I really didn't want to be up early. I had a rubbish night's sleep which was probably partly my own fault. Yesterday I went to a bbq and started drinking at 2.30. Seven hours later I staggered back down the road - (I put the staggering down to the fact that I had new shoes on - shoes with a high wedge and I couldn't walk in them on the way TO the bbq so it could not be expected that I could walk back on them either minus stagger, although just possibly drinking wine for seven hours didn't help.)- and went straight to sleep. I never seem to sleep for long if I have drunk too much and sure enough 3.00 in the morning found me wide awake and thinking about all the things I had to do when I got up:
Sort out walking gear for me and daughter - find ordnance survey map for Peak District and check route for today's walk - make and pack picnic. Ensure sister is up early too so we will be ready to leave by 8.00 at the very latest. Also, on a slightly different tact - where the bloody hell are my 5 missing bras?
Anyway, I get up early and set about the various tasks. I do love hill walking but live in a most inconvenient place for actually doing it as it is at least a two hour drive from here to anywhere boasting something approaching a proper hill. We had decided to take advantage of the fabulous weather promised for the whole weekend.
One of the things I had to do was something I should have done yesterday if I had actually managed to be sober enough to do it, and that was get the washing in off the line. Hummm, why am I freezing cold outside? Never mind - take lots of layers - it is not as if it is raining - we will be fine. And no doubt it will warm up nicely.
I catch something on the radio about 'disappointing weather today'. I check the forecast for Derbyshire. Sod it. Suddenly the prospect of a 9 mile walk and a picnic in the Derbyshire hills looks most unappealing owing to the news that the weather which yesterday was forecast to be predominantly sunny is now expected to be predominantly rain. Which is why I come to be blogging right now instead of being half way to Dovedale.
I could have stayed in bed after all.
Twelfth - *Regarding Saturday, August 12th....* Last Friday night, I reached The Cumbria Park Hotel in Carlisle exactly three hours after setting off from Sheffield...
1 day ago