Summer lovin' happened so fast

Point of Ayr, North Wales

Since returning from our long trip across mainland Europe in May and June we have got away in the van most weekends through July and August and made the most of the sunshine and our van.

A weekend in Moreton-in-Marsh in June was memorable for the number of nettle stings and scratches we both suffered from after battling through a little used and overgrown path.

We had a long weekend around the north Pennines with hot and sunny weather; we climbed Cross Fell, which seemed to be the only cold and windy place in the UK that day.

We returned to Howgill Lodge in Wharfe Dale for a weekend and found a walk from the site we hadn't done before, stayed at a lovely site near Hesketh Newmarket for some walking on the quieter northern Lake District fells, perfect for busy August weekends and camped in Prestatyn, so that we could cycle along the north Welsh coast on the National Cycle Route number five.

Over the bank holiday weekend we travelled down to the Brecon Beacons for some more hill walking, by now feeling fit and able to tackle 20km+ walks.

If only it was summer all the time.

Simon's Seat above Wharfe Dale