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" Camberley and a Party "

Date : 28th / 29th January 2012.

Location of Start : Slim Road, Sandhurst, Cumbria, Uk.

Places visited : Bagshot Heath, Aldershot and Sandhurst Lakes

Walk details : Two local walks, one each day.

Highest point : Fun with the kids.

Walked with : Cathy, Richard and Alexander, Gareth, Ann and the dogs ( Saffie, Theo, Harry and Bethan )

Weather : Reasonable, even some sunshine but cold for the morning lake walk.

 

" Camberley and a Party " at EveryTrail
 

[ Alter the settings to zoom or change the Map, use Everytrail to download the Gps route ]

 

After two days in and around Stamford,

staying with Angie and David and visiting our daughter Jenna in Peterborough,

we made our way down to Camberley to help Alexander celebrate his seventh birthday

Thumbs up to all this birthday celebration idea.

Saturday morning, we take a stroll out to walk the dogs . . .

Gareth (our son) Cathy (eldest daughter) Ann and Alexander (our youngest Cantelo grandson)

. . . out onto the ranges behind the military academy . . . honest the dogs were there somewhere !

Same people . . . different order !

Hasn't he grown . . . and allowing for the slope, Gareth is way taller than his big sister.

The sun came out for the second half of the walk and we returned by the stream along Wishmoor Bottom.

These army ranges are good at preserving the natural heath land habitat as they have never been developed for housing or industry.

- - - o o o - - -

Later that afternoon Alexander had a joint birthday party arranged with his school friend Thomas B.

They decided to have a "Donutting Party" at the local dry-ski centre in Aldershot.

The donuts were rubber rings covered in a protective sleeve

and the children utilised the nursery slopes of the centre for their activity.

1 - 2 - 3 . . . Go

Sliding nicely as they descended, a straight slide often turned into a spin.

They all ended up at the bottom . . .

. . . and climbed back up again with the assistance of the mini button-tow.

Back at the top . . . let's do it all again !!

Gareth catches the action . . .
. . . as they slide to the bottom once again.
   
Ready to go . . .
. . . with a little push from 'Mum'.

- - - o o o - - -

While this was going on I took the opportunity to have a go at a little gentle skiing.

First time on an artificial ski slope . . . finding my feet . . . perhaps not the most elegant of stances.

It is different from real snow skiing but in essence you do the same things in the same way.

That's a better looking style.

The grown-up's button-tow back up . . .
. . . to the top of the run.

They were charging a very reasonable £15 for up to two hours skiing, including the ski and boot hire.

- - - o o o - - -

After everyone had finished we adjourned to the cafe for a birthday tea.

Alexander is middle right.

Chicken nuggets and chips . . .
. . . great !

Two birthday cakes, one for Tom and one for Alexander.

Back home it was "shut your eyes time for another surprise"

A second birthday cake . . . this time one the family could enjoy too.

That piece is about right . . .
. . . Oh, I was hoping she'd leave the other bit !

Family presents were unwrapped with relish . . . well, an after-dinner cup of coffee at least.

And so to bed.

- - - o o o - - -

. .

Click on the start button to watch a two minute video of the afternoon's events.

- - - o o o - - -

Sunday morning and chance to get out for a local walk around the lakes on the Sandhurst Estate.

A fishing platform looking out across the top lake.

Harry gingerly tries out the wooden walkways.

Mallards on the lake.

Four a-breast.

The walk takes me through the beech and pine woods . . .
. . . and alongside the reed beds.

A chair on the centre of the walkway between the lakes.

Suddenly a heron takes off from in front of us.

Fortunately I had the long lens on the camera.

Broad wings as it climbs away . . .

. . . only to turn and fly past again.

The heron circled back and then landed, clinging to the tree like a bat . . .

[ hold your cursor over the picture to check out the real story behind the reflection ]

Moving on and reflected in the still water . . . Harry on the fishing platform.

Looking across Lower Lake to the Sandhurst Academy buildings.

Zooming in on the reflections and the building.
A black Coot on the lake.
   
A second heron on the lower lake . . .
Beware low flying . . . keep your head down young moorhen !

Two mute swans glide across the waters.

More of the older buildings of the Academy through a slight morning mist.

Back home through the beech woods again . . .
Bethan (l) and Harry (r) enjoying a run through the leaves . . .

. . . with Cathy and Richard's dog Theo . . . "I've found that stick you threw away"

Time to check the forecast and see when is the best time to return home to the Lakes . . . as they are forecasting snow !

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Fuji Finepix Compact or my Canon G10/1100D camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . the opportunity to do something a little out of the ordinary.

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Previous walk - 27th January 2012 Burghley with Angie and Jen

A previous time up here - 28th/30th Nov 2009 A pre-Christmas trip to Camberley

Next walk - 2nd February 2012 First Week Back and the Snow