Friday 24 December 2010

Exmoor In The Snow

Here are the Betazoids, at the very beginning of our walk over the snow laden hills of Exmoor. The first Christmas Eve walk we've ever done in snow. It was all very exciting, and even the dog ran round like a mad thing to start with.
Walking through the woods was beautiful, if hard going on the up hill stretch. Coming down to the stream on the other side wasn't too much of a challenge. There were some very handy logs where the kids could pose for photos.

Then we had to go through fields where no humans had trod since the snow fell. The snow was up to the top of our wellies. It was a very long way up. Even the dog slowed down - eventually!

Finally we made it to the pole - the wooden one with the yellow top (Caitlin is leaning against it.) But our disappointment was almost as great as Scott's moments later. Not that anyone had been there before us, but that there was another one, on the top of the next rise. And then yet more walking, through virgin snow that was even deeper than the top of our wellies. It took us an hour to go 3/4 of a mile. Me and Ellie fell into snow deeper than my knees, Carl lost his boot in boggy ground hidden beneath snow. The dog went head first into a snow drift. But none of us have laughed so hard in ages.
Best Christmas Eve walk ever!

Monday 20 December 2010

Snow At Last!

The rest of the country have had snow for ages. We had to wait, but finally its here! We woke up on Saturday morning to a white world. It was beautiful. So in between getting the house ready for Father Christmas we have been playing, naturally. Caitlin spent so long making Jeffery, her snowman, it got dark.

We've been sledging with Jo. Although that didn't last long, cos it was hard work pulling the sledge up the hill and the snow there wasn't that good.

And this is what happened when they all fell off!

The dog loves it. We throw snow balls for her and she can't understand why she can't find them when they land. Snow is tasty though. She been for lots of long walks and doesn't seem to get cold paws or anything.
The only downside to snow is that the postmen don't seem to be able to work in it. Ellie's present still hasn't arrived, despite being dispatched on 8th Dec. I walked to the post office to collect my post today but the postman couldn't walk to my house. Poor thing!

Friday 10 December 2010

Centre Parcs

Last weekend we went to Centre Parcs in Longleat. I have only just now found the time to post about it. My life has been a huge whirlwind of catching up ever since returning on Monday night.


We had a great time. This is Caitlin and Ellie coming out from their visit to Father Christmas. More cuddly toys. Every year Ellie asks for a teddy and I keep saying there's no room left in her bedroom for any more cuddly toys, Father Christmas must know this by now, but every year he brings her another one!

This is our front path. We were within spitting distance of the dome so walking down for a swim was no problem at all. They didn't want to go swimming that much though. It was too cold.

When we first arrived there was loads of snow, but hours later it started to rain and most of it disappeared. Some lingered on, and the ice everywhere was pretty. Our villa backed onto a lake which was completely frozen over. We wandered down to take photos.

The main lake where they do the water sports was competely frozen over too, we weren't expecting that.