Happy Birthday from Holy Island

Ruins of the monastery at Holy Island. Robbie really extended himself, and took me to a surprise birthday destination for my birthday. We ended up on the tidal island of Holy Island. It is one of the Lindisfarne islands off the coast of Northumbria. It has one of the oldest Celtic monasteries in Britain, and it is the place where the famous beautiful Book of Kells was written. You have to time when you try to get on the island as once the tide comes in....there is no access both on and off. So once your on, your there for the night.


Being the middle of winter felt like we had the whole island to ourselves. Spent an intimate night in the Ship Inn chatting to a couple from Cumbria , and of all places Addingham- in the Dales- somewhere Robbie and I have thought about moving to.

The castle in the distance.

I find it strange to see you such green fields which lead directly onto the shoreline....its not like the beaches in Oz.

No surprise...it was extremely windy and COLD!!.... back to the inn as quick as we can! These monks really did like their bleak exposed places!!

Happy New Year 2009 from Switzerland

HAPPY NEW YEAR all the way from Switzerland. After another Christmas eve in Beverley and a remarkable Christmas Day with Dorothy and Mike, Jules and Tina (not the least because at last Jules has a girlfriend!!) I managed to get Robbie on a flight to Geneva (no mean feat, for someone who is flight phobic!)- Stayed with Bob and Zena in their lovely chalet in Les Collons, somewhere up a mountain in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Had fantastic snow, especially on New Years Day- making for the best day to be a snowboarder!! (powder everywhere!)

Now that's what I call a 'cute' chalet, not sure about the windchill factor though!

New Years Eve was magical, as we watched from the balcony, with soft snow falling and fire-crackers flying.

Henry and Aimee enjoying some of the powder New Years Day.

What a wonderful cold winter its been!

View from 'Ikley Moor bah tat' or however they spell it!! Lovely snowy day up on Ikley Moor, if you look closely, you can see all the little houses of Ikley.

Even managed to get Robbie out for a cup of tea and a walk up to White Wells Baths on the Moor

Found loads of these spider webs in Meanwood Valley! They were draped across the dead branches of the floor of the spindly woods, the misty drops revealing the little spiders lairs!