Underhand Tactics

I needn't have worried about having to wake L. I set the alarm for 5.30am and all three of us are awoken by it but L physically prevents me getting up, employing some seriously underhand tactics that are as unexpected as they are effective. In the end its 6.40 when we get up, we are on the road an hour later and still make the Lakes in good time. We find a spot to pitch the tent, which isn't easy as the site is very busy. Then we have some hot soup for lunch and go out walking in the valley.

We get slightly lost as ever but that just adds to the experience. The weather though takes a turn for the worst and it starts to rain. It's a good job we haven't gone onto to the fells as the hills have now 'disappeared'.

The trouble with walking in Winter is that it gets dark very early which not only curtails the walking but usually lands us in a pub far too early for our own good. In this case, around 4.30. Doggo is mightily relieved to get out of the rain and promptly shakes himself over a couple who were probably having a romantic moment until a wet dog spoilt it for them.

We have a 'hot' chocolate each to postpone the take up of beer but as with the trend for coffee, they are not remotely hot and have to be drunk more or less straight down. So beer is still taken far too early. I take a wild punt on Thwaites Flying Shuttle 4.6% and bingo, good choice, its dark. It’s also very nice, smooth and nutty like a Stout.

After just one we move down the road, which means another mile or more to walk. Doggo is not at all keen to be dragged out in the rain again. At the next pub it starts to get serious, Old Peculier at 5.6%, this is why we are here. Very nice, I recklessly have three and a Tag Lag 4.4%, to dilute it.

We also eat here. Potato wedges as a starter, which are actually chips and an excellent chilli for main course. Oh and a sticky toffee pudding, just to soak the beer up.

We have the usual problems getting hold of the kids to check they are still alive, not helped by the absence of mobile reception and L's dodgy phone. Daughter isn't too hard to track down but it takes about ten rings on the pay phone at the pub to finally get a response from Son.

It's the penultimate round of qualifiers for the 2008 European Championships today and amazingly Israel beat Russia 2-1 and Macedonia beat Croatia 2-0 to do England a major favour. Meaning failure is once more back in their own hands, when they play Croatia on Wednesday.