Up north ...

Well, I hope all my lovely readers have got over the shock somewhat of finding out that Still Rockin', our lovely home for nearly six years is for sale and our future plans for another adventure.

A few days after dropping that bombshell we hired a car and went north (Thursday 27th Feb) ...

where we saw snow on the hills ...

nearing the M6 junction for Kendal and the Lake District ...

and again through Shap with Ullswater to the west of us 

Sunset at 5:15pm on the M70 near the junction for Gretna Green ...

and later at Elvenfoot about halfway between Carlisle and Glasgow ...

where the River Clyde flows alongside the motorway

By 6pm it's getting dark as we approach the junction with M74 taking us through Glasgow and out again to the west coast and the town of Largs at about 7pm to stay with our daughter and family for a few days.

On the Tuesday (3rd March) we visited Cardwell Garden Centre near Gourock, where if you arrive before 11o'clock the full breakfast is available two for the price of one and at £7 it was too good to miss!

 The Firth of Clyde taken through the windscreen as we left  Cardwell Garden Centre, Gourock at 13:30.  It was as we were driving back to Largs that we realised that we were locked out of our daughter's house but were told by son-in-law that there was a spare key at his mums!      So ....

we drove through Largs to The Yacht Haven ...

from where this photo was taken of the 'Pencil', a landmark in the shape of an old spear to commemorate the aborted Viking attack on this spot in 1263, beyond which you may be able to see the Cumbrae/Largs ferry crossing the Firth of Clyde.

So many boats/yachts here it's unbelievable!

We had coffee and cake at the Bosun's Table ... I think we're getting a little better at these selfie things!

Another shot of the pencil with Largs in the background.

At 3:30 we returned to Largs to collect the spare key but there was no answer at the door.  I texted then rang our youngest granddaughter at work to ask what time she would finish work today and told her why.  Fortunately as she had some time owing her boss allowed her to finish an hour early and would be home by 4:30 ... what to do in the meantime?

We drove through town and parked at the front and walked south along the prom back towards the pencil ...

looking over the Clyde to Cumbrae

It's a very pleasant walk ...

We turned around here ... 

 the sky was getting darker by the second and rain was imminent!

 We managed to get back to the car before the rain became too heavy and home to a lovely rainbow and lovely granddaughter to let us in.

We had an ok journey home to Still Rockin' the following day seeing several fields of new spring lambs as we travelled through Lancaster.  We arrived to a very cold boat (6°c inside) but the fire was set to light and with the heating on we soon warmed up.

The River Thames is still high and is likely to remain so for the next week or so.  All the locks are on red boards still and all the sluices at Hambleden weir are open with the water flowing fast and furious with no hindrance.