Yes, we are finally home again, although not until we enjoyed almost a full day on the beach yesterday.

we set out at around 11am and were installed on the beach with Costa coffee and picnic by about 12:40. We did not leave that beach until well after 4:30pm so were claiming that as a whole day on the beach – let’s face it, it is as close as we are going to ever get to having a full day on the beach anytime soon :-).

anyway, it was a lovely day with the temperature breaking into the low 20’s and the kids just had a ball. When we arrived there was no sea at all in sight – to the point that the boys enquired as to why there was no sea – don’t think they have ever been to the beach and not seen the sea before :-). Once we explained the tide and that the water was over by America for a little while, they set to building sandcastles, playing with their cars and digging a large hole to play in.

The tide did come in and high tide was around 4pm, although obviously it could be seen for about 2 hours before this as it made its way in. Typically, the sand out beyond the beach area was more like mud, and Olly just loved slipping in it and hence got sticky muddy – so we were going to have to wait for the tide to come in to clean him up either way :-). Mummy decided that she would walk down with them and do the 100yards or so of buddy beach to get to the water as the tide came in – it certainly looked hard going from the comfort of the beach towel 🙂 for the three of them but they made it and danced in the water, slowly coming further up the beach as the tide came in.

As we left the beach it became obvious that the lack of sunscreen may have just burned Olly a tad on his face and neck. What wasn’t so clear at the time was that daddy had burned his neck, his shoulder and his stomach on his left hand side rather badly – he is now a glowing red beacon that has been used to show the boys how angry the sun can be and what it can do to our skin if we don’t protect ourselves properly 🙁

We ended our day by heading out for dinner on the way home – we actually fancied a Chinese meal so set out for the magic wok in Windermere, to find that while it should have been open, they were slow in getting ready and the restaurant was just not ready. So we meandered North and ended up in Waterhead, where west in the gardens of the Waterhead Hotel and enjoyed a fantastic meal. we would definitely go back there again for a meal if we were in need of feeding etc.

Separately, the night before we ended up at the Sun Hotel in Troutbeck Bridge -we enjoyed a fabulous meal there also.

So, the holiday is over and we are home – already looking forward to the next time we can escape normality and head up to the lakes for a short break – the kids seemed to have a wonderful time and I suspect would chomp our hands off if offered a weekend at Grandma’s lodge again anytime soon 🙂