The Cost of Camping

This morning Son is despatched back to Leamington by coach. Far cheaper than the train and it doesn’t involve again changes. We would have taken him but we’re heading to the Lakes and Leamington would have added a 100 miles to the route, so... no. He’s working New Year’s Eve for double time and a free bar, although apparently this may not be until 5am! Unbeknown to him and us, his boss is about to cancel his shift and not even open the nightclub, where Son works, on New Year’s Eve and 24 hours later Son will be heading back to Nottingham to see in the New Year. Oh dear.

Meanwhile though we leave Daughter in charge of the house. Oh dear.

We book into our usual campsite at Great Langdale. Yes, we’re camping and we just about get the tent up in the light, despite having all day to get up here. It’s actually unseasonably warm, although very wet. There are rumours about the beck flooding... Oh dear. It looks fine to me...

It isn’t actually raining as we pitch camp but the ground is so wet I don’t reckon it’s stopped much since we were here three weeks ago. The campsite owner confirms this as he charges us £3900 for 3 nights. Excuse me? I know prices often go up for the holiday periods but even so. We could almost have got a B&B for that. The most expensive camping trip ever.

We haven’t been here for a few years at New Year. Actually when we think about it, it’s been quite a few years. We were last up here at New Year in 2001 and 2002. So nine years ago. How time flies.

In 2001 when the place was snow bound I reckoned there were around 50 tents on the campsite, it's probably down to around 40 this year. Probably due to the wet and a not very promising forecast.

We spend the night in the Sticklebarn, supping Snecklifter. What could be better?

(Friday 30th December)

Great North Swim

A day off today and a drive up the M6 to Cumbria. A drive that is largely uneventful, which by M6 standards is exactly how you want it. As we drive past the Low Wood Bay Hotel and Marina near Ambleside at around 1.30pm it is clear that the Great North Swim is Blue Green Algae free and going ahead, as preparations seems to be in full swing and folks are even heading to the start already for the first two mile swim at 3pm. We pitch camp in our usual spot on the Great Langdale National Trust campsite and head back to Low Wood Bay, a very nervous looking L is off at 4pm. She’ll be fine.



There are just three waves today in the two mile event totalling around 600 swimmers, so it’s much more relaxed than it usually is on a Saturday or a Sunday when they’ll be around 3000 each day.

‘Typical’ Lake District weather of sunshine and showers with a gusting wind has been predicted. Waterproofs are recommended, for those who aren’t donning a wetsuit for a dip in the choppy looking lake.



Actually, the weather stays fine and I get to spectate in my shirt sleeves, my Great North Swim 2010 T-shirt, kindly donated to me by L. Well no one can say I didn’t do it because the whole race was cancelled so no one did. The boys and I settle into watch from the veranda of the Low Wood Bay bar.



Disappointingly there’s no ale in the main bar but I dig a bit deeper and find the local Hawkshead Bitter in the hotel lounge, that’s better. A snip at £3.90 a pint, ouch. That’s for a 3.7% ale. So I won’t be having a second.



An hour and half later, L surfaces from the water with part one of her three part weekend challenge complete but with only two miles added to her total for 90 minutes effort. She should get a bike, it would help her clock up her 500 miles in a much quicker time.

We head back to base camp and the Sticklebarn Inn, where the Snecklifter is a reasonable £3.30 a pint, which for a 5.1% ale is much better value.

(Friday 17th June)