Great North Swim

Every year on our fleeting visit to Windermere we say that next year we'll plan better and make more of our visit. We really must, it's so gorgeous up here!!
We had a leisurely start to the day. Mostly involving Miss A and Miss L dashing back and forth to poor Mrs S's room to steal all their sugar, tea and coffee.
And doing gymnastics on the bed.
And off the bed onto the floor.
Until the people in the room below ours banged on the ceiling. Oops!!
They've moved the site of the Great North Swim this year - to where we normally park! - so, for the first time ever, we followed signs to the Park & Sail. 
The  beautiful route to get there took in most of the Lake District!
We eventually got to Bowness and had tea and ice-cream before getting on the MV Swan to sail to the site of the swim at Brockhole.
It was so lovely and sunny and everything looked so sparkly and gorgeous. No wonder people come here for more than twenty four hours!!
The new swim site is brilliant. It's at the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole and there's loads more to do than at the old site. A fantastic adventure playground which kept the girls happy, more stalls and activities, a lovely cafe and shop in the old house, beautiful grounds and gardens. 
Getting lunch was a bit fraught - I'd forgotten to bring anything for Miss L and the only gluten free stuff was in the expensive sit down restaurant. Everyone else was just getting burgers or crepes to sit at the picnic tables. I had a bit of a wobbly in the restaurant and the woman kindly said that if Miss L chose all the other bits from the kids meal in the gift shop she'd make her a gluten free ham sandwich to put in it. Miss L was giddy - jelly, crisps, smoothie, banana and more jelly!!
After lunch I took the girls to the adventure playground for half an hour before Miss M and Miss O headed back to their mums to get ready for the swim. Miss L and Miss A had another half hour then we headed to the start line to join in the warm up from the side and then cheer them all on.
They were amazing!!! Miss M came second with the ridiculously impressive time of 4 minutes, 11 seconds!! Miss O came third and Miss K was just behind them. Brilliant!!
They were so proud of themselves!
While they were getting changed Miss L and Miss A treated me to an impromptu yoga session. It was not like any yoga I've ever seen with insane "Ommmming" and dramatic lunges back and forth. Hilarious!!!
Before heading back for the boat we had another hour in the adventure playground with ice cream, tea and cake. 
The boat ride was fab. We went all the way up to Ambleside before sailing all the way back down to Bowness. It felt like we were on holiday in Italy - the sun, the beautiful scenery, the sparkling water........ Hard to believe we've got to get up for school in morning!
The journey home was easy. Miss A came in our car again but they were both asleep before we got to the M6 so it wasn't as much fun as on the way up.
We drove in tandem until Stafford Services where we stopped for tea and the loo. I handed Miss A over to Miss K and then I put my foot down and got home at about 10pm.
Another great weekend in the Lakes!!