Wainwright Challenge: 16/214 Baystones

 

On the 11th of June I was in Ambleside as I had taken part in the Lake District Challenge 10k around Loughrigg:

I decided to make the most of the included car parking to add another Wainwright to my list. This meant finishing what I had started a few years earlier when I had climbed Wansfell Pike and getting to Baystones which is just behind. My eldest joined me for a walk through Ambleside and up through the Stock Ghyll woods:

With Wansfell being one of the most popular fells the initial path way is well trodden and has been stepped. Its quite a slog up and my son's knee wasn't up to finishing it but luckily I fell in with a fellow solo hiker:

A Hike up Wansfell Pike

A friend asked if I wanted to go for a hike on New Year's Eve, as I've been thinking that we need to do more walks I said yes! I checked a few circular walks on Walk the Lakes and chose one over Wansfell Pike.  With the route printed off and stored on my phone I arranged to meet my friend at NT Townend in Troutbeck (parking in Ambleside is tricky and expensive!). Then we aimed to join the route part way round and do it backwards:

There were plenty of excuses to pause and take photographs from intriguing goat hinges or glimpses of Windermere:

Eventually we realised that somewhere we had missed part of the route but with obvious tracks, signs and stiles to show that we were on an official route to the summit:

Ambleside Sports 2018

 

On Thursday my son and I headed up to Ambleside for the annual Ambleside Sports. We have been twice before in 2014 and 2015 but have been away for the last couple of years as it is always the last Thursday in July. The fell race was part of the club championships but there was plenty of other stuff going on as well.

We watched some cycling and the start of the gruelling 9 mile Rydal Round before he had a Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling competition. Unfortunately he came across the eventually champion in round 1 so that was game over... Then he lined up with his team mates for the under 12's fell race (photo by Woodentops):

It was a there and back again race up quite a steep hill:

He had an awesome sprint finish:

#CountryKids Fell Running Association Junior Championships Todd Cragg

This Sunday saw the opening race for this year's Fell Running Association Junior Championships at Ambleside. My son hadn't taken part in previous years so he decided to give it a go this year. All the races had to cross the historic Miller Bridge from Rothay Park:

There were 6 different age categories and each route was well marked and marshalled. My son and I walked his route so he knew where he was going and I could choose from filming locations.  The under 9 race (for 6 years and over) was just for 1 km and they went up the tarmac hill and back down again:

I captured their race from a few 100 metres below their turn. There were some scary speeds as they raced back down past me:

#CountryKids Exploring Waterhead and Galava Roman Fort

A friend has come up to Keswick for the Convention so we arranged to meet at Ambleside today for lunch. The easiest place to do this was at Hayes Garden World where we had lunch on the terrace with Mr Tod for company:

We then parked up at Waterhead (lucky that it didn't take long to get spaces!) and the children wanted to paddle in Windermere:

Of course we hadn't come prepared so they just waded in and got their bottom halves wet:

#CountryKids at Ambleside Sports

For the first time since moving up here 4 years ago we made it to Ambleside Sports. The event has been running since 1887 and since 1947 have been held on the last Thursday of July in the same field (except during the Foot and Mouth outbreak):

We arrived not long after the gates opened at 10 to avoid queuing for the car park. Then we had 1.5 hours of wandering around the stalls etc before the Cumbria Thunderdrummers entertained us with Taiko drumming before the official opening ceremony:

Reasons to be Cheerful XXVII ( #R2BC )

One of my new Kendal mummy friends asked me this week why I always came across as optimistic which is a great compliment. I think this linky has really helped me to focus on the positive whatever else is going on in my life. Another guest host this week over at Bod for Tea to let Michelle have a well earned break! Back to my own reasons and here we go:


1) My Parents


I am so lucky that my parents live close by and are able to help me out in times of need. I have now had a week with no car (it is in the garage being mended) and my parents have very nobly stepped in to drive the children to all their activities (school, swimming etc.). This has caused them lots of disruption and I am oh so grateful.


2) Proud Mummy


Both my children have now brought home certificates from school for their good behaviour recently. My daughter for her enthusiasm in class and my son for being kind and helpful:

3) Amused Mummy


I've always told my children to say thank you to bus drivers etc when you get off their vehicles. As we got off the 555 from Staveley on Wednesday my 5 year old piped up:

Thank you driver. I like you. I love you

Needless to say the male driver's face was a picture at this and I couldn't help creasing up with laughter.

Then today my son was telling Gramps about what he has been doing at school. They have a dark tent in their classroom at the minute that they use torches in. Apparently my son chose a little girl from his class to play with on his turn in the tent.

Me: what did you play?

Son: Mummies and Daddies

Oh the joys of sweet and innocent 4 & 5 year olds!

4) Spoilt Mummy

Tonight my mum took me to Fellinis in Ambleside to see an encore performance of Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary show. This was originally broadcast live from the Albert Hall to places like Fellinis and they have repeated it because it was so popular.

I'd never seen the show before and was completely blown away by the music and the singing. Current cast are fantastic and Sarah Brightman did an encore at the end accompanied by 4 very talented musical stars.