the Outer Hebrides next week. We haven’t gotten round to booking the ferry tickets yet but we have stocked up on additional midge repellent to be used in combination with our Australian Jungle Formula and our fall back stock of Skin So Soft! Does anything really work? Will report back in a week or so.

Easter was spent skiing, boarding, walking and cycling – my legs are officially shot! but a great weekend.

Managed to get two days skiing and boarding at Glenshee (Good Friday & Easter Monday), a 17km walk up and over King’s Seat in the Ochils, and a ride up to Carron Valley for a ride (slide!) around the MTB trail.

Riding the chair – Glenshee

Sun, snow and a board

A great day to ski & board

Snowy walk up to King’s Seat

Carron Valley – conditions best described as un-groomed hard pack – passable with care!

A great result as we expected to have to forgo our winter fun this year.

Our planned Easter in Wales has morphed into Easter in Scotland! Mainly due to the current weather and the fact that a number of the group had planned to camp in Wales. In Scotland we get to return to a nice warm house each night – a major draw given the cold weather.

It also opens up the opportunity for some skiing and snowboarding, which will be good as I failed in my attempt to convince Sharon that taking the van to the Alps and using it as a “chalet” was a good idea.

Hopefully the wind will drop and the slopes in Scotland will be open. The last time I boarded in Scotland the wind whipped up a blizzard and it was a complete white-out with no idea which way was up or down the slope – the only time I have felt travel sick on a snowboard! Conditions this weekend look to be far better.

We have also packed mountain bikes and walking gear, covering all bases, so looking forward to a great weekend.

All bases covered – biking, walking, boarding

We are finding that after a couple of days at home we are getting itchy feet so earlier this week we headed across to the Suffolk Coast for a couple of days (bracing!), for some walking. Even managed to make it to Southwold for a pint of Broadside in the Lord Nelson.

Initial planning for the next part of our trip is complete and we get the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao in a couple of weeks to start exploring Spain and Portugal.