LIBBY GREENHALGH

I'm baaaaaaack, not for long and I haven't gone far but as I enjoy writing my blogs and it helps me remember and realise all the things I actually did.....so here it is. Heading off to Stockholm to visit Kattis for a week and try some Ice yachting and who knows what else.  Its been a year since I got the dog, walnut, and only the second time I have left her and this time I have a house sitter and before I had even made it to the plane the ridiculous creature had managed to set herself free and go off to Wolfys (Leslie's). She never fails to amaze me on her alternative homing instinct, hopefully it won't be end of me going away. Anyway I landed in Stockholm and went to wander through immigration to discover that it was way more like trying to get in the US than the last time I came and we were still in the EU. Even I began to question my validity in coming when they asked me who I was visiting. I couldn't remember, never mind actually say or spell Kattis...

Gooooood morning.....I think finally on day 7 of my holiday I awoke not completely knackered   Largely solar powered and thriving from a proper bed. As much as my inflatable mattress was a fully pimped step up, quite literally, on my roll mat camping. A bed pillows duvet and an insane view...a little bit of heaven that was rather hard to get out of....except for the nut desperate to go to the beach. I was worried about swimming here as google said no.....what I need to remember is I am.pretty water savvy and can probably make a fairly educated guess other than the Sewage or jellyfish. Instead we strolled to the beach, cup, an actual cup of tea, in hand to see the morning dog walkers and a couple of swimmers and let the nut rip. Barely a breath of wind and already warmth to the sun a dip would have been glamour. Wow what a wonderful spot this is. Alnmouth is right on the east coast miles of sandy beach which dogs are allowed to dominate.....well there is no restrict...

I often wonder why i write these blogs.....maybe in years to come I will try and read back through the mis-spelt poor grammatical blogs and hopefully be able to decipher them and think WOW what a life. In the moment I think it helps keep me sane and connected as I am really fairly lonely even with the nut rumbling around. In writing them i am reminded of the wonderous things of the world and not just the fact that I didnt think that more water could fall out of the sky! So packing up in the rain and trying to organise my bags as the next place is a 15min walk from any car parking and on the coastal path so need to pack light.  A quick whiz around the campsite forest for walnut and whiz round and round in circles, a chat at checkout with the campsite bods and suggestion of some.outdoor hooks for the pods and midgy net for the window.....one got my lip last night....and then bust through the duck barracade and we are off. Forest drive here we come.....not sui...

I am guessing at some point rather than keeping midges out my net kept one in for a feast and it has chomped itself around the edge of my face down my neck and behind my ears before no doubt dying due to gluttony! Between that and horse flies that seemingly bit me through my trousers I am marginally peeved today....on the hottest oh wait wettest day of my holiday. The usual whoopsy where has the morrning gone as I ate my bacon amd scrambled eggs which basically.means Walnut then stops eating! Today was going to be our big day maybe even two hikes. Thay rapidly diminshed to maybe one in the drizzle soon to be rain that was expected. All needing to be within an hour of home to avoid carcolepy issues. A quick recap of the things/points of interest that I had saved and i was off to yomp along Hadrians wall and climb up into Robin Hood famous and infampusly treeless gap and look out yonder at my lands!!! For something so iconic that is no more it was surprisingly pop...

The nut returns.....apprehensive about how she's been and how she'll be. I turned up with sausages  What did she think of her hotel stay? What does she think of being back with me...... Today we headed out in hunt of waterfalls and a walk described by many as easy definitely what was required. I felt surprisingly bouncy when we set off on a round trip of 1hr 45....to Hareshaw Linn waterfall.  However any miniscule of incline and i was going zero speed or just wanting to stop....and the route was predominantly up hill.....in order for the water to fall down! Anyway, it is a stunning walk from open grassland with sheep to an other world of up down mainly up with plenty of mini waterfalls along the way. One of which I really hoped was the waterfall. But on I pressed.  I wasn't disappointed, accept in myself for not bringing my swimmers but making it there was achievement in itself and i think we saw one other person on pur way and two peop...

At Several points through the course of today a life revelation has occured..... There is no reason to get up at 0400 for fun....with the exception of going on holiday (but even I book more sociable flights now) and round the island....which weirdly is still fun! I had pre set my kettle ready for ignition and porridge pot on my parents honeymoon camping stove thats still going strong though it really only cooks at a fairly maximum gas blasting speed....good for kettle boiling. Drew the curtain to misty but no mizzle filled campsite, after the chinks of blue sky seem to have held their own overnight and grown. Northumbrian triathlon here we come or in my mind.....why, i could just sleep.....but now Walnut is already ensconced in her hotel i should probably do it. What else would I now do! The chat of midges from both the campsite and event pre coming up here proved not to be a lie...... so by 0500 what I would learn would soon become my permanent headwear I was in the transition zone la...