Bluebell

A very restless night, feels like I haven't really slept at all. Cold in the caravan, even inside the sleeping bag .

Get in a bit more reading before wandering up to the site managers caravan to explain that although the car will be there, I won't. Decide to head off to Tenby to grab a proper breakfast there, bus is every half hour and the train half an hour after, so I won't have long to wait . Bus arrives within ten minutes of my arrival, breakfast here I come. Arrive in Tenby by 11am, there's a little café/restaurant on the cliff that does full breakfast until 11.30 - I'm in! Lovely view down over the harbour, tide's right out.

Meeting time is 2pm - plenty of time to spare, so I find myself a quiet spot to catch up on the reading. Brother Thomas' garden is set on the cliff overlooking the harbour, with a bench sitting in a pool of sunlight - just right. I'm absorbed in the book and the occasional passers by poke their noses in and wander on, leaving me in peace. A couple of hours soon passes and I've made real progress with the book, time for a change of scenery and I take a leisurely stroll down to the quayside. The tide is filling the basin, the boats bobbing on the swell. Several photos later I arrive at the kiosk; most of the group are assembled. Our scheduled boat is 2.30 and we're all aboard.

The crossing is smooth, and over very quickly it seems. A is waiting at the jetty to meet us, ferrying our cases to the Retreat house for us. Tea is waiting and after a brief introduction we choose our rooms. And now, we're free to roam the island until supper.

The lane to the Lighthouse is lined with stone walls, topped with bluebells in the shaded wooded areas. There's plenty of colour and texture for photos, and I have plenty of time in between sessions to photograph to my hearts content. The sun is already well on its arc across the afternoon sky, so my path is to the West, to Sandtop Bay. I meet H and I, who offers to take a photo of me with the bay behind - one of those rare occasions when I'll be in the photo. The skylarks are burbling away, swallows and goldfinches aplenty and the afternoon sun is warm.

As ever, the time soon passes and it's time to return for supper. The group gathers and discussions centre around the timing of events for the morrow - it's not all silent this retreat. By the close of discussion the Saturday agenda sounds quite full, although some of the gatherings are optional, to give us time to get to know the island.

Very promising, this "Island of Adventure".