My Mighty Hike - prep week ?5

 Obviously,  I have not updated for a while!  However, preparation has been going well.  From practice walks to investing in some kit.

So far the kit I have got are:

The Tamara Way guide

Thousand mile socks - recommended by my friend - if I get on with them I will get more!

Walking boots - purchased from Vinted - I tried them out this past weekend and they were brilliant (in conjunction with the socks!)

Walking trousers - bought a couple of pairs from Mountain Warehouse from  lightweight easy dry fabric  - I also have a couple of older pairs one of which is water resistant. 

Walking tops - I want a couple more of these  but also want to make a couple of these from thicker fabric to take me into the winter.

A couple of backpacks - one for short training walks and one for longer ones.

Small easy dry towel just in case I decide to take a dip enroute.

In terms of walking, before we went on holiday I did lots of daily short brisk walks.  Whilst in Sweden we walked about 30 miles and having come back I did a longer training walk.

This past Sunday, I went out with a friend.   We walked from her house, across playing fields, passing by the park out to the forest behind.

From here we joined the main road and popped into a little antiques shop.  This shop was in the middle of nowhere, but my friend knew the owner and before we knew it, we were sitting in the main room with tea and biscuits!

The owners were lovely  - they also had a converted van (like my friend) which we had a look at whilst there.  From here we rejoined the off road track and returned to her house via the park.  Here we stopped for a drink and flapjack.  All of which was lovely.  In the end we walked nearly 8 miles which is a great distance at this point of the training.

And so that is where we are now.  I have done a little this week,  but intend to do another longer walk on Sunday  - just have to decide where to go!

Sverige

 Or Sweden!  

On the instruction of our elder son, we went to Sweden for our summer holiday this year - it wouldn't have been our first choice, but it was amazing!

Day one

We just got our bearings this day as we were a bit outside the city in Upplands Vasby.

We walked to the station and the surroundings which were lovely.

Whilst there we met a man that had lived there having moved from England nearly 50 years ago.   He was fantastic and pointed us in the right direction for lots of sights and which tickets to get.

Day Two 

On the advice from the man!  We got a week travel card and travelled to Stockholm City centre to visit Gamla Stan - the Old Town.

It was beautiful with narrow streets and the Royal residence  - we happened to see the changing of the guard while there.

Day Three 

Today, Darren and Thomas wanted to see the local football team play - so we went to the Tele2 arena to see Djugardens play a European qualifying game!

Darren and Thomas loved it - me and Daniel didn't mind it and we can tick it off the list!

Outside the arena is another arena that also houses Skyview - which is similar to our London Eye but with only one pod.

Day Four 

Our aim today was to visit the Abba museum!

We trained it to Stockholm and then walked over to the museum.

The museum was fantastic with lots of interactive attractions if you didn't mind waiting a bit.  Darren and Daniel did some singing in a booth and there was a stage you could get on to become the fifth member,  but none of us were brave enough!

Day Five 

On this day we walked in a similar way to the Abba museum but this time to zn Island housing Skansen.  This is an open air museum that houses a zoo, an aquarium, vast grounds and a recreation of life in a nordic villiage from times gone by.

The zoo was amazing with the animals looking very well cared for and with vast room to move.

The aquarium was the best have visited (and Daniel likes an aquarium!)

Whilst in the old village we watched a glassblower at work, but got no photos of that.

Day Six

On our final day we took a boat trip around the archipelago.  We walked to the Strandvagen, which is basically a huge taxi rank for boats!  It is beautiful with bars and restaurants all the way along.   We got our boat at lunchtime and then toured the islands.

After the boat we went to the Vasa Museum.  This is a museum that houses a shipwreck.   The ship was a warship that sank on its maiden voyage just out of the shipyard.

And then we were home 😑.  We loved Sweden and would happily return. 

Flights were great, I think we walked about 30 miles all told.

Food was fab!

Sweden  - it was great!!  We will return!

A Year of Projects Update - week 8

 What a week!  Sweden was magnificent!

I think I might do a post tomorrow with some details, and combine it with a walking post, as we did a lot of walking.  I have also been out this morning and did a walk of nearly 8 miles, so will not be doing much else this long weekend!

I have done a little crafting since we returned.

I finished my Tonight Top by Lily Kate France,  but have not taken any photos, so will do thatater in the week. 

I have made progress on my second pair of socks this year (so much for 24!!) 

These are an improvised pattern knit in Fine Fish Yarn bought from Unravel, years ago.

I have also started a project that has been very popular that I suddenly fancied doing!

Can you guess what it will become?

And I shall leave you this week with an image from the walk this morning upon finding an antiques shop whose owners ushered us in for tea and biscuits!

A Year of Projects Update - week 6

 Well I have been pretty monogamous this week, which has seen me make lots of progress on the Tonight Top by  Lily Kate France.

I  am using Scheepjes Catona as I used for my Call of the Sea as I fancied a cotton version.  I am hoping to get to the bottom ribbing before we go to Sweden tomorrow.

Call of the Sea is finished, but still needs the ends woven in - I may do that today...

And that's all the crafting!  I went to the sea to swim on Tuesday - it was a bit chppy but we braved it and it was great!

Other than that,  we are off to Sweden for a week tomorrow.   I am not taking any knitting - just in case!  I won't be posting next week as we are away and there will be very little crafting!

I hope everyone has a brilliant couple of weeks and I will catch up on my return 🇸🇪

A Year of Projects Update - week 5

 I have had quite a nice relaxing week!  And managed to get some crafting in.

I am nearly done on my Call of the Sea by Susan Crawford. 

I obviously have the straps to finish and sew in a few ends and then I'm done!

Whilst visiting mum I wore one of my Walkaway dresses.

It's not the best pic of the dress!  But I loved it anyway.

Whilst there I worked on 2 WIP'S 

My second pair of socks from the 24 in 24 (definitely am not making 24!)

These are being knit from Fine Fish Yarns and is a made up pattern.  I've just turned the heel, so just  bit of leg to go!

I also did some more on Hitchenbrook by Martin Storey. 

This is a long term WIP that may or may not be finished by Christmas!

And finally, since Call of the Sea is nearly done  I have started another top in Scheepjes Catona.

This is the Tonight top by Lily Kate France. 

I  have one more week until my holiday - we are going to Sweden.  So this week will be mainly prepping the packing and garden for our time away!

Hope everyone has a great week 😊