A Gathering of The Clan

On the 28th March I officially became a pensioner, it was also Han's birthday on the 26th so to celebrate we all got together last weekend at Hartsop Fold in Cumbria.

I really enjoy our family get togethers & we don't do it nearly often enough. This one was a bit special as it's only a month or so until we set off around the canal system as continuous cruisers.

The kids have bought me a GPS, a Garmin Dakota - Need to get some decent maps loaded onto it as the base map supplied is very basic so I can report to Mark where we are every few mins as we cruise along (only joking !!)

View from our Log Cabin

On the Saturday we caught the Steamer 'Lady of the Lake' from Glenridding up to Howton then walked the 7 or so miles back. Quite some distance for the younger members of our party, Rob (aka Ray Mears!) had his GPS with him and after 2 hours walking which had included a picnic lunch & a bit of messing about he announced that we had only done a mile so we had to step up the pace which the young 'uns did remarkably well.

Lunch stop & a photo opportunity for group shot

Rob & Billy

A friendly sole we met on the walk

We cleaned off the mud & enjoyed a meal at the local pub (White Lion ?) then back to the cabins for an evening of charades - brilliant! More so because we couldn't all get together at Christmas because of illness.

After lunch in Ambleside on Sunday we set off in our various directions for home but we came to a halt in Windermere when our head gasket blew, our car is an ancient Citroen Saxo which we are getting rid of at end of April as no need of car for our cruising adventures but it seems that it can't wait that long! Anyway thanks to Britannia Breakdown we were soon on our way in a hire car & they returned our car on Tuesday.

Mark is now using the train for the next 4 weeks to commute to work which is no great hardship.

Eric came back to the boat with us for a few days as he had started his easter hols, he is developing an interest in art & did this picture of 'Poppy' complete with Soona in the foreground.

Sadly no news on Poppy & no one has seen her. We just keep hoping - we are due to leave here in 4 weeks & Lockie Graham has our phone number in case she comes back. Thank you to all those who left comments.