I’d always heard of the laburnum arch,and wanted to see it, but never knew where it was; it turns out that it is in Bodnant Gardens which are in the Conwy Valley in north Wales, about an hour from where we were.   It was so worth the trip.  The drive through the Dee valley was lovely and Bodnant is the best garden I’ve ever seen.

The following day we were in the Lakes, I think my favourite place to be.  We went to Derwent water and walked from there to Ashness Bridge and Walla Crag.  From the top we had a wonderful view of the lake and Basenthwaite beyond.

On day two we trekked from Ashness to Watendlath, via Dock Tarn to Stoneybrook and Rosenthwaite to Grange.  It was fabulous.  As we got creative with our route, en route, we had to improvise getting home.  This involved climbing the hill behind Lodore Falls (which was reasonably steep) and hoping we’d reached the road home, which was on the other side of that hill.  When we thought we had got to the top, we discovered that well known Lake District phenomenon, of ‘the wandering peak’.  You think you have reached the top, and somehow it’s not there.  Where the road should be, there was just more woods.  We soldiered on… and on… and on!  We’d just hit the point of wondering if we had got it very wrong (and wondering how that was possible!) when I spotted a footbridge that I thought was on the map.  Then we saw people!  Then a sign but somehow none of the three options it offered were right.  We were just about to get upset when we heard a car… then saw it and it was a mere 20 yards above our heads.  The path was utterly invisible till you were almost on it.  I’m constantly surprised by how often not only when walking, but also in business how you can be 98% of the way there but still can’t see that one final, crucial step…  It is oh so easy when you know the way and almost impossible till you ‘get it’!