Holidays 2024

[Renton 21627]

2 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Mental init.  We are lucky in terms of our skiing / boarding as it's a friends appartment so we get it dirt cheap.   The hotel I stay at in Belgium we have stayed there so many times the owners let us have a decent discount so we didn't do too bad there.  We are off to the Lakes on Thursday until Sunday and it's a place we have stayed at 4 times before and again we have managed to get a deal there. 

We are off to Santa Eulalia in June and the hotel we stayed at last time (which was 4 years ago) was £2k for half board.  That's £5k now!  We tried looking elsewhere but it's all similar.

The lads are off to the Pyrenees in July to watch the Tour.  I looked into it and the cost and faff is too much.  For a week, it's flights to Bordeaux £400.  Transfer £100 each (plus 3h transfer).  So that's £500 on getting there then its another £700 for digs for the week.  Then scran etc on top.  Would be mint to cycle there, but I'll go when the Tour isn't on and the cost should be a fraction. 

 

Our friends with two kids are off to Disneyland Orlando and its cost them £12k!!! FUCKING TWELVE BASTARD GRAND  That's before spending money!  
 

 

Santa Eulalia, Ibiza right? I stayed near there once, really liked it.

 

Yeah. Thing is admittedly I live in a prosperous area by NE standards, and lot of my kids peers are still doing two or three foreign holidays a year, including trips to Orlando, skiing etc. I'm not arsed with keeping up with the Jones's but can't understand where the money is coming from, inheritance maybe. 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

4 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Santa Eulalia, Ibiza right? I stayed near there once, really liked it.

 

Yeah. Thing is admittedly I live in a prosperous area by NE standards, and lot of my kids peers are still doing two or three foreign holidays a year, including trips to Orlando, skiing etc. I'm not arsed with keeping up with the Jones's but can't understand where the money is coming from, inheritance maybe. 

 

dealing bong to the residents of boldon, is my guess 

[wykikitoon 20151]

Aye Ibiza.  But it doesn't have the Royal Oak and get your English Breakfast here shite.  It's very Spanish and quiet.

Aye I class myself as v lucky.  We don't have bairns and like to think we don't live a lavish lifestyle.  Like you say 'keeping up with the jonses'  So that lets us have a few holidays a year or a couple of big ones.  But as things go that's going to be cut back.  We looked at going to the Amalfi coast this year and the cost was just too much for what we wanted to do.

[RobinRobin 11281]

8 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Santa Eulalia, Ibiza right? I stayed near there once, really liked it.

 

Yeah. Thing is admittedly I live in a prosperous area by NE standards, and lot of my kids peers are still doing two or three foreign holidays a year, including trips to Orlando, skiing etc. I'm not arsed with keeping up with the Jones's but can't understand where the money is coming from, inheritance maybe. 

xI 🙂 

[Christmas Tree 4725]

2 hours ago, Dr Gloom said:

sacked off the mission to the highlands. having a week in Ecclerigg, between Ambleside and Windemere, instead 

See you there!

 

[RobinRobin 11281]

1 minute ago, Christmas Tree said:

See you there!

 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

1 minute ago, Christmas Tree said:

See you there!

 

 

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Get Brockhole booked up for kids

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

43 minutes ago, Christmas Tree said:

See you there!

 

[Meenzer 15531]

42 minutes ago, Christmas Tree said:

Get Brockhole booked up for kids

 

If your Brockhole gets booked up, Camp CT has six gallons of bhuna sauce that'll sort you out.

[Alex 35083]

@Dr Gloom Townend, near Troutbeck is just near where you’re staying and worth a visit for a curiosity. You’ll need to book though. Troutbeck itself is a pretty village and seems like a million miles away from the more hectic Ambleside and Windermere. It’s got a couple of good pubs too. The Mortal Man (great name for a pub) is a bit more down to earth and has a great beer garden. Get yourself to The Queen’s Head for more of a gastro pub experience. Don’t do what wor lass’s dad did when they were staying with us in Troutbeck though. He used the sat nav coming back from Coniston and ended up at the Troutbeck 30 miles away near Keswick  

Edited April 3, 2023 by Alex

[Dr Gloom 21924]

3 hours ago, Christmas Tree said:

Get Brockhole booked up for kids

 

already booked it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for the days you're not there 

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

What age are your kids Gloomy? 
 

There’s a fantastic scramble in Langdale called Jacks Rake which crosses the cliff ( Pavey Ark) above Stickle Tarn. 
 

You don’t need any special gear, just decent boots and a head for heights. 
 

Take your time, enjoy the views, and your kids will have an unforgettable day. 
 

Also, starts and finishes at the Dungeon Ghyll car park, so a pint afterwards is well earned. 
 

https://www.ukscrambles.com/lake-district-scrambles/jacks-rake/?utm_content=cmp-true

 

Its the red line on here. 
Dead easy to follow as you’re in a natural trough/ledge all the way 

edit; if you zoom in to the top people on this pic, they’re on the hardest bit- a chock stone which is jammed in the trough. 
You can either go straight over it, or nip out left a few feet and climb past it. 

 

Don’t bother if it’s wet though. 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

2 minutes ago, Monkeys Fist said:

What age are your kids Gloomy? 
 

There’s a fantastic scramble in Langdale called Jacks Rake which crosses the cliff ( Pavey Ark) above Stickle Tarn. 
 

You don’t need any special gear, just decent boots and a head for heights. 
 

Take your time, enjoy the views, and your kids will have an unforgettable day. 
 

Also, starts and finishes at the Dungeon Ghyll car park, so a pint afterwards is well earned. 
 

https://www.ukscrambles.com/lake-district-scrambles/jacks-rake/?utm_content=cmp-true

 

Its the red line on here. 
Dead easy to follow as you’re in a natural trough/ledge all the way 

 

Don’t bother if it’s wet though. 

 

8 and 12. the 12 year old would be game. not sure about the young un

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

not sure about the young un

Tell ‘em the Tik Tok views will be unreal, they’ll be up it like a rat up a drainpipe 

[Renton 21627]

Honestly, it's all relative, and depend's on each's competence and experience, but I would never attempt Jack's Rake with kids. It's not a typical ridge scramble at all. It fucking terrified me. Half way up, I was surrounded by rope up climbers on a ledge who were doing the face proper. Too late to back down, we had to continue I nearly shat myself through stress on the upper slabs. MF is saying this as a rock climber, it is not trivial for the average Joe and quite a few people have died on it over the years. I wouldn't do it again without ropes. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Renton

[Renton 21627]

3 hours ago, Christmas Tree said:

See you there!

 

 

"Hello? Is this Fort WIlliam Highland cottages? Change of plan, we need that accomodation back. Oh really? Thank God. It's just possible you have saved our lives".

 

 

 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

2 minutes ago, Renton said:

Honestly, it's all relative, and depend's on each's competence and experience, but I would never attempt Jack's Rake with kids. It's not a typical ridge scramble at all. It fucking terrified me. Half way up, I was surrounded by rope up climbers on a ledge who were doing the face proper. Too late to back down, we had to continue I nearly shat myself through stress on hte upper slabs. MF is saying this as a rock climer, it is not trivial for the average Joe and quite a few people have died on it over the years. I wouldn't do it again without ropes. 

 

okay, i'm incompetent at most things, so this is looking like a hard pass

 

any decent hikes with great walks in the area that end with spectacular views you'd recommend as an alternative? i hve stayed around keswick on previous visits but don't know windermere a well. fancy something more similar to catbells in difficulty 

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

He’s only saying that because there’ll have been a seagull 3 miles away. 
 

 

[Renton 21627]

5 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

okay, i'm incompetent at most things, so this is looking like a hard pass

 

any decent hikes with great walks in the area that end with spectacular views you'd recommend as an alternative? i hve stayed around keswick on previous visits but don't know windermere a well. fancy something more similar to catbells in difficulty 

Langdale in general, just not Jack's rake! You can bypass it easily on the right hand side of the pic MF put up to get up the pikes. You've got Crinkle Crags and Bowfell further up the valley which are beautiful, and you'll end up in the Dungion Ghyll pubs still. Some lovely flat walks over to Elter Water or even Grasmere too (and can get the bus back). 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Renton

[Meenzer 15531]

You've got some nice walks further in towards Elterwater if you like waterfalls and rivers - string together something involving Skelwith Force and Colwith Force, say (there's tons of well documented routes around there if you google).

 

EDIT: What Renton said, basically.  

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

Just now, Dr Gloom said:

 

okay, i'm incompetent at most things, so this is looking like a hard pass

 

any decent hikes with great walks in the area that end with spectacular views you'd recommend as an alternative? i hve stayed around keswick on previous visits but don't know windermere a well. fancy something more similar to catbells in difficulty 

The walk up to Stickle Tarn, which is the lake at the bottom of Jacks Rake, and then go round the right of the cliff to the top. 
Easy walk, nice lake to plodge in if it’s warm enough, amazing views over Langdale to the south and towards Scafell to the west. 
Come back via Harrison Sickle
The red route

Alternatively, you can go up Whitegill Ravine and then across to Stickle Tarn. Depending on time and how everyone feels, you can then  follow the red route up and around, or go back down to the pub from the tarn. 
 

Heres a pic from Whitegill, and a description 

https://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=33149.0

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

Also, if the weather’s a bit iffy but you fancy scaring the bejabbers out of the kids/Mrs. G, have a drive over the Hardknott Pass to Eskdale. 
There’s a decent pub in Boot for lunch, and the drive back will scare the shite out of them again! 
 

Win all round 

[Meenzer 15531]

I remember you trying to sell Hardknott to me several years ago when I was planning a hire car trip to the Lakes having driven once in the previous 14 years or so. That was a nope then and it'd probably still be a nope now even with a bit more experience under my belt.  

[Renton 21627]

Just now, Meenzer said:

I remember you trying to sell Hardknott to me several years ago when I was planning a hire car trip to the Lakes having driven once in the previous 14 years or so. That was a nope then and it'd probably still be a nope now even with a bit more experience under my belt.  

 

There's a pattern emerging here. My friend rolled his car over on Hard Knott pass.

 

This was my view from the top of Jack's rake, the first time on the scramble I could actually get the camera out my hands were shaking that much!