I've finished my time with Ardmore...
Now I'm sitting in a squishy, large armchair, with a shaggy border collie watching my every move. Teddy, Georgie's loyal collie, has been an amazing company for my tired heart over the last few days, whether that's due to he knows I need a hug, or he remembers that I give him the crusts off of my toast each morning, I'm not entirely sure.
I feel at last the restfulness I have needed over the last two months, now that I am not in the hard environment of Ardmore. TV and a shaggy dog can do that for the exhausted! Now it is time to sort out where I am going and what I am doing!
xx
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Snowdonia National Park - Day 3
(12th September, 2010)
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
We went to another peak near to Snowdon today. Iain, and three of the others climbed Tryfan, going up the North Ridge, which is a famous ridge walk. From the stories Eleanor came back with of having to be tied twice to get up and round rocks jutting from the mountain side, and steep scrambles to the next ridge, I am exceedingly glad I did the walk down into Llyn Idwal and the surrounding farmland. Even that was a strain on my poor legs from the day before!
But legs aside, the walk through the valley past the beautiful lake Llyn Ogwen was spectacular! We took it slow, me with my legs and camera out poised for a peaceful view of the valley, and Moreen with her pastels and sketches of the valley in front of us. Anna was the fittest of us, walking and backpedaling to join up with us every so often.
Lunch was next to a stream, with the heat of a late summer sun warming our faces, and the cool breeze keeping the fleece on. A babbling stream made a path through the valley up to the range more intriguing, and became a composition for my attention. The day moved on, and we returned to the van. More stops as photo and painting opportunities arose, and after each incline a moment for breathing was set aside.
On the way back to England through the Welsh country side we past a steam train chugging away through the valley! My weekend of magic was complete, with aching legs and a full mind of wonderful images and thoughts for more to come. I am always going to be grateful for Iain for letting me be a part of that trip, it opened my eyes to the beauty of Wales, and the graciousness and kindness of some strangers I've met along my travels. Thank you...
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
We went to another peak near to Snowdon today. Iain, and three of the others climbed Tryfan, going up the North Ridge, which is a famous ridge walk. From the stories Eleanor came back with of having to be tied twice to get up and round rocks jutting from the mountain side, and steep scrambles to the next ridge, I am exceedingly glad I did the walk down into Llyn Idwal and the surrounding farmland. Even that was a strain on my poor legs from the day before!
But legs aside, the walk through the valley past the beautiful lake Llyn Ogwen was spectacular! We took it slow, me with my legs and camera out poised for a peaceful view of the valley, and Moreen with her pastels and sketches of the valley in front of us. Anna was the fittest of us, walking and backpedaling to join up with us every so often.
Lunch was next to a stream, with the heat of a late summer sun warming our faces, and the cool breeze keeping the fleece on. A babbling stream made a path through the valley up to the range more intriguing, and became a composition for my attention. The day moved on, and we returned to the van. More stops as photo and painting opportunities arose, and after each incline a moment for breathing was set aside.
On the way back to England through the Welsh country side we past a steam train chugging away through the valley! My weekend of magic was complete, with aching legs and a full mind of wonderful images and thoughts for more to come. I am always going to be grateful for Iain for letting me be a part of that trip, it opened my eyes to the beauty of Wales, and the graciousness and kindness of some strangers I've met along my travels. Thank you...
Snowdonia National Park - Day 2
(11th September, 2010)
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
Today I became 'Lady MacDuff' ... I made it to the peak of Mount Snowdon, and down again! The stroll really at the start was soft on my feet, until we got more of a stone pathway. Then the going got a little bit tougher. I slipped down to photograph a gushing rapid, and almost lost my tripod, camera and myself into the fast-flowing water!
I joined back up with the group, and with their practice of walking up hills and mountains in the cooler air, I was soon lagging behind. Because of that, they put me in front to leader, and dropped their pace to suit mine. Listening to the chat behind me, with Iain's soft scottish accent, and the various english accents, helped me to breath slower and keep my breathe as the walk steepened and the climb became harder.
It was like walking up a stream running over my boots! The rain and wind came down the higher we hiked, and water began as a trickle and turned into a stream. My boots had their breaking-in in the best way possible - water, rocks, hiking and cold! There was a man who was wearing sandals, short shorts, a cotton long-sleeve top and not much else, who had a beard to his belly, full of dreadlocks, and white dreads down his back, full of knots and sticks and leaves from when he laid down on the ground. He looked like the mountain guru, taking a group of followers up the mountain to pray. We past him and his followers and they past us several times in the day, until they were lost in the clouds that covered everything in sight.
Upon the ridge we stopped at for lunch, I became 'Madam MacDuff', looked over a long lake, with the mountain peaks looming around us as we ate. Iain took a photo of me climbing up the rocks, over looking the lake in the valley below. As Madam MacDuff, we continued up the mountain, until we got to about 800 meters, where the terrain became harder and turned into a scramble up to the peak. I slipped at one point, and felt like if I could see how far up I was, I would have slipped a lot further!
The peak was over run with runny-nosed children, fashionably dressed women, and poor dogs who looked miserable... There is a train that takes people from the base of the mountain, to the peak... silly sausages! They looked totally out of place with all the trekkers and hikers trudging up the peak, myself included!
The return to the bottom of the mountain saw us ridge walking - hiking along the top of the ridge to return to the bottom of the mountain. Along the way, Eleanor slipped on a rock and got muddy, and I twisted my ankle on another slippery rock. It then became slippery, and rockier, and Iain, in his very enthusiastic manner, piped up 'we're almost out of the rocks Kael, then it will be like walking on carpet!'
It was NOT like walking on carpet!! The twisted ankle became very sore, the knees began clicking, and swollen, and sore, and the carpet of grass that was promised was not what it seemed. It was more painful than stone, as my legs began to ache with each step.
There was a quaint little bridge, with a sheep looking to cross, and it felt like 'The Three Billy Goats', and we were the trolls, scaring the sheep away. I loved ever minute of the hike, even with the pain and breathlessness that came along with the hike! Even with the the gusty winds, the stark, grey light and rain, rolled ankles and laughter with each fall, it was an amazing time. I recommend it to anyone, and everyone!
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
Today I became 'Lady MacDuff' ... I made it to the peak of Mount Snowdon, and down again! The stroll really at the start was soft on my feet, until we got more of a stone pathway. Then the going got a little bit tougher. I slipped down to photograph a gushing rapid, and almost lost my tripod, camera and myself into the fast-flowing water!
I joined back up with the group, and with their practice of walking up hills and mountains in the cooler air, I was soon lagging behind. Because of that, they put me in front to leader, and dropped their pace to suit mine. Listening to the chat behind me, with Iain's soft scottish accent, and the various english accents, helped me to breath slower and keep my breathe as the walk steepened and the climb became harder.
It was like walking up a stream running over my boots! The rain and wind came down the higher we hiked, and water began as a trickle and turned into a stream. My boots had their breaking-in in the best way possible - water, rocks, hiking and cold! There was a man who was wearing sandals, short shorts, a cotton long-sleeve top and not much else, who had a beard to his belly, full of dreadlocks, and white dreads down his back, full of knots and sticks and leaves from when he laid down on the ground. He looked like the mountain guru, taking a group of followers up the mountain to pray. We past him and his followers and they past us several times in the day, until they were lost in the clouds that covered everything in sight.
Upon the ridge we stopped at for lunch, I became 'Madam MacDuff', looked over a long lake, with the mountain peaks looming around us as we ate. Iain took a photo of me climbing up the rocks, over looking the lake in the valley below. As Madam MacDuff, we continued up the mountain, until we got to about 800 meters, where the terrain became harder and turned into a scramble up to the peak. I slipped at one point, and felt like if I could see how far up I was, I would have slipped a lot further!
The peak was over run with runny-nosed children, fashionably dressed women, and poor dogs who looked miserable... There is a train that takes people from the base of the mountain, to the peak... silly sausages! They looked totally out of place with all the trekkers and hikers trudging up the peak, myself included!
The return to the bottom of the mountain saw us ridge walking - hiking along the top of the ridge to return to the bottom of the mountain. Along the way, Eleanor slipped on a rock and got muddy, and I twisted my ankle on another slippery rock. It then became slippery, and rockier, and Iain, in his very enthusiastic manner, piped up 'we're almost out of the rocks Kael, then it will be like walking on carpet!'
It was NOT like walking on carpet!! The twisted ankle became very sore, the knees began clicking, and swollen, and sore, and the carpet of grass that was promised was not what it seemed. It was more painful than stone, as my legs began to ache with each step.
There was a quaint little bridge, with a sheep looking to cross, and it felt like 'The Three Billy Goats', and we were the trolls, scaring the sheep away. I loved ever minute of the hike, even with the pain and breathlessness that came along with the hike! Even with the the gusty winds, the stark, grey light and rain, rolled ankles and laughter with each fall, it was an amazing time. I recommend it to anyone, and everyone!
Snowdonia National Park - Day 1
(10th September, 2010)
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
So I went to Wales. With a walking group run by an incredibly enthusiastic Scottish man by the name of Iain Thomson, whose kindness to me was amazing. Iain runs a business called 'Walk Free, Break Free', which caters for people of all ages, genders and craziness really! It is a walking company (duh), which goes all around the British Isles, from England to Wales, to Scotland and all the little islands around the coast line. Iain takes people to hike and walk and wander through them, up the mountains and around the lakes. And it's a blast!
The drive up to Wales was spectacular once we left the cities behind. There were mossy stone walls skirting all the roads we drove along, winding in and out of forests, hillocks, over rivers and through the country side. Every so often the rain would start again, like a thin veil over the land, until it looked more like a mist than rain. Even in the rain the country side looked magical, possibly even more ethereal than when the sun was out. Wild looking sheep with long tails would appear then disappear in the rain, hidden among the stones in fields.
There were seven of us on this trip, which was possibly the nicest way for it to be. The other members of the group were all older than me, but with the laughter and chatter to go by, you'd never guess it. Young at heart and happy to boot, the group made the drive to Wales and the first moments in the hostel ~ Lledr House ~ warm and cheery. There, sitting by the television listening to news about far off places, the click-clack of Eleanor's knitting, the clatter of the men cooking in the kitchen, smelling supper cook, and drinking a glass of red wine, it will be an evening to remember.
Lledr House, near Betws-y-coed, Wales
So I went to Wales. With a walking group run by an incredibly enthusiastic Scottish man by the name of Iain Thomson, whose kindness to me was amazing. Iain runs a business called 'Walk Free, Break Free', which caters for people of all ages, genders and craziness really! It is a walking company (duh), which goes all around the British Isles, from England to Wales, to Scotland and all the little islands around the coast line. Iain takes people to hike and walk and wander through them, up the mountains and around the lakes. And it's a blast!
The drive up to Wales was spectacular once we left the cities behind. There were mossy stone walls skirting all the roads we drove along, winding in and out of forests, hillocks, over rivers and through the country side. Every so often the rain would start again, like a thin veil over the land, until it looked more like a mist than rain. Even in the rain the country side looked magical, possibly even more ethereal than when the sun was out. Wild looking sheep with long tails would appear then disappear in the rain, hidden among the stones in fields.
There were seven of us on this trip, which was possibly the nicest way for it to be. The other members of the group were all older than me, but with the laughter and chatter to go by, you'd never guess it. Young at heart and happy to boot, the group made the drive to Wales and the first moments in the hostel ~ Lledr House ~ warm and cheery. There, sitting by the television listening to news about far off places, the click-clack of Eleanor's knitting, the clatter of the men cooking in the kitchen, smelling supper cook, and drinking a glass of red wine, it will be an evening to remember.
A Scholarly Town
(Back dating slightly -time to get back on track!)
Well, well, well. Oxford seems to be one of the most beautiful university towns I have ever seen, with it's historic buildings, and stunning grounds. But really, I could never work so hard or be so well off to ever get into a place as prestige as Oxford! Beautiful, but a bit too toffee-nosed for me!
It was a lazy Saturday, with a walking tour led by Tom and Nathan, two activity leaders. Their banter, and the funny little facts about Oxford Nathan would chip in for my benefit more than anything really made the day lovely. It wasn't raining, and the air was warm enough for me to walk around in a long sleeved top, and not be rugged up!
We walked around buildings that have been used in so many movies, the most well know for the younger generation is the use of it in Harry Potter! People were walking around holding white owls, Hedwig replicas, and pointing out the many spots they thought they knew. It was £13 or so to get into different parts of the Hogwarts sections of the university, so we skipped that and went to the movies.
'Dinner with Schmucks' - if you value your mental health, or you have a high opinion of Steve Carell, I wouldn't recommend this film. The amount of times Tom left the theater to go grump at the staff was quite often, and he had to climb across me to get out. The movie was NOT good! And the cinema we were at was equally NOT good, with the sound and screen cutting out, and the film dropping down so half the image was missing... we definitely wasted 2 hours there!
The afternoon continued with laziness, and we finally went back to the coach with the students. Another hour later and back at Bridges hall for a dismal dinner, and a rainy night with splodgy mud between dinner and bed. If only sleep was easy then.
Well, well, well. Oxford seems to be one of the most beautiful university towns I have ever seen, with it's historic buildings, and stunning grounds. But really, I could never work so hard or be so well off to ever get into a place as prestige as Oxford! Beautiful, but a bit too toffee-nosed for me!
It was a lazy Saturday, with a walking tour led by Tom and Nathan, two activity leaders. Their banter, and the funny little facts about Oxford Nathan would chip in for my benefit more than anything really made the day lovely. It wasn't raining, and the air was warm enough for me to walk around in a long sleeved top, and not be rugged up!
We walked around buildings that have been used in so many movies, the most well know for the younger generation is the use of it in Harry Potter! People were walking around holding white owls, Hedwig replicas, and pointing out the many spots they thought they knew. It was £13 or so to get into different parts of the Hogwarts sections of the university, so we skipped that and went to the movies.
'Dinner with Schmucks' - if you value your mental health, or you have a high opinion of Steve Carell, I wouldn't recommend this film. The amount of times Tom left the theater to go grump at the staff was quite often, and he had to climb across me to get out. The movie was NOT good! And the cinema we were at was equally NOT good, with the sound and screen cutting out, and the film dropping down so half the image was missing... we definitely wasted 2 hours there!
The afternoon continued with laziness, and we finally went back to the coach with the students. Another hour later and back at Bridges hall for a dismal dinner, and a rainy night with splodgy mud between dinner and bed. If only sleep was easy then.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
~Hellfire Caves ~
OoOooOOoOohhh
We took the Russian students with their group leaders to the West Wycombe Caves (also known as the Hellfire Caves) today! It was absolutely amazing!
Many, many years ago, a Sir Francis Dashwood, after traveling through Europe and the world, returned to his home, and extended a cave system that had been used for chalk excavation.
We took the Russian students with their group leaders to the West Wycombe Caves (also known as the Hellfire Caves) today! It was absolutely amazing!
Many, many years ago, a Sir Francis Dashwood, after traveling through Europe and the world, returned to his home, and extended a cave system that had been used for chalk excavation.
- Supposedly of very ancient origin these unique caves were extended in the 1740’s by the infamous Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the notorious Hellfire Club -
- On his return from his travels Sir Francis established the famous Hell-fire Club which subsequently held chapter meetings in the Caves and whose members included Lord Sandwich, John Wilkes and other senior aristocrats and statesmen. Sir Francis later became Chancellor of the Exchequer. Benjamin Franklin was a close friend and visited West Wycombe often. -
It was so creepy, walking through these caves, seeing the pick axe marks on the walls, feeling the air getting colder, the further down we went! There were faces molded into the chalk walls, of people screaming, of cats and birds, and even a skull! In separate caverns barred from the public, there were statues set into the walls from when Sir Dashwood used the caves for his meetings, and even an urn that once contained the heart of the steward - Paul Whitehead - which he left to Sir Dashwood, "The Noble Founder", which is kind of a veeerry unusual gesture!
- On his return from his travels Sir Francis established the famous Hell-fire Club which subsequently held chapter meetings in the Caves and whose members included Lord Sandwich, John Wilkes and other senior aristocrats and statesmen. Sir Francis later became Chancellor of the Exchequer. Benjamin Franklin was a close friend and visited West Wycombe often. -
It was so creepy, walking through these caves, seeing the pick axe marks on the walls, feeling the air getting colder, the further down we went! There were faces molded into the chalk walls, of people screaming, of cats and birds, and even a skull! In separate caverns barred from the public, there were statues set into the walls from when Sir Dashwood used the caves for his meetings, and even an urn that once contained the heart of the steward - Paul Whitehead - which he left to Sir Dashwood, "The Noble Founder", which is kind of a veeerry unusual gesture!
- Paul Whitehead was a minor poet and steward of the Hell-Fire Club. His job was to keep a list of the drink consumed by members by members of the Hell-Fire Club.Whitehead died in 1774 leaving his heart to Sir Francis “as a token of his warm attachment to the noble founder”. He also left £50 with the request that it be used to provide an urn in which his heart was to be deposited, to be placed in the Mausoleum. -
Apparently, before they moved the urn back to the cave, (which is said to be haunted by Whitehead's ghost!) an Australian soldier, or just an Australian tourist is said to have stolen the heart of Paul Whitehead from the urn where it was displayed in the Mausoleum, found on the hill above the caves. Great image for Australians huh - thieves of a human heart from an urn in a Mausoleum!
Other than stolen hearts, ghosts and many graves on the hill over the caves, we saw three witches outside the caves eating cakes, and gorged ourselves silly on sweets from Paul's Sweet Shop found down the lane in the little village of West Wycombe. It was such a lovely day, full of ghost stories and laughter!
Other than stolen hearts, ghosts and many graves on the hill over the caves, we saw three witches outside the caves eating cakes, and gorged ourselves silly on sweets from Paul's Sweet Shop found down the lane in the little village of West Wycombe. It was such a lovely day, full of ghost stories and laughter!
Paintballing - A Fear of Paint Pellets!
So it's been some time - Let's take a stroll back to the 14th of August, and we'll get up to date (pretend I haven't been a work-a-holic with Ardmore)
14th August, 2010
Delta Force. This is what we got out of the car in the cold air to. A large banner, and a stuffed manikin hanging from it's feet pointing to the car park. Delta Force...
That's right. We - the Ardmore crew of Reading - went paintballing today. I can honestly say I have a slight fear of being shot at, and the knowledge that... well... IT HURTS! The day started with several individual students point blank refusing to go on excursion, which couldn't do, as the paintballing expedition had been planned for a while now. So Andrea, ever delicate to the situation, got his air horn, and stuck it into their rooms! The students got out quick smart!
Naturally, with this delay, we were late to Delta Force. But managed to be sneaked into the second half of the first game - Georgie and I batted our eye lids and that was it really... Well - I look back and wish I never went! The pain of this day will remain with me forever! The defending games were awesome, I got a real kick out of defending an area, however, capture the flag, assaulting a zone, or free for all games - weeeellll.... never again!
(this is the bruise I got from paintball - the final game of the day... I had it for over a week!!)
14th August, 2010
Delta Force. This is what we got out of the car in the cold air to. A large banner, and a stuffed manikin hanging from it's feet pointing to the car park. Delta Force...
That's right. We - the Ardmore crew of Reading - went paintballing today. I can honestly say I have a slight fear of being shot at, and the knowledge that... well... IT HURTS! The day started with several individual students point blank refusing to go on excursion, which couldn't do, as the paintballing expedition had been planned for a while now. So Andrea, ever delicate to the situation, got his air horn, and stuck it into their rooms! The students got out quick smart!
Naturally, with this delay, we were late to Delta Force. But managed to be sneaked into the second half of the first game - Georgie and I batted our eye lids and that was it really... Well - I look back and wish I never went! The pain of this day will remain with me forever! The defending games were awesome, I got a real kick out of defending an area, however, capture the flag, assaulting a zone, or free for all games - weeeellll.... never again!
(this is the bruise I got from paintball - the final game of the day... I had it for over a week!!)
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