Menorca Golf Weekend

Friday

Didn’t sleep well Thursday night — bed after 10:30pm and alarm set for 1:15am! Up and out on time though: picked up Paul Creed in Kennington and then Wayne in Risinghurst before heading to Gatwick. Great airport pickup — smooth and easy — and we were soon through security and in the pub having a pint and breakfast at 4:30am.

Short flight and picked up by Paul and Pauline. Nice catch-up on the way to the villa. Me and Creedy sharing again — I brought earplugs this time: strong tactical move.

Straight up to Son Parc for golf: paid for 9 holes but managed to sneak another 9 — success. Sadly no t-shirt available this year which was disappointing. Tough course with different grass, and I struggled more than I hoped. Tried to stay positive but truthfully felt a bit deflated after looking forward to it all year. Wayne and I played the full 18 while the two Pauls left after the 10th.

Back to the villa, quick shower, then down to BJ’s for 6:00pm for the official start and team draw. Nice to see familiar faces. Paired with Jack Everton (excellent golfer), plus another Adam West (Batman!!) and a lady called Sue Rogers. Fish and chips, a couple of beers (first fish was still frozen — typical!). Early-ish night.

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Saturday

Slept well. Up early, breakfast, and off to the course. I teed off about 90 minutes before my slot, so had plenty of time to practise and watch the earlier groups.

Our team for the main event: me, Jack, Adam, and Sue. Putting challenge first — no one holed out unfortunately. Then onto the first tee: I hit a solid drive down the middle which set Jack up to properly go for it — that became our pattern. I was “steady Eddie”, letting Jack take the hero shots. Felt good that a lot of my shots counted. Sue struggled but she was great company and we had a laugh in the buggy.

We made a lot of pars but not enough birdies. Played better than Friday though, so happier overall.

Finished around 4pm and I bought the first round at the bar. Then back to BJ’s where everyone gathered, beers flowing, great atmosphere. Quick dash back to freshen up then back out — got properly drunk. Wayne & Amanda arrived and joined in. Ate next door then back to BJ’s until closing (well, me at least!).

Walked home alone and, once back, stuck headphones on and had a private “afterparty” with a couple more beers. Apparently I was singing now and then and Paul and Pauline could hear me — they were in stitches. Absolutely steaming. Bed after 3:00am.

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Sunday

Woke late. Lads went for a walk but I tried to sleep off the hangover. Eventually went for a wander to the beach myself, grabbed a coffee, very windy — storm coming.

Then down to BJ’s for presentation day. Started drinking again (topped up quickly). Results were incredibly close — we came SECOND! Only half a point behind first. Very happy with that. Creedy’s team won and Wayne’s came third — big day for the Oxford lot!

Tapas and more beers served. After that, the memory gets hazy… I know there was pizza and a bit of pool. Back around midnight. And yes — another late headphone session outside by the pool.

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Monday

Rough morning. But no day off, so set myself up in the front room and worked all day while the others went out. Wouldn’t have been able to do the trip without working, so fair enough. Maybe next year I’ll book the Monday off too.

Power nap (not much sleep). Group meal out in the evening — I stuck to shandy/coke and couldn’t face food. I paid as a thank you to Paul and Pauline. Back to villa and bed. Fingers crossed I didn’t make a total idiot of myself the previous two nights…

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Tuesday

Home day. Up early and left at 7:30am. Smooth airport experience. Skipped food — didn’t trust my stomach and the paninis looked awful anyway! Slept most of the flight. Car collection easy and dropped Creed and Wayne off before heading home.

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Reflection

Just a brilliant weekend — great golf, amazing company, loads of laughs, a strong finish for our team… and perhaps a touch too much celebrating! Would absolutely love to do it all again next year.

Ryder Cup Weekend

What a great weekend that was! Really enjoyed it.

Friday I had the Ryder Cup golf playing on my other laptop from 12.30pm whilst I was working - it was so engaging and great to watch. The ability of the players was phenomenal. Europe got a decent lead.

Finished work a bit late so I was caught up and Tash came home for dinner and then from 5.30pm I was back in the office on my laptop watching the second session and again Europe dominated. I didn't move an inch the whole time and it didn't finish until 11.30pm!!

Went to bed knowing I had an early start.

Up bright and early, well less bright now as it's dark in the mornings until 6.45am - and I felt a bit groggy, not from drink as I didn't drink last night but just weary.

Got sorted and then went off to Radley, Wayne turned up the same time as me, 7.00am and we got practising. Jon Hawkins and Robbie Barresi made up the foursome and Robbie and I got pair together which was perhaps a little unfair as we have high handicaps and boy, did we make use of them!

We destroyed Wayne and Hawks, absolutely smashed them winning holes left, right and centre - completing the win on the 13th! £5.00 in the pocket as a result.. :-)

Finished the round, I was completing all the holes so that I could put in a card and I ended up with a round of 90 so I was very pleased with that. Spoiler alert - it brought my handicap down to 20.8 which I am delighted with and is the lowest I've ever been - need to keep going though I want to be in the teens before the New Year.

Went home and did some chores in between trying to sneak in the office and watch the Ryder cup again - Foursome and Fourballs - but Tash was onto me and I had to work instead! It was productive so that was good, ticked items off a very long list.

We then went out into town to do some shopping for my birthday, went into Uniglo and found a pair of trousers I liked but they were too long and they didn't have my size online but what is brilliant about their system is that they do an alteration service and I was able to get them taken up for free - really impressive.

I then said to Tash I really wanted a big knitted jumper and we went across the road to Superdry and exactly what I wanted was there on the front table - couldn't believe it, tried it on and loved it - so bought that as well - that's my birthday presents from Tash sorted.

We then pottered around for a bit before going to Pizza Express for a meal and then over to The Crown for another drink afterwards. Really nice to spend some time like that and then made our way home. Watched a bit of TV but I was more invested in the golf on the iPhone. Then to bed. 

Jobs got done in the morning so that I could watch the golf from midday, it was only when I checked my phone that I saw the golf didn't start until 5.00pm!! Anyway, cracked on with everything on the list and did well. Then went over to Sue's and sorted her BBQ that Aaron had put together completely incorrectly, Sue was pleased that’s now sorted for her.

As planned we then made our way over to Vic's pub (The Abingdon Arms - Beckley) for Sunday roast. It was really busy in there but we got a place sorted and had a really good meal - and to top it off we didn't have to pay as Vic had told them we were on our way over so that was a great bonus, mind you - we still ended up giving a £35 tip...

Dropped Sue off and then made our way back home and I said "goodbye" to Tash for the rest of the evening and I just sat at my laptop watching the golf.

What was expected to be an absolutely hammering for the US turned into an incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking evening as they fought back and took the fight to Europe. It was incredibly tense and you really worried that they would turn over the deficit - each of the games were making it to the 18th hole and it was only by about the 8th pairing that we got the points we needed to retain the trophy through Shane Lowry, and then Tyrrell Hatton got the point for Europe to eventually win 15–13, that was close. I stayed watching until the end and the presentation of the trophy and the celebrations and about midnight called it a (long) day.

I really enjoyed that, such a great weekend's golf and so exciting and amazing how good these players are.

It's back in 2 years and in Ireland, I'll have to put it in the diary for Tash so I can watch all of it next time!

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Reflections:

• A fantastic mix of golf, work, and life admin – and probably the most exciting Ryder Cup I’ve watched.

• I’m really pleased with how my golf is coming along – shooting 90 and getting my handicap down to 20.8 felt huge. A proper milestone.

• Loved having time out with Tash – birthday presents sorted, nice meal, and quality time.

• The Ryder Cup finale was tense, almost painful to watch at times, but such a thrill when Europe finally clinched it.

Win of the Weekend:
Europe retaining the Ryder Cup and me hitting my lowest ever handicap – a weekend of golf wins all round.

Golf, Work and Charlotte’s Birthday Meal

Up early this morning and set off to Radley for a round of golf. The American chap was there before me, of course, and I started on the 4th again so I wasn’t stuck behind him. I didn’t play as well as I have been recently – no warm-up meant I was stiff going round. A bit of a wake-up call not to get complacent after a few good rounds. Playing again Saturday morning, so hopefully I’ll get back into the groove and post another solid score for the third week running.

Managed 9 holes before 8.00am and then set up in the clubhouse like usual to work. It was really busy with a Seniors’ match on, but I had a good chat with Dave Gubbins. He said he’d sold his campervan – a shame to hear, but I suspect they never fully took to the camping life. Stayed until about 11.00am, then made my way home and cracked on with work for the rest of the day without a break. It’s relentless at the moment.

Worked right through until the end of the day without a break, then got sorted for Charlotte’s birthday meal. She won’t be around at the weekend as she and Miles are "supposed to be" going to Ibiza for a few days. I say ‘supposed to be’ because Tash told me Miles has been having doubts about flying. That’s really worried me – Charlotte was so excited about it, and I just hope he doesn’t let her down. We’ll know soon enough, I guess.

Mum came over and Tash had made a shepherd’s pie, which was lovely. A really nice evening overall – Charlotte was happy with her presents and it felt good to celebrate together. We finished up around 9.00pm, tidied up, and were in bed by 10.00pm. A good day in many ways, though spoiled a little when Tash told me about Miles’s message just before bed.

Reflection:
The day had a nice balance – golf, a solid day’s work, and family time. But I can’t help worrying about Charlotte’s trip. It’s hard to switch off when you want the people you love to be happy, and things feel a bit uncertain.

Win of the Day:
A lovely family meal where Charlotte felt celebrated and appreciated – exactly what a birthday should be.

Cycleathon and Giving Blood

I knew it was going to be a full-on day, so I was up early and working at my desk by 7.15am to try and get a head start. Thought I’d got caught up, but that turned out to be a false flag as the morning went mental. One of our very needy customers had a launch and it went tits up.

Kept calmand worked through things, but had a prior commitment as today was “Fitness Day” at the gym. They were running a “Cycleathon” where, over 16 hours, people cycled for 30 minutes each. Tash went on first and did her stint well, getting to 17.7km. I was up next and managed 18.5km – could have done more, but started on the wrong setting which was frustrating. Not bad though.

From there I went straight to the JR as I was giving blood – my 60th donation. Wanted to take a photo but, typically, my phone was dead. All done and dusted, then back home to play catch-up with work. It was a bit of a shit show, to be blunt, but I stayed late (after dinner) and managed to get on top of things, though tomorrow will no doubt be mad again.

It’s hard work at the moment, and with Daniel leaving in a week or so it’s going to be even tougher, especially as we don’t yet have a replacement for him.

In the evening I finally sorted out WhatsApp and my photos after walking Bess. My phone storage had been full and I didn’t want to just delete 10 years of pictures from the Dark Side chat. It’s taken a couple of days, but I’ve worked it out now – a painful exercise, but at least it’s done.

Watched a bit of TV to round off the night, then off to bed.

Reflection:
A proper graft of a day – work chaos, fitness challenge, and giving blood all rolled into one. At least I got through it all and even ticked off a long-standing phone admin job. Just need to brace for the pressure that’s coming at work.

A decent weekend

Friday:
Charlotte and Miles came over after work. We had a few drinks, a nice dinner, and made use of the hot-tub. It was a relaxed evening and great to catch up with them.

Didn’t have a late night as I wanted to be fresh for golf in the morning.

Saturday:
Up bright and early with a 5.45am alarm, had breakfast, got sorted, and was at the golf club by 7.00am to warm up. There were 6 of us split into two groups of three, but Jon Hawkins had to drop out after three shots, leaving me and Julio to go around. We did well and it was enjoyable.

Caught up with Wayne and Carl later as Robbie also retired hurt, so we made up a fourball. I was the best player on the back nine, which was pleasing, and I finished with a score of 88 – bringing my handicap down to 21.4. Definitely moving in the right direction.

Got a load of jobs done on the way back home and then cracked on with more tasks like painting the skirting and door frame again. Managed to watch the England Ladies Rugby semi-final against France – they won, which was pleasing.

The day went quickly. We went for a quick walk around Shotover, then back for the hot-tub, and later watched Conclave, which Tash has been going on about for ages. It was okay, but after an hour I looked over and she was snoring away, so I stopped it and watched MOTD instead. Went to bed around midnight, having eaten a whole bar of Fruit and Nut chocolate… greedy pig!

Sunday:
Got up later than planned, got sorted, and went to Sue’s as we were taking her to Lewis and Emily’s to meet Frankie. The journey wasn’t too bad.

Charlotte and Miles arrived around 2.30pm, about an hour after us. It was nice catching up and seeing Frankie – he slept most of the first couple of hours, but we still had cuddles with him. Charlotte’s birthday is next week but she’ll be in Ibiza with Miles, so there were some presents given, and we had a nice lasagne dinner and Cuthbert cake – felt a bit sick afterwards!

Frankie woke up and was passed around again – he’s lovely.

By 6.00pm it was time to make a move. We said our goodbyes and hit the road. The traffic was kind to us again, and we made good time, getting back to Sue’s at about 8.15pm to drop her off and pick up Bess, who’d been looked after with Bella by Brendan – very good of him.

Came home, sorted things for the week, walked Bess, and then it was too late to watch TV or anything, so just went to bed.

Reflection:
A really enjoyable but tiring weekend. Good balance of family time, jobs done, and some progress on the golf front. Very pleased that practice is paying off and showing in my scores.

Golf & A Quiet Sunday

Up very early this morning and at the course for 7.00am, which gave me time to warm up properly — and it definitely helped.

There were six of us playing and I was paired with Lawrence, who I already knew, and Kevin Briggs, who I recognised straight away as a very decent golfer.

The first nine holes were brilliant — I shot 41 for 23 points and was really happy with that. Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain the same standard and dropped off on the back nine with 48 shots and just 15 points. That left me with a total of 38, which I wasn’t convinced would be enough to win this month. Still, it did bring my handicap down (from 23 to 22.2) so I’ll take that as a win.

Back home, Tash was still in one of her grumpy moods, so I just left her to it and got on with the jobs that needed doing — painted the new doorway and skirting, cleared the driveway, and ticked off a few other chores.

Dinner was eaten in near silence, followed by both of us sat on our iPhones, not much in the way of conversation. I read for a bit before heading to bed and was asleep by about 9.45pm.

A nice weekend overall, and really pleased with how the golf went, shows that some of the practise I've been doing has paid off. Still a bit erratic and definitely room for improvement. Really surprised myself in that I have only posted 6 cards so far this year - that's so disappointing.

Family Visit to see Frankie

Got ourselves sorted early — Tash cooked a roast before heading off to yoga, while I got on with a few chores so that we’d be ready to leave as soon as Mum and Jodie arrived.

Unfortunately, traffic delays held them up and we didn’t get away until 10.50am. After picking up Charlotte, we ended up being sent all around the countryside by the sat nav, wasting even more time. Coupled with the awful traffic on the M6, it meant we didn’t reach Lewis and Emily’s until 2.00pm — about an hour later than I’d hoped. Bit of a shame really.

Still, once we arrived it was lovely. Jack was there too, so it was a full house, and of course there were lots of hugs and cuddles with Frankie. He was brilliant — needed a couple of feeds and then just slept in the arms of whoever was holding him. Such a content little baby.

He’s got a touch of jaundice, but nothing to worry about — a perfectly healthy boy. There were a few presents handed out, all sweet little baby things. Mum’s knitted blanket was especially impressive.

The afternoon was really relaxed, Frankie being passed around everyone without complaint. We all enjoyed the roast dinner Tash had prepared earlier — it went down really well.

That said, Tash was stroppy with me all day, and again on the way home, because I spoke down to her in the car when she was criticising me. All a bit childish and unnecessary really, but it did put a slight dampener on things.

We wrapped up around 6.30pm, said our goodbyes, and headed home. The return journey was a dream compared to the morning — just 2 hours 15 minutes. Makes you realise we need to travel either early mornings or evenings to avoid the chaos and get some consistency in journey times.

Once home, Miles picked up Charlotte, Jodie headed off, and Tash disappeared to do her own thing. I just put the TV on and scrolled through my phone.

Overall, a really nice day — great to see everyone together again and, most of all, lovely to spend more time with baby Frankie.

Meeting Our New Grandson

As expected, it was a terrible night’s sleep – my mind was racing, worrying about the baby and the secrecy around the messages we’d been getting. The morning didn’t bring much relief either. We’d been messaging Lewis but weren’t getting any replies, which only fuelled the anxiety.

Charlotte did manage to speak with him around 7.30am and he said he’d call us shortly… but of course, he didn’t. By then, all sorts of thoughts and concerns were spinning around in our heads.

Despite that, I got myself sorted and set up for work. As always, the van made it easy – no problem getting logged in and catching up.

Finally, Lewis rang about 11.30am and we arranged to meet him at his house, just 10 minutes away. Big hugs all round when we arrived. We then followed him to Sainsbury’s to grab a meal deal before heading to the hospital.

They had their own room now and Emily appeared really well. And then came the moment we’d been waiting for – meeting Frankie. Of course, he was tiny, but everything about him seemed in proportion and healthy. In that instant, all the worries and concerns we’d been carrying melted away.

There were plenty of photos and cuddles, and we stayed about 45 minutes, listening to the story of the birth – how quickly it all happened, that there was no time for pain relief, the cord around his neck, and yet how well Emily had come through it. We left them to rest but planned to return later before heading home.

In the meantime, we went to a nearby retail park – I set up to work from the van while Tash did more shopping.

We returned around 3.00pm and spent another 30–45 minutes with them. They’d decided they were going home, so we helped carry some clothes and bits to the car. After more hugs, photos and goodbyes, we got back on the road.

I sat in the back working while Tash drove, but I have to admit I soon felt awful. After about 90 minutes I had to shut the laptop and sleep – I felt dreadful. We made decent time getting home, had dinner, and then I went out to the office to catch up on more work. The end of summer term rush is definitely showing with the sheer number of emails and tickets coming in.

It was an early(ish) night for us. Not even a fraction of the exhaustion that Lewis and Emily must have been through, but we were knackered all the same.

And now, we’re grandparents. We have a grandson. It’s such a strange and wonderful feeling to realise that our son – once so tiny himself – is now a father with his own child. And what’s more, I feel an instant attachment to Frankie that’s different to other babies – an immediate closeness.

I wonder what life will bring him.

We're Grandparents!!

So that's it then, we're officially old, Lewis and Emily have had the baby today - Frankie Ray - born at 3.29pm. 

Bit of a whirlwind today, Lewis sent a few updates advising how things were going and Emily being taken to the Maternity Ward and then not much else until we received the message on WhatsApp

Then radio-silence!

We were all asking questions etc and were getting nothing from Lewis - it was very worrying indeed.

The time dragged on and still nothing - by now Tash and I were in the van travelling up there and sorted a campsite nearby and were likely to get there about 8.00pm when Lewis finally called (hadn't answered messages) and we caught up but he sounded incredibly emotional (even upset) - obviously it's understandable to be emotional but it was hard to get anything out of him

We said we were 15 mins away, we'd guessed the correct hospital they were at, but he said they were too tired and would prefer it if we didn't come in today.

That felt like quite a hammer blow truth be told, I could take it but we all know what Tash is like and how utterly desperate she'd be to see them and cuddle the baby

It was really disappointing and an anti-climax and also didn't do much to reduce our concerns - but of course, we were not going to try and over-rule him, so the next roundabout I did a full 180 and came back the other way to go and find out campsite.

It worked out the site was less than 10 mins from Holmes Chapel and was a good find. We chose our own pitch, bit of a slope so needed to use my ramp and then we got sorted out. 

Didn't really eat once in the van - just reflected on the day and the events following Frankie's birth and read or looked at our phones.

Can't hide the fact that we're concerned, the lack of updates and comms - hardly any response to Tash's messages was bordering on rude in my opinion, it didn't make sense and was concerning as to whether there were more serious issues with Frankie or Emily's health.

Not even sure if we're going to be able to visit tomorrow - can't see we'll have a good night's sleep but it's so exciting and we're all thrilled to have the new arrival

So Tash will be Nanny, and I will be Grampy.

Fucking hell!!

Hangovers each and night at Clare and Greg's

Woke up with a serious hangover — no surprises there! Tash was throwing up and feeling properly rough, and I suspect I was still drunk rather than just hungover, considering I didn’t stop drinking until about 4.30am. I did switch to a non-alcoholic lager and a Coke right at the very end in the faint hope of sobering up a bit and saving myself for Saturday morning. Might’ve worked… just about.

We didn’t actually get out of bed until after 10.00am, and even then it was only because Oscar came round to look at the plumbing. He wasn’t here long, though, so we headed straight back to bed trying to sleep it off — finally surfacing again around midday. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I had a morning like that!

Eventually dragged ourselves up and drove over to Sue’s. Tash pretty much slept the whole way and then collapsed on her sofa when we got there, while Nathan was laughing at the state of us. We cracked on with tidying up Sue’s garage, which was a good job well done, and then headed back home — straight into bed again for another couple of hours to recharge. Definitely needed it as we had an evening out planned and were both running on fumes.

The extra rest worked wonders, and by the time we got up and ready we were in better shape. Unsurprisingly, Tash volunteered to drive — she couldn’t even look at alcohol — and we made our way over to Clare and Greg’s. We were running a little late and everyone else was already there when we arrived, about 10 of us in total, most of whom we’d met before when we went to Royal Ascot with them.

Started with drinks and nibbles before moving into the dining room for a really lovely Greek-style meal — proper good food. Spent most of the evening chatting with Miles and we both agreed we need to finally sort out a game of golf soon.

It turned into a really relaxed, civil evening — plenty of chat and laughs, and by this point you’d never have known we’d been out the night before. Everyone seemed to call it a night around 10.30pm, all standing up at once, so we said our thanks and goodbyes and headed home. Straight back to bed when we got in — no complaints there!

Hosting BBQ Night

A normal day at work, though definitely getting busier now as people are coming back from their holidays and the schools will soon be starting again.

We were hosting tonight — Tash had invited Cathy and Anna over, along with their partners, Steve and John. The plan was a BBQ, but of course, it was absolutely pouring down with rain for most of the afternoon. I was out there in the wet trying to get everything sorted, but luckily the rain eventually eased off, and we managed to spend the whole evening outside as planned.

Everyone arrived around 6:00pm and the atmosphere was lovely — plenty of drinks, chatting, and laughter. I get on really well with Steve, but I haven’t spent much time around John before. What became very noticeable, though, was just how much he takes over conversations. He has a habit of sharing his wisdom and opinions at full volume and pretty much bulldozing through whatever anyone else is saying.

It did get a bit irritating at times, especially when I was trying to chat with Steve in the bar about music and a few other things, but eventually, we just rolled with it and didn’t let it spoil the night.

I was on BBQ duty, and I think I did a decent job — the food went down well, everyone seemed happy, and the evening flowed along nicely. Before we knew it, it was 10:30pm, and people started heading off.

Once everyone had gone, Tash and I curled up on the outside sofa, listened to music, and had a few more drinks together. After tidying up a bit, Tash headed to bed — but I… didn’t!

I stayed out in the bar, playing music — switching between vinyl and my phone — and just carried on drinking into the early hours. No laptop, no work, just music and a good buzz. Ended up staying up until around 5:30am, finally dragging myself upstairs and collapsing into bed at about 6:00am.

A very good night — one of those evenings where everything just flowed. I’ll definitely pay for it tomorrow, but it was worth it.

Scotland Trip – Day 5 / Bank Holiday Monday

Didn’t sleep brilliantly — calves still aching and my mind was overactive. Annoying, but I know I’ll catch up soon enough. Got up, cleaned out the van, and got everything sorted. The weather was decent, which made things a bit easier.

Showered, shaved, and got myself looking smart for our lunch in Manchester. We hit the road around 10:00am and had a fairly straightforward drive down, though it was noticeably busier than Scotland — such a contrast.

Parked up in Spinningfields, grabbed a coffee, and sat in the sun near The Ivy before heading to 20 Stories for lunch. This was a Christmas voucher from Jodie, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint. Three-course set menu with plenty of choice — the food was fantastic. The weather was glorious too, so we had a couple of drinks and soaked up the atmosphere.

It got busier as the afternoon went on, but it was still relaxed and enjoyable. After finishing our meal, we sat out in the open area to enjoy the last of our drinks, took a few more photos, then headed back to the car.

The drive home wasn’t quite so smooth — traffic was heavy and we were redirected away from the M6, which took us through Holmes Chapel. Bit of a shame, as Lewis and Emily had already left for Centre Parcs with her family; would’ve been nice to pop in otherwise. Eventually re-joined the M6 and just accepted the sheer volume of traffic. Makes you realise how crowded England feels compared to the Highlands!

Got home and unpacked everything before a quick turnaround. Mum was happy with Bess and decided to keep her another night — a definite win! We rounded off the evening with a couple of drinks, cheese and biscuits, and a game of crib outside. Perfect way to finish.

What a brilliant few days — Scotland and the Highlands really left a mark. Already looking forward to going back before too long.

This trip also means we’ve pretty much covered the length and breadth of Britain this year — Cornwall to Scotland, Wales to Southwold, and plenty in between. The van’s done us proud!

Scotland Trip - Day 4 - Back to Glencoe and the Long Drive South

Back to Glencoe and the Long Drive South

Woke up fairly early, had a bit of breakfast, packed up and we were on our way before 9.15am.

Aching a bit, but nothing too bad.

We headed back to Glencoe, not far at all, with the intention of walking around some of the impressive Three Sisters. We thought we’d beaten the crowds by arriving early, but no – the car park was already full.

We managed to squeeze onto a bank on the roadside, just about the last safe spot left. Not dangerous, and unlikely to get clipped, so we were happy enough with that.

Once sorted, we set off to find the “Secret Waterfall” – although, in typical fashion, we went the wrong way for about ten minutes before realising and turning back.

The weather was kind again, and it makes all the difference. The scenery was absolutely breath-taking – you can use every adjective you know and it still won’t describe what it feels like to be there, surrounded by hills towering above you.

It was good to get walking again, and both of us felt fitter and more energised than yesterday, which made the experience more enjoyable. We hiked up along a path beside a gorge, eventually reaching the waterfall, stopping regularly just to take it all in.

After about 45 minutes we turned back and returned to the car park for a drink before setting off in the van again, this time towards Oban on the west coast – billed as a stunning seaside town.

The drive took just over an hour but was enjoyable. Once there, we parked for a couple of hours, though in truth we didn’t need that long. Oban was fine – a fairly ordinary town rather than the breath-taking place we’d been led to expect. (Later, when I told Mum, she said exactly the same thing!) Still, it was nice enough to wander the shops, grab a coffee and buy a few presents before heading back on the road.

The next leg was a long one – down to Morecambe, a drive of just over five hours. Through Scotland it was lovely: hardly any traffic, next to lochs and mountains keeping us company, making it an absolute pleasure. The further south we travelled, though, the busier it became – and we noticed the change.

We rolled into Morecambe around 7.30pm, parked up by the sea and set off in search of fish and chips. Not easy, as most places were closing, but we eventually found one through Google – and what a find it was. We ate our food while watching the sunset, which was beautiful.

The tide went out for miles, and I couldn’t help but remember the tragedy of the Chinese cockle pickers who drowned here. Looking over that vast beach, it was easy to see how it could happen.

Morecambe itself struck me as a proper British seaside town – slightly faded but still full of character.

Afterwards, we pushed on to our campsite, just managing to arrive before dark. It was decent enough, though nothing compared to what we’d enjoyed by the loch. Still, nowhere was ever going to match that!

We’ve got efficient at getting set up now, and were sorted quickly before settling down for an early night.

A busy but rewarding day. Scotland has been fantastic – the walking, the scenery, the atmosphere – and we both feel there’s so much more to come back and see. This trip has only whetted the appetite. We need to make sure we organise another one.

Scotland Trip – Day 3 – The Climb Up Ben Nevis

Woke up fairly early and, typically, the weather had taken a turn for the worse — low cloud cover, rain, and generally gloomy skies. Not exactly the ideal conditions for tackling Ben Nevis, but there we were.

Had breakfast, packed up our gear, and drove the 8 miles into Fort William to find parking. Arrived around 9.30am, but the visitor centre car park was absolutely rammed — no chance of getting in. Luckily, just 100 metres down the road, we found a farmer’s field offering cheaper parking. Perfect result!

Waterproofs on, bags packed, and before starting the climb we popped into the visitor centre for a quick look around and grabbed a souvenir fridge magnet. Then we were off.

The trail was busy, which wasn’t surprising as it was the Bank Holiday — people everywhere, from all over the world, all sorts of nationalities and backgrounds. It was actually really interesting to see.

Thankfully, the rain eased off quite quickly, and before long we were too hot and started shedding layers as we continued the climb. But wow… it was hard work. I really struggled right from the start. Tash was much better, but she stuck with me, matching my super-slow pace — the exact same “Kilimanjaro pace” I adopted back then. I just couldn’t go any quicker, and I know exactly why: zero training. My fault entirely.

We stopped loads of times, not to eat, just to rest and catch our breath. The mountain felt relentless — the path just kept going, disappearing steeply into the clouds above us. And with the low visibility up there, it felt endless. This was our third peak in our “three peaks” adventures, and once again the weather had stitched us up. I’ll be honest — I was fed up and doing a fair bit of moaning and groaning on the way up.

After a 4.5-hour slog, we finally reached the summit. There was a 30-minute wait just to take the classic summit photo — completely pointless but, of course, we queued and got it anyway. Then it was time to start the long descent.

The journey down took about 3 hours, partly because the weather finally improved a little. The clouds parted here and there, and for the first time we got glimpses of the stunning views we’d been missing — absolutely breathtaking. It was a bittersweet reminder of “what could have been” if the weather had been kinder.

Once at the bottom, we headed straight to the Inn at the Foot of Ben Nevis for a well-earned drink — went down a treat. Then we drove back to the campsite, absolutely shattered but happy to be done.

Tash sorted dinner, we both cracked open a drink, and we just sat outside overlooking the loch as the sun slowly set. The aches were kicking in, but it was peaceful, calm, and a really lovely evening to unwind after such a big day.

A good day overall — glad I did it, proud to have ticked off Ben Nevis, but once again my lack of preparation left me struggling and, honestly, a little embarrassed. 

When will I EVER learn?!

Scotland Trip – Day 2

The alarm went off at 5:50am after a pretty rough night’s sleep, so getting going was a bit of a struggle. Finally managed to get up around 6:20am, skipped breakfast and coffee, packed up, dropped some money in the honesty box, and hit the road again.

Stopped at Loch Lomond around 8:00am, which was absolutely stunning. We parked right by the water and worked from the van with the most beautiful view imaginable. Had a lovely FaceTime chat with Jack and Jodie, who are still out in Sri Lanka. Great to catch up — they’re having an amazing time and seem so happy together.

By lunchtime, we were back on the move, making our way to the next campsite. The drive around Loch Lomond and into the Highlands was just breathtaking — towering, rugged mountains, crystal-clear water, and huge sweeping views. A few times we both said it felt like we were in Canada. I really wanted to stop more often, but we were on a bit of a schedule to get back online for work. At least we’ll be coming home the same way, so we can make up for it then.

Arrived at the campsite, which was right on the water’s edge overlooking Loch Linnhe — we’d paid a little extra for the front-row spot, and it was absolutely worth it. Got everything set up quickly and jumped back online for a couple of hours. The MiFi worked brilliantly — lightning-fast speeds, both of us working without a single issue.

Wrapped up work on time — no way I was doing any overtime tonight — and Tash made a great spag bol for dinner. Afterwards, we headed out for a short walk to a nearby waterfall, taking in the amazing views across the Loch in the evening sunshine.

Then we wandered down to the Corran Ferry and crossed over the water, which was fun. On the other side, we stopped at a little brewery for a quick drink — it was buzzing and had a great atmosphere. After that, we made our way back to the ferry (watching the time carefully as the last one back was at 9:20pm!) and stopped off at the Inn by the ferry for one last drink before heading back to the campsite.

Ended the night relaxing by the Loch, soaking up the peace and quiet, and mentally preparing for tomorrow’s big challenge: Ben Nevis.

Honestly, I’m nervous… I’ve done zero training. Wish me luck!

Scotland Trip – Day 1

Finished work and hit the road for Scotland – a proper road trip ahead of us! It’s a long old drive, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stop at an Aire in Gretna Green.

The journey took just over six hours, including a stop at Tebay Services – honestly, hands down the best services we’ve ever been to. Proper farm shop vibes, amazing coffee, and possibly the best sausage roll I’ve ever had. Definitely sets a new standard for motorway stops!

The drive itself was fine overall, but Birmingham traffic was an absolute nightmare – added at least an hour to our journey. Eventually, we rolled into Gretna around 10:15pm, found our spot, got the van sorted, and tried to settle in for the night.

For some reason, I had this irrational fear that we might get burgled, so I double-checked the locks… and then, of course, the van alarm went off! That didn’t help - winding the neighbours up!

To make things worse, high-speed trains thundered past nearly all night, I was freezing, and I had a string of bad dreams. 

Safe to say, sleep wasn’t great at all – not the most restful start to the trip!

Bournemouth Trip

Kids slept well, and I was up at 6:45am to get things moving. Got breakfast sorted, walked the dog, and then the troops arrived—Mum, Charlotte, Zoe, and Tiff's three kids

We loaded up two cars and set off for Bournemouth, six kids under nine between us. The drive was fine until I spotted a speed van in a layby far too late—doing 80mph at the time. Bugger. Hopefully I got away with it, but we’ll see.

The roads were busy, no surprise with the hot weather forecast. Seemed like half the country had the same idea of heading to the coast. We went to Durley Chine, our usual spot, and after two laps of the road next to the car park we somehow managed to get a space in a perfect location. Very fortunate indeed.

We set up on the beach and settled in for the day. I had my Jaws t-shirt on—the one Tucks sent over—which at least amused me, even if no one else noticed. The kids were good overall, just the odd moment of squabbling but mostly happy, running between the sand and the sea.

The day had a proper holiday feel—sun shining, gentle breeze, and the endless people-watching that a British beach day always delivers. I had a nap at one point, went for a swim, and just enjoyed the laid-back rhythm of the day. We had a decent picnic, and later we treated everyone to dinner—chicken and chips or burgers all round.

Before we knew it, it was 6:30pm and time to pack up. The festival trolley once again proved to be worth its weight in gold—makes shifting all the gear from car to beach so much easier. That is, unless you forget to take the brake off, Charlotte!

The drive back was slow—just sheer volume of traffic—but we made it to Bicester in about two and a half hours and dropped Tiff’s kids off. They’d all had a great time, which made the effort worthwhile.

Back home, we got a few bits sorted before heading to bed. It’s been a long day, and it didn’t really feel like a Sunday at all. Can’t believe I’ve got work tomorrow. Still, nice to have the kids for the day—they were good company.

Golf and busy day hosting Vic's kids

Up bright and early for a 7:30am tee-off with Holdy. On the way, I slowed down to chat with Paul Creed outside his house—he happened to be speaking with Holdy at the time, so it turned into a quick roadside catch-up.

Got to the course and was met with a nice surprise: our third player was none other than Jason Caffel. Haven’t seen him in ages, and it was brilliant to have him join us. He hasn’t played in a while, but you wouldn’t have known it—he was annoyingly good, beating both Wayne and me with ease. Most of his shots were laser-accurate while we were busy losing balls left, right… and certainly not centre!

It was a cracking match and great to catch up with Caffa. We really don’t see enough of him, so I hope this wasn’t just a one-off and he becomes a regular again.

We broke tradition and stopped at the Tandem in Kennington on the way back for a fry-up breakfast and a couple of beers. Very nice indeed. Then it was homeward bound, but not before an urgent petrol stop—the mileage counter had been run right down to zero. Bit too close for comfort, but I made it (again).

When I got home, Tash was out having brunch with Kerry, Sharon, and Zoe, so I had the place to myself. Parked myself in the garden with a beer, enjoyed the sunshine, and even nodded off for a bit.

The afternoon was productive—finally sorted the screws for the Event Shelter, so that’s one job ticked off. Tash picked up Vic’s kids and then went to visit Little Liam and Georgia, who’ve just got a new dog. A bit later, they all turned up here for food before we headed out to Bampton for Rhia’s 40th birthday party. Stayed just over an hour, enough to wish her well and for Tash to catch up with her old work colleagues—she seemed genuinely happy to see us.

Back home, got the kids ready for bed. I read Cat in the Hat, which wasn’t quite enough to tire Olivia out, but Tash was sleeping in Jack’s room with all of them so that was fine. I watched a bit of TV before calling it a night myself—early start tomorrow with quite a crowd heading to Bournemouth.

Lewis & Emily Baby Shower

So after we'd got back from dropping the kids off home having been at Standlake for the weekend we quickly got ourselves sorted and Mum arrived and Zoe and we set off to Manchester. Charlotte and Miles went from Nottingham and Jack and Jodie went in his car and got Nanny on the way.

Traffic was pretty bad on the M6 and it got closed sending us on a diversion - we were supposed to be there by 1.00pm to set up the Event Shelter and that, but it was actually 2.30pm we arrived - nightmare!

They'd done really well and had made a great effort to set up food and games and guessing details and giving advice for parenting etc - it was really nice and chilled. There was Emily's family there and friends from work etc, a decent crowd, I was pleased for them both, they were proud with respect to the imminent arrival and the work on the house.

The work isn't finished but it's close to being so only a few more days we reckon - things like the kitchen tops and such like. It does look really good already, they've done so well. It's going to be a good house for them.

The afternoon was really nice, spoke to a few people including Emily's parents and then slowly people made their way home. We got them to open some of the presents that had been bought as it's nice for people to see the presents they'd bought being opened and appreciated - that was nice.

Time flew by and it was soon 6.30pm so we said our goodbyes to anyone left and got back on the road - thankfully the issues we'd experienced earlier had been cleared and the run back to Oxford was smoother - still quite busy though. 

A good day, a long one and we're tired from the weekend but it has to be done and we will catch up our sleep soon enough!

One thing we thought was that even though Emily only has a month left she didn't look "big enough" to drop in 4 weeks time - we will see soon enough!

Standlake Camping Weekend & A Farewell to the Festival Tent

We set off early for the campsite at Standlake and lucked out with a fantastic pitch — right near the clubhouse and, best of all, overlooking the lake. Couldn’t have asked for a better view.

Tash and Tiff’s kids arrived soon after. It was their first time there and, before they’d even stepped fully out of the car, they were asking if they could come again! They helped me sort a few bits, but I still had a couple of hours’ work to get through. So I retreated to the clubhouse with my MiFi — love that flexibility — and got stuck in. Worked like a charm.

By the time Nik, Gaz, Danny, Vic, the kids, Paul, and Pauline rolled in, it was 4:30pm and I could finally clock off. A few drinks later, I was in full relax mode. We wandered around the lake, had our pre-cooked dinner, and ended up back in the clubhouse with more beers and even a disco to round things off.

Odd moment later on — around 8:30pm, they all suddenly said “See you tomorrow” and headed off to their caravans. Tash popped round to see them later and found them eating and drinking together. She was upset; their uncle had died and it felt like they didn’t want to spend that evening with us. I was disappointed too, but not quite as bothered as she was.

That night, the kids stayed in the van with Tash while I slept in the festival tent. Not the greatest night’s sleep — mattress wasn’t pumped up enough and it was chilly.

Up early the next day, we had breakfast before heading into Standlake with the others. The road was busy (and not ideal for walking) and it turned out to be a longer trek than expected. Found a nice pub, though, and — strangely — sat inside despite the sunny weather. It wasn’t busy, but the service was painfully slow. Thankfully, when the food eventually arrived, it was worth the wait.

Back at the campsite, we made our way to the usual spot by the lakes for swimming, inflatables, and splashing around. Stayed for quite a while before heading back for dinner and another evening in the clubhouse. The girls got a bit tipsy — the weather was too nice not to. Didn’t see much of Gaz; he popped in for one drink and then disappeared back to his tent. Live music carried on until about 10:30pm, then we had a slightly questionable “health and safety” walk around the lake in the dark.

Elwood wanted to try sleeping in the tent that night, so he joined me while the girls stayed in the van. Much better sleep this time.

We were up early again — on a deadline to get to Manchester for Lewis and Emily’s baby shower. I started packing up straight away. After breakfast, we hit the road, but not before saying goodbye to the festival tent. It had served us brilliantly over the years, but this trip was its last. Ripped and beyond repair, it had to be binned. Definitely going to replace it — it’s the perfect spare room on trips like this.

Dropped the kids at Paul’s in Bicester on the way. They were worn out but absolutely loved it and are keen to go again. Nice to see Paul too — he’s in a lovely part of town.

Got home, barely had time to breathe before we were back on the road again… but that’s for the next entry.