Barbarian Odyssey

A visitor in our garden today

Ian — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:21:29 +0000

Today we had a visitor to our garden, an Adder. Misty enjoyed chasing it around a little bit before Barbara realised what it was. I think these pictures were taken at maximum zoom on the camera.

The are a beautiful creature and are becoming endangered in the Uk. This one was just enjoying some warmth

12 Months on

Ian — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:00:25 +0000

It feels very unreal but 12 months ago we were just about to leave for Lands End to start our bike ride. What a difference this April has been to last year. We will see how May compares.

Preparations are continuing for our Triathlon this year. Barbara is itching for the temperature of the loch to increase so she can try her new wetsuit out and save having to drive to the swimming pool to get some swimming practice in. My bike needs a good clean!! It shows that it is been used though. Just need to get some up & down hill practice done – that’s the scary bit.

Its Getting Serious

Ian — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:51:06 +0000

The Durty Triathlon has become a bit more of a reality over the last week for both Barbara & I. Barbara has started here swimming practice, not in the loch I hasten to say, as it won’t be warm enough for swimming for at least 3 months. Peebles swimming pool is hosting the training at the minute.

I in the meantime have splashed out on my new bike which will hopefully get me both up and down the hills. The picture is a photo of the new bike with the Captains Road rising up into the hills behind it. This is the first of the hills on the route of the Triathlon. I am making the most of the fine weather out on it. Before long I will go off road!!

The Durty Triathlon

Ian — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:05:05 +0000

We did the deed this evening, entered a team into the Durty Triathlon 2012. Well we could not resist the challenge! The triathlon is based at the Tibbie Shiels Inn on the 21st July, and involves an open water swim, off road bike ride & off road run. When it says off road it means off road – up and up and down the hills around St Mary’s Loch!

We are doing this as a team relay, the Cappercleuch Crazy Gang. Thought not that crazy that we are doing the whole thing!

The team: Barbara is doing the 750m open water swim, I am doing the bike ride, 15km, and Rob, our neighbour, has agreed to do the 5km run.

We will continue to post updates on the ups and downs of our training, as well as the event. We are now waiting for Michael & Laura to confirm their entry!

Out for Lunch

Ian — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:35:29 +0000

Such a beautiful frosty day today & we could not resist going out for lunch. Pork sandwiches overlooking Loch Skeen! This involved a walk up the path by the Grey Mares Tail waterfall. It was Misty’s first walk up by the waterfall & we think she enjoyed it.

Although very cold the path up by the waterfall was not covered with ice which made it a very pleasant walk. Because of the warm winter so far the Loch was not frozen either which was a bit unexpected

Spring in Winter

Ian — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:49:59 +0000

It takes a bit of remembering when looking in the garden that it is only the beginning of January. These are some photos of plants in flower a little bit out of season. Although it is nice to see the plants bursting into flower as it usually signifies the onset of spring with warmer longer days we cannot help but worry that everything is going to be set back with a long period of frost or even snow in the next month.

Kilimanjaro Feb 2000

Ian — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:50:17 +0000

In February 2000 Barbara climbed Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the school where she was teaching at the time in Newcastle. This gallery shows some of the photos of her adventure.

[Show as slideshow]

Le Jog the final Post

Ian — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:19:51 +0000

This should be the final post of our Le Jog Adventure in May 2011. Since we finished the bike ride the tandem has still been resident in Scrabster 20 miles down the road from John O’Groats at our Sister in Laws fathers friends house!!. We did intend to head up north again to pick it up ourselves and head over to the Orkney Islands. Time was not good to us but thankfully Bernard and Donella were heading up north and said they would bring it home to us. They arrived at 9.30 last Saturday night on their way home, and is now resident in our shed. We now have to think about riding it again….

Scafell – 24th Sept 2011

Ian — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:01:44 +0000

We went on a day trip to the Lake District to meet up with Barbara’s Sisters Christina & Rhona along with Brother in Law Paul to have a crack at Scafell – Englands highest peak!!

Saturday arrived with torrential rain showers. We were late arriving as we were slowed so much by the heavy rain on the M74 (that and the fact that we set of late!)

We set off in the rain but we decided that if the weather did not improve we could do a shorter walk. The weather did clear so we kept on going to the top

Going Up

The route was a bit hairy in places with scrambles over rocks not good for Misty but she did very well. The scree slope to the top was not very nice either. The amazing thing was the number of people. 100′s making their way up and down the different paths! Most seem to have done the quick route up from Wasdale. All shapes & sizes & equipment.

On the top

Coming down we had to negotiate the scree again followed by a boulder field. Again not very good for Misty (or us!) . The further down the hill we got the path improved along with the cloud lifting slightly giving us lovely views over Derwent Water and Skidaw.

Good views on the way down

Arrived back to the cars at around7.00. Getting a bit dark so we timed it perfectly to get the best weather of the day. Finished with a pint of guinness & fish & chips in Keswick before the drive home.

scafell 24 sept 2011

Dollar Law 15th September

Ian — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:47:24 +0000

Since our LeJog challenge we have not done much hill walking. We did a bit to build up for the Schiallion Mid Summer Nights Dram walk at midsummer. The main reason for the lack of hills is because we got a dog, an Old English Sheep Dog we call Misty (not the weather as you were probably thinking!). She is now 9 months old. As we intend climbing Scafell we thought she needed the practice! (not us of course!!)

After the continuous inclement weather we chose a beautiful day to go up Dollar Law from Cramalt by the Megget Reservoir. Most of the way is on a track which to our surprise has been extended so the steep section is no longer boggy deep grass, making life very easy.

We could have stayed all day having lunch in the sun with not a breath of wind. Misty enjoyed herself running around taking in the view.

On to the top where we had fabulous views over the Firth of Forth, the Cheviot and the Eldon Hills

Down the same way – a great walk