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Fun week exploring caves, trees, wee hills and big landslips in the ridiculously named Peak District.
James was selected as Consort to the Gala Queen for this year's Aberlady Gala. A little bit nerve-wracking but he did brilliantly with his speech and the family are all very, very proud of him.
Little jolly with James, and with Kim flying in formation, over the city and the airport to see the new bridge from above.
The perfect camp on a very warm spring evening under the monument at Glenfinnan and then a round of the Glenfinnan Munros horseshoe under cloud that dispersed as we descended the second Munro.
Camped at the Inn at Wasdale Head to position ourselves for a scenic high level circuit of the Mosedale Horseshoe.
Old Madeline and young James conquer the Old Man of Coniston.
Three fabulous and unexpected days' skiing in Saint Gervais. Huge thanks to Gordon and Jill for inviting me to join them, microlighter Gordon Craig for the use of his apartment and Easyjet for the cheap flights!
Climbing through the inversion into the snow and hot sunshine of Beinn Bhuidhe.
Half term skiing again with James in Chatel - Portes Du Soleil.
Forecast was for "difficult walking conditions with sudden ferocious gusts" but we weren't going to let that stop us when we'd arranged the day off work so Douglas picked a good hill, promising a rare new tick for me, which would keep us low out of the wind for as long as possible on the long cycle in followed by a rapid ascent and descent of Carn a'Chlamain. Pretty nasty wind higher up, as predicted, but always makes for an exciting day.
Down to Glentress to Go Ape on a sunny Autumn atfernoon with James and his pal Jack.
A dramatic "follow the weather" microlight tour visiting friends and family in Gatwick, Norfolk and the Lake District, taking in France and Wales for good measure. A bit of a photographic challenge to produce anything worthwhile through the near permanent haze layer below us, but I've tried. (Oh - a serious little footnote for any of my students reading this: despite appearances and my captions, we were at all times in sight of the surface.)
Watching the Cockenzie chimneys come down from 1800 feet above.
Dad's 80th birthday lunch at Craigmillar Park Golf Club - a lovely bunch of "seniors" together with James, Ann, Kim and me.
Kim and I flew our mums to Bute for a pub lunch - the first "proper" mircolight trip for both of them. Mum loved it all. Madeline, er, endured it!!
Wonderful 3 nights' camping at the "cool" Seal Shore campsite - cycled our usual 68 miles route taking in the 3 big climbs - and numerous others (it's Arran!!). Then another long day climbing Goatfell from Sannox via the scrambly Cioch na h-Oighe peak. Finally, we cycled from Lochranza, over the Mull of Kintyre, to the north tip of Gigha and returned the same route in blue skies and warm sunshine.
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