We’re reaching the end of a fortnight of annual leave – and I have so much to write about.  So expect a flurry of blog posts (is there an actual collective noun?!) over the next few days as I catch up.

I’ll start with our holiday to Scotland.  We’re continuing our 2015 theme of UK cottage holidays, after our weeks in Tenby and Cornwall, with a week up in Edinburgh.  We timed it to coincide with the Edinburgh Fringe which is packed full of brilliant fun for children (and grown ups) as well as plenty of time to relax and have some trips away from the city.  We opted to drive up as we’ve done before – stopping in at my parents in the Midlands to break the journey, and pick up some gorgeous new knitwear for the kids (courtesy of my talented mum!).  If only she did grown up sizes!  Alex and Sophie were delighted with their new attire!

We set off the next day bright and early for the long drive North of the border, and made such good time that we decided to have an extended lunch break in the Lake District!  We headed for Keswick for a walk along Derwentwater, thrilled to be taking the children to a part of the country we adore.  We were so lucky with the weather – it was warm enough to wear shorts and paddle in the shallows.

We followed a popular path, but it never felt busy and we found ourselves enjoying the view points and little beaches mostly on our own.

The children loved clambering over the rocks after hours strapped into the car.

Alex loved this tree with huge exposed roots, and even stopped climing for a cuddle with Sophie:

Check out my gorgeous siblings – looking so grown up and so content in the fresh air!

Here’s proof we paddled in the Lakes (well, them not me! – it looked pretty cold!)

I love these photos of Sophie and Matt – he makes her look so tiny!

The boys obviously spent a lot of time skimming stones (a theme of the week that followed) and generally messing around on the lakeside.  It was the perfect break from the M6!

Matt’s been talking about taking the children up to the Lakes for a holiday for a while, and I worried that they weren’t old enough to enjoy it yet – but after our few hours in Keswick, I think they’d love it.  So perhaps we’ll be back for a 2016 stay-cation!