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Date & start time: 28th November to 3rd December 2008.

Places visited : Camberley, Stamford, Tickhill, Sprotbrough, Tickhill and home.

Walk details : Sprotborough Flash 2.2 ml, 150 ft of ascent, 1 hours 20 min. ( SE 537 015 )

Highest point : Seeing everyone.

With : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Generally poor but with bright intervals, especially in Yorkshire.

Wed 3rd Dec . . . it says so on the calendar !

 

As we are not planning to travel over Christmas, we've taken the opportunity to visit our family early in the month in order see them and to exchange presents.

Our first stop was Camberley where Cathy and Richard entertained us for a few days.

Alexander stands still for a moment for a photo!

His Dad's birthday cards line the shelves behind.

As it's (almost) Christmas Cathy has found a few crackers to pull before dinner.

She is ready to pull two crackers it seems or is the nail varnish still damp ?

Matthew and Alexander read the wonderful and original jokes (not).

" Look Sam" says Mum . . . " It's a purple thing."

Steam from the dinner hides the fact that the butterfly is in fact a hair grip.

Cathy and Richards two dogs, Saffie and Theo, sadly for them ... not invited to the table.

   
Alexander supervises his older brothers.
Smile for a photo please !

Unfortunately Jack, the oldest of the four boys is away at school.

[ Matthew should have been too, but for the fact that he has his leg in plaster following a rugby injury.]

It was great to see everyone.

Do you have to go so soon . . . Just as I've got comfortable !

- - - o o o - - -

After a few days we head north, stopping briefly at our friend Angie's house for lunch.

She and David kindly looked after our dogs in the summer while we were abroad.

Harry wonders whether they are going to stay here again ?

Bethan assumes she is . . . and slots back into Bailey's bed as if she had never been away . . . much to Bailey's disgust !

- - - o o o - - -

While in the Stamford area we meet up with daughter Jenna and her boyfriend Duncan for a meal at the White Hart in Ufford.

- - - o o o - - -

Then it's on to Yorkshire to stay with Paula and Al and their family.

   
Meet Thomas . . . about to start his dinner
Abi is still waiting to be served.

Chance for a game or two with the kids . . . this one was called " Downfall " I think.

Turn the wheels and let the counters fall . . . but what you turn affects the same wheel on the other side of the board.

   
Is that how it works !
Hey Mum . . . Pop's winning.

Next day while the children were at school or nursery

Ann and I take the chance to walk the dogs at Sprotbrough.

A beautiful sunny afternoon down by the River Don.

Calm waters just up from the weir.

The life belt on the house marks The Old Ferryman's Cottage.

We take the higher woodland path on our walk out.

There's a new bird hide alongside the nature reserve lake. On the way back we plan to walk through the trees behind the hide.

That path follows alongside the River Don, hidden below the cliff in the background.

A winter crop is starting to show as the late afternoon sun highlights the quarry face on the distant hill.

   
Can we have a swim ?
Yes . . . but don't disturb the nice reflections.

Myself . . . down by the riverside.

Which is the more real ?

The trees opposite were magnificent with their backdrop of a clear blue sky.

But all is not what it seems . . . hold your cursor over the picture for the true photo !

Into the setting sun as we turn and retrace our steps.

briefly following the Trans Pennine Trail along the northern bank of the river

This gives us chance to visit the bird hides.

The pools are partially frozen and the birds are further way than normal so are difficult to positively identify.

Two Swans join the various wildfowl as the sun sets.

   
A last view from the hide as the sun sets . . .
. . . and the last fisherman by the river begins to get cold.

After taking the chance to visit friends in Sprotbrough itself, we return to Paula and Al's house in Tickhill.

- - - o o o - - -

After dinner it's bed time for the youngest . . . and it's hair wash night.

   
Abi and her personal hairdresser
Very smart . . . the casual wet look.
   
   
This is me in my pink bedroom . . .
. . . and me doing my Renée Zellweger impression

Ann shows Thomas where we went for our afternoon walk.

He's been out at Martial Arts Club tonight, and once he was off to bed we took our leave

and make our way home before the forecasted snow has a chance to shut the A66 over the Pennines !

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus 75 Digital cameras.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . the prospect of seeing our son over Christmas in the Lakes.

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