Spent a splendid week in the Northern Lake District. Some family members warned of ongoing winter weather and we did see snow on the first full day but all it did was to enhance the look of the mountains. We walked up by Carling Knott to hike around and above Holme Wood and back along the lesser known Loweswater Lake. Cool weather but the exertion warmed us as did the views. Of course Keswick was as delightful as ever and wife enjoyed her fish and chip dinners. Sadly, we found the tea and fancy cakes at Brysons’ to be not up to their usual high standards. More hikes in Borrowdale and finding little cafes such as in Grange, more than made up for Brysons’ shortcomings.

The photo is taken on the eastern shore of Derwent Water and shows an unusual sculpture. A large rock split in half and a maze-like carving on the polished faces. It’s known as the Centenary Stone – details here

I visited a pal, Les Floyd, at his home in Carlisle where we caught up with each other’s writing news, and publishing. Good to meet again his mum and brother.

I popped into Waterstones books in Carlisle where the manager invited me back to do a book signing once ARIA is published. Also he’ll stock Exit, Pursued by a Bee – yeay!

Speaking of Exit, I found while I was away that it was the highlighted book at Beyond Worlds here  Brilliant!

Part of the holiday was for Gaynor to get on writing her Masters and me with ARIA volume 3. Both of us succeeded in both hiking, writing, and resting.