A weekend by the lake

Have been at Malham Tarn Field Centre this weekend, courtesy of a thoughtful friend. It's been thoroughly terrific and the kids have loved it; swimming, walking, sun bathing, general mooching.

My total highlight was the Guided Bog Walk with a little history and geology too... Brilliantly brilliant. I loved the carnivorous plants, and was thrilled that I already knew quite a bit. Wild angelica... So delicate. Bilberries, bog bean, marsh marigolds, meadow sweet.... But the TOTAL STAR of the walk? Wild cranberries!!! Yes!! Before the fens and wetlands of the East were drained cranberries thrived in the marshes. The Pilgrim Fathers took them to the States, where they also thrived. But sadly with their habit destroyed, they died out over here.

I knew there were still wild ones to be found in the North, but never imagined we'd actually find some.

I know it seems a little anoraky, but I loved every moment of it. Want to do more! And all this despite No 3 son being fixated with asking the guide where he could hide a body, lol). Hmmmmm.....