Summer Holiday 2009

This year we decided to check out Switzerland. Armed with the lonely Planet guide we worked out our route from Morzine. We had always wanted to see the Eiger and the Matterhorn so the trip was planned around this as well as taking into consideration great biking, walking, the odd scary via ferrata and spectacular views!

Week 1

We decided to spend a week at the campsite Les Marmottes in the Portes du Soleil. The biking here just draws you back each year. The campsite is fantastic and feels like home away from home with the ski and biking holidays each year.



We rode a mixture of trails every day and the weather was spectacular. The routes included trips to Samoen the passportes circuit and numerous Swiss side visits.



The biking is suitable for all in the Portes du Soleil. We have been biking in this area for the past 4 years and new trails are always on the menu. It does help when you know fellow bikers in the area. We met up with Catherine from Ambleside for the week. So good is the biking we spent on average 7 hours a day on our bikes.




Our ride menu for the week was as follows:
Ride 1: Group ride around Mont Chery (Les Gets side)
Ride 2: Super Morzine/ Swiss Super Highway/ Mossette/ Champery/ Col de Cou/ River trail home
Ride 3: Group ride Samoen/ New lift towards Flaine/ Singletrack/ river trail to lift back to Morzine
Ride 4: Rest Day Played tennis
Ride 5: Passportes Circuit and a play on the Chatel downhill course

On the last day of trip in Morzine we decided to visit Chamonix and walk to the Argentiere glacier. The walk from Argentiere was very pleasant and the view up the glacier was great and an ideal lunch spot.


Having walked around the shops and amazed at the views of Mont Blanc it was time to pack up the motorhome and head for Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland to check out the Eiger.

Week 2

The weather was dull and wet when we arrived. We had a choice of campsites either at Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen. We decided to go for Camping Jungfrau. It was a big campsite and busy but lots of room for everyone! The facilities were fantastic and it was a convenient walk to the Lauterbrunnen train station.

The great thing about this area was that you did not have to drive you could take a train or cable car. The only problem with that was it was very expensive. The weather was supposed to improve through the week so we decided to take the Lonely Planets advice and walk the Faulhornweg trail. First we had to catch the train from Lauterbrunnen to a cute little station called Wilderswil.


Here we caught narrow gauge cog railway to Schynige Platte. The cloud was in but at times it cleared and the views were spectacular including view to Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.


The walk itself was 15km along a high level panaramic trail. There was plenty to keep you occupied. It finished at the top of the cable car station in First. Descending to Grindelwald bought back the many memories of reading Joe Simpsons book The Beckoning Silence. We had had glimpses of the grand vista but wanted the cloud to life to reveal all!



We caught the train back to Lauterbrunnen feeling really optimitic about tomorrow and the Jungfraujoch. The weather soon cleared in the evening and the view from the motorhome was great!


We decided to do the tourist thing and take the train to the top of Europe! This was a 2 1/2 hour train ride to the Sphinx, a mountain refuge with a difference! The trip took us from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg the station where the railway tracks from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen meet.

It was a quaint little place that thrieved on the millions of tourists each year. Although busy it did not feel too overpowering, how could it surrounded by so many 4000m giants! As we approached the station there it was the Eiger in all its glory!

We boarded another train which took us into the Eiger. The great thing about this was that the train stopped at points in the Eiger and it was possible to see down the infamous North Wall ! When at the top you had a great view of the Monch, Jungfrau and the Aletsch glacier.

After the initial photo frenzy of snow capped mountains we decided to visit the Ice Palace. The floor, roof and walls were all made of ice, decorated with ice sculptures and lights. It was certainly worth a visit!

Back outside we took a walk along the glacier to the nearest hut for a well earned coffee. It was interesting to watch the weary climbers coming back safe and sound! There were other ways of seeing the view also!

Back at the mid station in Kleine Scheidegg we decided to take a walk to the nicely placed and a great view of the Eiger.

I decided that it was too good an opportunity to miss a swim below the Eiger! After drying off we made our way back down the mountain passed the car free town of Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. A great day and worth the £100 train ticket !

TO BE CONTINUED......

Sunset South Wales

Coming home to South Wales is always special. It comes from living in Cumbria away from your home and family. Although attached to Cumbria as a county nothing beats the feeling of driving past the sign 'Croeso i Gymru' to feel comforted that you are back where you belong! This September weekend was one to forget and remember.When family members die the experience is very different when 320miles away from the comfort of Wales and family!

We were home to comfort family for the loss of Bren on the Monday. Bren was H's auntie who had lived with H's parents for the past 30 years. She was the person who always knew the weather, football scores and what the neighbours were up to ! You could set your watch by her routine and if you tried to deviate her from this you were for it!!

The spectacular sunset was what was needed to comfort saddened hearts which were tested further when news of Gramps dieing filtered through that morning. What was going on ?

The beach was always a great place for reflection and it was a given that this would be the place to ask the usual questions about life and death and everything else that runs through your mind during desperate times. It was also a photographers dream when conditions were as they were.



It is always said that a sunset represents the end of something and this was certainly the case as we all came to terms with two family losses in a week. The lone surfer did not realise how useful he was in creating a set of pictures that would comfort us at such a sad time.

The view over to Porthcawl pier was outstanding and captured all the beauty that the South Wales coast has to offer. It was a time where you wanted time to stand still to ensure that every moment was savoured and remembered.

If you do believe that there is life after death then you would have thought that the sunset was planned by those who had gone for those who were left!

It is true what they say, you can take the girls out of Wales but you can't take the Wales out of the girls!

Dedicated to Bren and Gramps

Arisaig and North Lismore Sea Kayaking

The weather was fantastic and conditions perfect for the first outing in the new boat. The plan was to paddle two of the trips given in the scottish sea kayaking book around the skerries at Arisaig and the second being Castle Stalker and North Lismore.

We had invested in a Tahe Marine Reval Duo courtesy of excellent service from Brockbank Carlisle .

Day 1

We camped at Glen Nevis which was about an 1 hour away from Arisaig. The new road link and fantastic scenary make it a very enjoyable journey! We launched just around the corner from Arisaig on a lovely white sandy beach.

Very excited to try out the new machine it was not long before we were effortlessly paddling around the headland towards the skerries. The Isle of Eigg was visable throughout the trip and looked magnificant.

The tidal flow was negligable and so we had plenty of time to explore. We went past numerous nosy seals !
The tide was on its way out and it started to reveal the secret beneath ! White sandy beaches and complete solitude ! (apart from the seals!)

The boat was running so smooth through the waveless water and we were loving it! It was soon time to bid the seals goodbye and head for a lunch spot. In typical scottish fashion the weather was about to change with a squall ahead! The outer skerries was the guides recommendation for a lunch spot. We quickly nestled under the storm shelter and braved the weather happily eating and discussing the mornings adventure.

The weather soon past and we were back on our way towards Arisaig and its harbour. First there was more exploring of the skerries to do. The sea life was rich and so clear. The white sandy beaches were just beckoning for exploration. It was a photographers dream !
Back in the boat we headed for Arisaig harbour. The scenary was fantastic all the way in and conditions were perfect, although we both agreed that we would look forward to a bit of chop to see what the boat could really do !!


As we made our way through the moored boats we found ourselves bouncing our paddles off a field of moon jellyfish. It was incredible and quite unnerving !

Discussing how brave we were soon was put to an end once we had googled the sea creatures to find that they would not kill us like other jellyfish, still I would not like to take a swim amongst them or receive one on the face from H's paddle!!

We soon left the harbour spotting more seals as we made our way back around the headland to out secret white sandy beach. We had both agreed that there are some days that you will savour forever and this was certainly one of them !

Day 2

The second trip was around the Island of Shuna to North Lismore and visit Castle Stalker on the way home.

The launch point was a layby on the A828, right on Loch Linnhe. The island of Shuna was clearly visable and the weather was again fantastic. We loaded up the sea kayak with the traditional stove, soup and tea and took off on yet another scottish sea kayaking adventure! As we around the tip of the island we encountered hundreds of moon jellyfish, H was convinced they were following us! The scenary was mind blowing, the loch hemmed in by numerous imposing munros.
Once Shuna had been explored and the remains of the castle on the south side visited we headed for Port Ramsay on the Northern tip of Lismore. 2 weeks earlier we were watching the Lismore lighthouse from the Calmac Ferry to Mull. The lunch spot was perfect, great views back down the loch and the safety of the inner harbour. It was time to put the kettle on.




Having satisfied the Welsh need for a cuppa it was time to head across to Castle Stalker. The views on the way up were clear and interesting, especially the little observatory/ lighthouse that we decided to check out.

Castle Stalker was the main attaction on this route. Having had a lovely tea and scone in the cafe overlooking the castle earlier in the year we were determined to look the non tourist way next time! And so to the castle and yet again a perfect place for a cuppa !!


Having circumnavigated it several times to get numerous photos we headed back to the layby. On reflection the sea kayaking and the weather was perfect all weekend. We always believe that an outdoor adventure in Scotland never disappoints !

(for more pics on this trip check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathel-creations/sets/72157619780688380/)

Ben More on the Isle of Mull

We caught the 22.30 Calmac ferry from Oban to Craignure. Getting this ferry at this time of night guarantees the most fantastic of sunsets. After a stressful week in work there is no better release and reminder about what life is really about!

After the hour to Fidden Farm we jumped in the back of the van for a well deserved nights sleep. This was less eventful than last time when I was wrestling with the tent in the sea breeze! Once again we awoke to the most amazing view of turquoise seas and white sand.

The plan for the weekend was to circumnavigate Iona by Sea Kayak and climb Ben More for a spot of 'Munro Bagging'. The weather had other ideas. We decided to go for Ben More and hope that the weather improved for the next day.
We decided to park at the finishing point in the Cicerone guide to walking the Munros. This has to be one of the best guide books I have used in terms of clarity and accuracy. A short walk along the road it wasn't long before the ascent began.



The views out towards the Treshnish Isles were spectacular and well worth the effort. The wind was blowing quite strong at this point and the idea of scrambling the east ridge became an exciting prospect! Once on the ridge the route was clear and very enjoyable.



This was a walk with a quality 360 degree view throughout. The last scramble section became more exciting and route choice was interesting! The views took our minds off the constant howl of the wind. Compared to the tourist path which we descended, this was like being on a different mountain.

At the top we were rewarded with an even better view. As we had left late it was early evening when we topped out.

The descent was down the ever popular tourist route yet for the whole walk we saw no one. We had had the mountain and views to ourselves. This is definitely a walk to do again if given the chance. This for me epitomised why I like to climb mountains.