Sledging For Weeks!

We've had quite a long cold spell and snow on the ground for a couple of weeks. The kids were excited from the moment it started to snow. Straight home from school, changed into warm waterproof clothes and out onto the hill beside our house. When I got home from work we had some tea and I had to go out with them for another couple of hours. I thought they'd either get wet or cold and want to come in, no chance, they were quite happy to just keep going until nearly bedtime.

This went on all week. On Saturday the bike club at Richard Dunn Sports centre was called off due to ice and again the kids were outside all day, several of their friends came over and the sledging went on all day!

We've also had to put up with dozens of older kids making noise outside at all hours.

The clothes must be better than the ones we had when we were kids. The best we could manage was a couple of hours and we'd soon get bord.

After a week of this routine finally the kids started to get Fred up of everything. Maybe is because the kids don't see snow like we used to get.

By the end of January the weather started to improve and we got back to normal.

Andrea sledging with Toddy in hot persuit

Spen Valley Greenway Cycle Ride

Lots to look at and climb on!

Several years ago we took the kids on this bike ride, Finlay was a baby and was in a carrier on the back of me and Jack was on his first ever bike, a tiny little green bike. We only did a short part of the track and Jack struggled to get backup the hill, how times have changed!

The route is good when the weather is poor, the whole route is well made with tarmac. We started out at Oakenshaw Park and headed out of the Park onto the track, it's all downhill from here! It was pretty busy with other cyclists and walkers. The route passes Cleckheaton Golf Course, then over the A58 and M62. He kids wanted to stop and watch cars are a little while.

Funny Face

Jack enjoyed using several small off road side tracks, ramping and balancing broke up the fast pace as we headed further down the track. At Cleckheaton we passed Tesco and then started seeing several interesting pieces of industrial sculpture. The kids thought these were great and we stopped several times to look more closely. Some of the seats were great to look at and practice to sit on as we had a quick drink before moving on.

We went as far near Littletown and decided to start heading back, going up the hill was pretty easy, both Jack and Finlay romped up the hill and we were soon back at the car. Next time we'll go all he way to Dewsbury. We'd been on the bikes for about an hour and half, good fun!