The Tonson's in England's Lake District
We had a great week with the family all together again in Windermere in the Lake’s District of England. Mum and Dad arrived at the start of September for five months exchange with a local minister who is currently occupying our house and dad’s church in Melbourne. This provided a great crash and reunion opportunity for us all focused around mum’s 50th birthday party on October the 1st. Bevan, Ro and Nicola arrived three weeks ago from Germany and China respectively.
We've also been quite busy with various international visitors for mum’s birthday. The birthday itself was a great day for mum and the rest of us too. She opened about 35 cards in the morning and took about half a dozen overseas phone calls from friends and family. The four of us kids combined to get her cheap tickets to Germany to see a PNG friend who wasn’t able to make it for the birthday, so mum’s got another adventure in store, a bit nervous about doing it alone. A relaxed afternoon with our various international guests and then a great party featuring Scottish dancing lead by one of the locals and quite a turn out from the church.
I spent the weekend with a yachting team up from London to stay with one of their parents (a couple from the church) who took us hill walking/climbing yesterday and mountain biking today. It was great to have a bunch of us exploring the countryside and a bit of local knowledge to show us around. I hope to meet up with them again in London.
Other than that I spent the week, just being around, spending time with various guests, doing some bike maintenance, trying to replace my tools that were stolen in Dublin, planning my next couple of months and reading the fifth Harry Potter book over a few late nights.
Then it was time to go our separate ways. Bevan and Ro for the US for a couple of weeks before heading back to Melbourne for their birthdays. Mum and Dad for 10 days in the south of England and 10 days in Israel/Lebanon. Me onto Manchester, the peak district, and then Wales and South England before heading to Spain via Paris. It’s starting to get quite cold now so I’m keen to head south and will probably head to the south of Spain first and even Morocco to sit out the worst of the winter and then work my way back north to Paris in the new year.
(As I’m in the process of catching up, I’ve decided to add a short note about Manchester and the Peak District here even though, it’s a poor fit thematically).
Manchester doesn’t really stand out as a highlight. There was never anything really to attract me there except that I’ve so often heard it mentioned so I wanted to see it for myself. I had a pleasantly quiet Servas visit and checked out a couple of Museums which didn’t really blow me away. Two flat tyres and a drenching didn’t really help either.
The peak district though was definitely worth the visit. The name suggests mountains but it’s really about the valleys. A landscape that looks like was once flat but through which the high rainfall has cut some deep and beautiful gorges. It was the first time I’d stayed with a family of 5 (3 teenagers) and the Jagger family - and like their family namesake (I never asked if there was a connection) - are certainly not quiet, maintaining a healthy family banter. I really enjoyed this and just slotting in with them rather than being the special guest you become when staying with one or two people. I also had a great day walking the Wye river valley/gorge to Monsul Head and back up ´Deep Dale´. I just love a good bit of steep scenery, especially with pink/red coloured rocks, green hills, and the river flowing between. After the 12mi (20km) walk going to see the new Wallace and Grommit movie with the family was the perfect finish to the day. Then the next day (after another flat tyre) I rode west as far as Knutsford and caught the train to Chester and Wales, but that’s worthy of another post.
We've also been quite busy with various international visitors for mum’s birthday. The birthday itself was a great day for mum and the rest of us too. She opened about 35 cards in the morning and took about half a dozen overseas phone calls from friends and family. The four of us kids combined to get her cheap tickets to Germany to see a PNG friend who wasn’t able to make it for the birthday, so mum’s got another adventure in store, a bit nervous about doing it alone. A relaxed afternoon with our various international guests and then a great party featuring Scottish dancing lead by one of the locals and quite a turn out from the church.
I spent the weekend with a yachting team up from London to stay with one of their parents (a couple from the church) who took us hill walking/climbing yesterday and mountain biking today. It was great to have a bunch of us exploring the countryside and a bit of local knowledge to show us around. I hope to meet up with them again in London.
Other than that I spent the week, just being around, spending time with various guests, doing some bike maintenance, trying to replace my tools that were stolen in Dublin, planning my next couple of months and reading the fifth Harry Potter book over a few late nights.
Then it was time to go our separate ways. Bevan and Ro for the US for a couple of weeks before heading back to Melbourne for their birthdays. Mum and Dad for 10 days in the south of England and 10 days in Israel/Lebanon. Me onto Manchester, the peak district, and then Wales and South England before heading to Spain via Paris. It’s starting to get quite cold now so I’m keen to head south and will probably head to the south of Spain first and even Morocco to sit out the worst of the winter and then work my way back north to Paris in the new year.
(As I’m in the process of catching up, I’ve decided to add a short note about Manchester and the Peak District here even though, it’s a poor fit thematically).
Manchester doesn’t really stand out as a highlight. There was never anything really to attract me there except that I’ve so often heard it mentioned so I wanted to see it for myself. I had a pleasantly quiet Servas visit and checked out a couple of Museums which didn’t really blow me away. Two flat tyres and a drenching didn’t really help either.
The peak district though was definitely worth the visit. The name suggests mountains but it’s really about the valleys. A landscape that looks like was once flat but through which the high rainfall has cut some deep and beautiful gorges. It was the first time I’d stayed with a family of 5 (3 teenagers) and the Jagger family - and like their family namesake (I never asked if there was a connection) - are certainly not quiet, maintaining a healthy family banter. I really enjoyed this and just slotting in with them rather than being the special guest you become when staying with one or two people. I also had a great day walking the Wye river valley/gorge to Monsul Head and back up ´Deep Dale´. I just love a good bit of steep scenery, especially with pink/red coloured rocks, green hills, and the river flowing between. After the 12mi (20km) walk going to see the new Wallace and Grommit movie with the family was the perfect finish to the day. Then the next day (after another flat tyre) I rode west as far as Knutsford and caught the train to Chester and Wales, but that’s worthy of another post.
posted by James Tonson | 8:32 am
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