Summer, June break.

Started off as a very warm and sunny summer, warm enough for us, we were able to stick to the UK. First stop was the Pembrokeshire coast, St Davids. The campsite was pretty good as a point for walking and cycling with a little geocaching off course.
This holliday turned out to be a bit of a twitching / boating break, with a visit to the Isle of Ramsay an RSPB reserve. On there we caught a fleeting glimpse of a Manx Shearwater and a pair of Choughs. We extended our visit with a boat trip around the Island which was quite exciting. We were quite taken aback by the attituded of the walkes we met whilst out and about, blanking you or not even relpying when greeted, guess they were just cold southerners.
Went fishing off a rocky point in Whitesands bay, no luck.

RSPB Ramsay

We left South Wales and headed for The Norfolk broads but not before calling of in that there London for a few nights, this was one of our better ideas and we will do it again when the opertunity arises. Visited the The Natural History Museum, mostly looking at the minerals collection, on to the Saatche Gallery and took an open top bus tour, again an aquatic flavour as we took a boat trip down the Thames to Grenwich where we has a pub lunch before heading back to the campsite. Managed a geocaching walk along the river taking in The Tower of London & Tower bridge.

Saatchi Gallery

Another day visit and we did the tourist thing, Trafalar Square, Buchingham Palace and the Houses of Parliment.After trying to muscle in on the TV interview with Michael Fallon outside the Houses of Parliment, I spotted John Prescott, I did ask him if it was ok for the photo but he got a little upset when I complemented his work on ‪#‎HIGNFY‬. After that I went around seeing how many tourist photos I could photobomb until Di told me off !

John at the Houses of Parliment.

Then off again and on to the Norfolk Broads, somewhere we had both always fancied visiting, a bit flat and boring for my tastes but we hired a boat for the day and had lots of fun with that.

Diane driving the boat.

 
It was all pretty enough, great for walking and the bikes but dont think I would go again. Had a day out at Great Yarmouth, fishing off the pier and caught 3 whiting, a first for me.

The Norfolk Broads

 
The long hot spell was broken by thunder and lightning storms but only at night, never spoiling our days. We returned home calling in to see the kids on the way, I went to the South Gare off Redcar and caught a couple of good sized Mackerel. Di was eager to get back and pick up Princess ?

1972 was a long hot summer.

So off to the Dales and Edinburgh next week but in between time, out and about in the little Micra with it radio now working. Loch Strathbeg is just south of Fraserbrough for a bit of caching and bird watching, an interesting place as its a RSPB site in the middle of an abandoned airfield.
We had a great time driving up to it, listening to the past top twenty charts with Dale Winton, reminiscing wildly about 1972, cue Silver machine by Hawkwind.

The following weekend off, to Edzell, mostly to capture the autumn, but a little caching, we swore always to bring the binoculars from now on  because as we went about we saw Buzzards, a couple of Roe deer, some albino Pheasants, a Barn Owl hunting, a Red Squirrel and hundreds of Geese coming in for the winter.

The Rocks of Solitude.

We are also over the moon as our Blog has been recognised, gave me a boost to keep it going,

Dear Carlotta,

Congratulations! Jen here, and your blog, Friends of Carlotta, is a Master

Blog of Geocaching!

We've scoured the web looking for amazing blogs that not only are great in

content, but informative and helpful when needed.  And we've determined your

blog to be such!  We like to call it a Master of its category!

You can see your blog and others at:

www.mastersdegreeonline.net/top-blogs/top-geocaching/