Under Canvas

There's been a lot of low cloud around over the last few days, but along the coastal paths, I was able to get my group into a little bit of sunshine last week. 

We went up a peak called Moelfre that I've only ever been up once before, so it was nice to something new and it's always nice to get a familiar view from a different angle. That's the Menai Straits in the distance.

With the evenings drawing in, Clare met me after the hike and we sped to the beach. This time, green glassy waves acutually were reaching the shore. The sun was virtually on the horizon when we arrived, so we changed as quickly as we could. Bobbing around between the sets, the sky went bright red, pink and eventually dark. We fumbled our way through the gloom back to the van, delighted to have finished the day with a sunset surf. 

Over the weekend I was assessing my last Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition of the year. It all started off quite benign, but Saturday night was a wild one to be under canvas!

I did feel a little guilty (only for a short while!), when after checking the group had all cooked and eaten, huddled under a tree to shelter from the wind and rain, My fellow assessor John, invited me over for dinner in his camper van!

I was pitched up nearby, in the trust Terry Nova.

But in the spacious van, a camp banquette was served up!

Around 2am, the full force of the storm hit. Rain hosed down and my tent felt like it was being lifted up off the ground! (even John was woken by the wind rocking the camper). I was happy tucked up and warm in my sleeping bag, listening to the show, but at the same time, half expecting someone to come and tell me that their tent had blown down. However come dawn, everyone had survived and some had even slept a little. Either way each student had a good tale to tell about 'the hurricane'! By later afternoon we were all heading back to base, damp but happy. A nice finish to the camp season...