Our Mustard Seed Walks group took advantage of the fine autumnal weather to enjoy a seven mile walk down Dr Blackall's Drive and down the the River Dart. What goes down must come up unfortunately and the second half of our walk was spent regaining the height we had lost in the first half - a fine example of the exchange of energy: potential, kinetic, thermal, chemical etc. But what a lovely walk in God's beautiful creation with excellent company.
Strange structures and peaceful pastures were encountered on our river walk around Dartington Hall Estate - 8.2 miles. Rewarded with lemon cake and tea at the Rare Breeds Farm!
What better way to celebrate 37 years of marriage than to have a night in a Travel Lodge in Glastonbury and visit a Craft for Craftets fair at the Royal Bath and West show ground. The fair was rubbish, but we had a lovely walk around Glastonbury Abbey.
When a garage is used to house a freezer etc, then when the only way in is by the up-and-over door, it can be tiresome! So, when Dan son gave me an old external door, I felt some diy was in order. Result = new back door into garage.
Tony & Katy brought Cloe and Ruby to see us at Threlkeld. They brought mum and Betsy also, and we all watched the river rise almost to its banks as we had torrential rain - unusual for the Lake District!
Then tonight, Lydia arrived from the big city, all a-ready to hand in her Masters dissertation.
After a long drive north yesterday we just had to get up on the mountains today. From Buttermere Lynn & I climbed up Whiteless Ike, then on up to Wandope before taking the final climb up to Grasmoor at 852m. We chose a very steep descent down the ridge running to Lad Hows, then up he quite valley behind Rannadale Knotts (a battle site apparantly) and back to the van.
I retired from the Royal Marines Band Service in 2007 having served for 33 years as a musician, eventually becoming a Director of Music and running my own band. After retirement, I took my family sailing in the Philippines with a view to sailing back to the UK via Australia. However, for many reasons our plans changed and after 9 years living in Dartmouth we have now moved to Totnes .I am married to Lynn and we have four children. Daniel and his wife Sara live in Wales; Hannah is married to another Dan and they live with our grandchildren Sophia, Isaac and Elijah in Newton Abbot. Lydia is married to Tim and they live and work in London and have just had our fourth grandchild, Ernest. Julia married to Angus and they live in Newquay. My time is taken up with playing, writing and teaching music, working as a Debt Coach for the charity Christians Against Poverty, working and volunteering as a hill and mountainside on Dartmoor and the Lake District, and being very involved in our local church.