Tiling done and a local hike - Day 32

Having discovered the Green Screen effect on TikTok I had a go at being Moana before breakfast:

@lakessinglemum Moana ##moana ##howfarillgo ##mumsoftiktok ##over40 ##fyp
♬ How Far I'll Go - From "Moana" - Heartfire

Once I had eaten it was time to tackle the last of the tiling around the loo. Its so hard (without a proper measuring tool) to accurately cut the tiles. Any how it looks a lot better than the old lino:

My reward was a penalty shoot out with Jason, have to admit I actually missed the goal on my first shot:

Kendal Winter League 2019: Race 1 Scout Scar

It was videoing the Kendal Winter League last year that really started the momentum going on my YouTube Channel. So with this year's competition starting last Sunday I am determined to:

1. Video all the races
2. Improve on my techniques and positioning for the films

I was combining videoing with being safety marshal on the gate at Scout Scar which meant that whilst I was close to the action (so close runners jostled me!), but it was quite tricky to film some of it! 

The first race was for the under 11s and under 13s which meant children from 8-12. This was a highly competitive and fast and furious race:

Once the 95 children had all finished it was time for the under 15s to take to the start line. This included my son as he had turned 12 before the New Year making him one of the youngest runners. They had a longer race of just over 2km and again there were some strong performances. My son was 13th out of 21 which was a great result for him:

The final junior race was the under 17s. Again some of these have only just moved up from the under 15 category but they all put in amazing runs:

Fell Running Challenge #4 Kendal Winter League 2017 Scout Scar

It was a beautiful if freezing day for the first event in this year's Kendal Winter League at Scout Scar:

I walked the course with my son and then positioned myself on a good spot for capturing the juniors as they tackled the ascent:

I managed to film all three junior races and also captured the start of the senior's race.

A good start to the league and now we just have to wait to see what position my son finished in! The next event is Giggleswick on the 21st which includes a stream to cross...

Fitness Friday: An adventurous run

Today was the only day this week that I could get out and do a really long run as marathon training. Typically this meant that the weather was the wettest we've had all week too! Undaunted I walked with my son to school to warm up and then headed out of town along Brigsteer Road so that I could get up onto Scout Scar:

This is open access land so there are lots of informal paths and I just followed random ones with the hope that I would end up in the right direction! It was pretty miserable up there and I saw only a couple of hardy dog walkers for the entire fell section:

It really felt like proper trail running with paths like these:

#CountryKids Kendal Winter League Fell Race at Scout Scar

On Sunday my son took part in his first fell race as part of the Kendal Winter League which takes place until Easter. He has only been training since November and has a lot to learn but it was a great experience. We got to the Old Racecourse outside Kendal just before 11 to make sure we had plenty of time to park and register. Then we walked up the route so that he knew where to go:

It was such a beautiful spot for a walk on a cold and frosty morning! I almost wished I had my running kit with me to do the adult 5 mile race (almost!):

#CountryKids: Rambling in Cumbria

 

 On Wednesday my mum bribed us with promise of a pub lunch to get up early and join her Ramblers group on a 6 mile hike. We weren't too enthusiastic about leaving the house at 8:45 but once we met up at the start the children were a bit more enthusiastic:

It was a sunny day but the wind chill meant that hats and layers were required but it was a beautiful day:

We were the only family on the walk out of nearly 30 hikers, such a shame as a 6 mile walk with not too steep climbs was perfect for children aged 6 and up. My children quickly adopted adults to walk with at the front of the group whilst I pootled along at the back taking photographs!

After all this dry weather it was nice walking on non muddy paths. There were a few close encounters with the local residents though:

It was a nicely varied route with sunken lanes and woods as well as the open fields:

When we got up high their were marvellous views back to the Kentmere Horseshoe and the Lakeland Fells:

Its obviously a popular route with many paths branching off:

The children were happy to chop and change who they walked with and sometimes even went with their own family:

There were plenty of interesting things to spot on the way from tree stumps:

Or old lime kilns:

It was nice to stop for our coffee break though:

Then refreshed we went on the next section of the walk which took us to Scout Scar which has marvellous views across the countryside:

It was up on this that we really noticed the strength of the wind:

Our walked continued further along the Scar before we descended into woodland and then across fields full of hundreds of wonderful lambs:

Our next leg was through woodland and my son kept looking for evidence of squirrels etc by examining pine cones on the ground and looking around:

And my daughter had a nice sit down whilst watching this black sheep and her lamb:

The walk seemed to take less long when there were more interesting things to see:

and a variety of stiles to climb:

or squeeze through:

Another more knowledgeable walker even told us what creatures had left this delightful deposit (can you guess?):

By this stage the children were finding their legs a little bit tired but they didn't have much further to go until we returned to the Punchbowl and a well earned lunch:

So why don't you find your nearest Ramblers and see if they have a family friendly walk near you? You can go on a couple before you have to join and pay.