Our first full day at Our Chalet is Tuesday. Monday is spent flying to Switzerland, taking two trains along foggy lakesides and a final bus ride into increasingly perfect mountain views. Then we get settled in and introduced to our new home. On Tuesday we’re up early for the Pinning Ceremony, a celebration of international … More Our Chalet: Tuesday up the mountain
I used to enjoy walking but in recent years I’ve gone off it. So I make a point of going on as many Region walking weekends as I can. The last time was South Wales nearly two years ago. They often clash with other plans. But this time I was available. This was a Level … More Bits fall off me on Dartmoor
One of the things my Brownie parents comment on the most is “It would be nice if she could have gone to camp”. Yeah, it would, but we don’t have a camp licence in the unit, we’re struggling to keep the unit running week-to-week and we don’t have as much free time as you might … More My first Brownie camp
Two years ago I wrote Fringe 101, or, “how to Edinburgh” and now we’re going for lesson two: what to pack. Comfortable walking shoes Yes, it’s a festival. That doesn’t flatten out a city built on a volcano nor does it smooth the cobbles. A huge part of the Fringe is off the bus and tram … More EdFringe 102: Packing essentials
It’s Larmer Tree time again! I’m not a big festival-goer but I occasionally make an exception for this one, depending on who’s on the comedy bill. I first went to the Larmer Tree Festival in 2015. It’s pretty local and it had a great comedy lineup so I went over after work just for the … More Getting rained on at the Larmer Tree
I’m doing two weekends at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. The first is actually the second; that’s the one when I’m seeing all the shows I wanted to see. The second weekend is actually the first; it’s the overflow for all the other shows I wanted to see. Yes, it’s ridiculous to have the overflow … More EdFringe 2019: attempt 1 – the catastrophe
I don’t think I mention it here on this blog as often as I could but I’m a big fan of live comedy. It’s the reason I go up to Edinburgh in Augusts some/most years. I’m not going to review everything I saw this year because over the course of two weekends I saw 22 … More EdFringe 2019 Review: Lucy Porter – Be Prepared
It’s a warm Sunday morning in late July. The river is quiet. The only sounds are the paddling of two swans and their fluffy half-grown cygnet, a lot of ducks quacking, a weeping willow swishing very softly in the breeze and the splash of oars as a rowing boat comes upstream. And then:- “*#$%!^*%!&! trees! … More Messing about on the river: Juliet vs the reeds
Last year I did my first ever virtual race. You sign up and even get a downloadable bib (has anyone ever printed and worn this?) but you do the race by yourself at your own pace at your own place. You don’t even have to run. I walked it but cycling is also an option. … More Virtual running and swimming
If you’ve read my posts about my previous kayaking adventures, you may have noticed I have something of a love-hate relationship with the sport. I liiiike it… but I’m not very good at it and I don’t like the sea. Why not use rivers and lakes for your early kayaking experiments instead of leaping straight … More I went sea kayaking and I didn’t capsize
I Am A Polar Bear 