#CountryKids A weekend camping in Dent, Cumbria

This Bank Holiday I was invited to sell Usborne books in Dent and so I turned it into a mini camping break with my children. We arrived at Millbeck Farm on a hot and sunny afternoon:

We had booked into the basic camp site which was only £9 a night! There were portaloos in the field plus a water tap. At the farm up the track were real loos and showers. Luckily the campsite was nice and quiet as we were putting up our new tent for the first time... this was a stressful experience eventually we were able to check out our spacious new tent with our own sleeping compartments (just enough room for our new camp beds):

Then we needed to recover from our exertions so headed up the road into the village itself which was somewhere we had never bin. Its a beautiful, little village with lots of things to spot:

We were hungry and thirsty so checked out the two pubs in the village (amazing there are 2 in such a small place!). The George and Dragon didn't appear to have a beer garden so we didn't stop in there:

Reasons to be Cheerful: 13 reasons #R2BC

This is Michelle's last week hosting before she hands the baton back to me for June. Please feel free to poke me on a Wednesday night to remind me to set it all up! Its been great having her back and seeing some new bloggers and old hands all on board. As for my reasons this week I said in the title 13 and its not 13 individual reasons but the number of miles I ran/walked on Sunday. Here the reasons that made me smile:
1) Finishing
Wow I actually did it!
2) Making my kids proud
Both my children told me they were proud of me - that is something that I have never heard them both say to me!
3) Crossing the line with my kids
The best bit of the 13.1 miles was my children meeting me and making me sprint finish:

I am sure other things have made me happy this week but this will live with me forever!

Brathay Half Marathon 2016

So yesterday it was the day of the Brathay Half Marathon and my first ever attempt at the distance. My training had not gone to plan but it was too late to do any more! I dragged my children out the door at 8:15 when my dad came to collect us and we headed up to Brathay for the event:

I saw lots of people I know from either running or just from being local and the atmosphere was lovely. After the marathoners had set off we were led by drummers to the starting point on the road:

A gun went off and we all set off on the 13.1 mile route... After the crowds thinned down I started using the interval feature on my watch to control my pace and preserve my stamina. I still managed to find time to chat to other runners whilst going! Its a stunning if hilly route through the Lake District countryside and the honeypot village of Hawkshead. There was plenty of support all the way. It was a relief to reach the half way turn point though after 1 hour and 15 minutes in the sun:

Reasons to be cheerful: Camping and Proud Mum #R2BC

Thanks once again to Michelle for hosting this week. Here are the reasons for me to be smiling this week:
1) Camping fun
We have had an amazing weekend camping in Derbyshire with Single with Kids. It put smiles on all our faces. (If you want to know more I have blogged about it): 

2) Proud mum #1

My son did a school fun run this week and clocked up an impressive 9 km in an hour!! An amazing achievement at 9 years old:

3) Photos

#CountryKids Camping at Callow Top with Single With Kids

This weekend we finally got back around to going camping again after 2 years! Last year with moving house and poor weather we hadn't managed to go. So we dug out the kit, borrowed some of my parents' camping gear and headed off to Callow Top near Ashbourne for a Single With Kids camping weekend. An easy drive down meant that by 8 PM we had the tent and gazebo all set up (with a little help from some other campers) and ready for the weekend:

Eagle eyed readers will spot what it is that is missing from the above shot? I had to do a mad dash to the camp shop and plead with them not to lock up so I could by a regulator! A very helpful man used the photograph so that I could buy the right one and cook our tea (hot dogs in buns).

My son had been playing with some of the other children and my daughter had been off exploring when we were invited to the party tent to sit around the fire and the children were given marshmallows to toast:

At about 11 my son and I decided we were too tired to stay up and retired to our tent. My daughter stayed up a bit longer with some of the older children. The next morning I was up rather early as the sound of birds and sheep seemed really loud! It all looked very peaceful in our part of the camp: