Been quiet for a few days as we have been away for part of half-term.
We spent Mon-Wed nights at a caravan site at Ferry Meadows, Peterborough. Very close to home, but since moving to Raunds in August we have not been to Peterborough. Great day cycling on Tuesday to Flag Fen. That was a round trip of about 15 miles with zero distance on road, including going through the City Centre.
Wednesday was very gentle, just walking or riding in the park area.
On Thursday we moved further North to Castleton in the Peak District. Another very nice Caravan Club site. They suit us well in winter when it is nice to have an electric supply and be on gravel instead of mud. In the summer we prefer certified locations (max 5 caravans but simpler planning requirements) as they tend to give the boys more space. We had time for a nice (short) walk into Castleton for one of the best cream teas in a very long time at the hidden tearoom above Dollys.
In the evening I played pool with the boys (it is getting harder to find things I can beat them all at, but pool is still one of them). Then Andrew and I went for a bike ride, nearly 20 miles to Derwent Dam and back.
Friday we visited an Aunt in Bolton who has not been well and were encouraged to find her improving. That was followed by shopping in Manchester (still my favourite English city) with a meal at the Dutch Pancake House to end with.
The site was full Saturday night so we upped and left. We parked with the caravan just along from the Ladybower Dam, heated some hot dogs for elevenses, then went on a ride around the reservoirs. It is a long time since we have done this (maybe 9 years), we had forgotten the condition of the track on the East side of Ladybower as you head for the Derwent Dam. I was on the XXL with the Trets behind. Andrew was on his road bike, Peter has now grown into my old Ridgeback mountain bike (he is now the 4th user, it has been fitted with narrow slick tyres for road use) and Jane was on her ridgeback Storm. The track was fine for mountain bikes but I kept running out of traction (still got up everything) and had to be careful to avoid punctures.
Once we reached the dam we switched to the West side with the road and continued up to near the end of the road along Howden reservoir. Good fun dropping all the MTB's when on a decent surface even with the Trets stuck in first gear.
Then we decided to come home (the fact we used the last of one gas bottle making drinks and then finding that Dad had lost the spanner to switch bottle was the deciding factor).
Not back at work though until Monday.
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