These Shoes Are Made For Climbing

Even shoes made for climbing require feet in them, attached to a body made for climbing: Tim and Jerry rather met their match on a warm, windy afternoon in the hills. The Brooke Bond book of climbing said the routes attempted were extreme/severe which explained why Jerry had to be hoisted over most of it! Still, failing to try is not in our nature. Back home in time for tea and medals. 

PSUK National Cross Country Championship

In his once-a-year competitive outing, Jerry came in a respectable 82nd overall out of 216 finishers in a ridiculously vertical course between Beer and Branscombe on a windy Wednesday. The old gits (mens veteran team) won the Minor Counties team event but could barely walk again for a week. Official Race Pics 

Easter at Crantock

With sunshine forecast all week, we pitched up at Trevella for Thursday through to Monday. Claire immediately slipped into her watersports attire and tried a bit of lie-down stand-up no-paddle boarding, catching a few and looking like a pro. On Friday the Simpsons arrived to eat all our bacon and then later Tim and Chris joined us after settling into their B&B. A very pleasant evening surf set us up nicely. Chris and Sue camped nearby. The weekend included lovely walks around the estuary and to other beaches. The surf stayed lumpy and chunky enough to provide a challenge and some big walls of white water. Tim T improved still further and Simo caught the wave of the weekend. Tanned up nicely, we queued up the A30 and M5 on the way home. We put our movie to a jaunty upbeat tune to reflect the happy times in one of our favorite places. 

The Evacuee Returns

Grandma FT went 'home' to Wales on a beautiful weekend: Taking in Ross-On-Wye and following the river to  Hay-On-Wye and Builth Wells (where she went to school) and staying at Garth. Next day, parking outside the house of a lad she wrote to when he was at war on a Destroyer, she found 'her' house in Llanwrtyd Wells, visited the church in which she sang in the choir and found that the village, on the River Irfon, was still thriving. Then south to Pecelli underneath the Brecons, waking on Sunday to her 83rd birthday, a glorious sunny morning. Back via Abergavenny, Monmouth and the Royal Forest of Dean. A birthday tea awaited her!

Amazing April Long Weekend

The Flying Turtinos joined us for two brilliant sessions on a warm bright Friday, with waist high swell. We were joined in the evening by Simo and Claud and retired back to a hilltop perch a few miles south of the beach. Saturday was clear but a bit windy so we walked down to a deserted pebble beach and made a roaring driftwood fire! After campfire sausages and a relaxing afternoon, we watched Will and Luke doing somersaults in the evening surf. Sunday, hot and still, provided little waves to try out two-on-a-board and other stunts. This opening weekend of the season in early April, surfing ‘topless’ was unbelievable. Believe it though: Here is the weekend movie 

Mother's Day Walk

After a late breakfast, Claire declared her wish for a family walk in the Forest of Dean. A lovely, wildlife infused, few hours later, everyone was zonked after all that oxygen. Time for H & L to start cooking her Mother's Day supper while she reclined in front of a matinee fillm on her special day. 

Overenthusiastic Overhangs

With the sun warming the crags on a sunny afternoon, Tim and Jerry tried out some new climbs, involving increasingly tricky bits. Tim sailed over the overhangs like a pro, while Jerry's attempts invariably involved swinging off the safety line. The air was so clear, we could see the Severn Crossing (picture below on maximum zoom) and even the peaks on The Brecons 70 miles away! After flask breaks and snacks, we arrived home happy, aching and late!