Our holiday this year was booked with the aim of being as relaxing as possible. I found one of those Air BnB properties where you think “that’s a bit pricey” whilst at the same time dreaming of it’s mezzanine bedroom, wood burning stove and total seclusion – so I went for it anyway. It was good planning in turned out because our week away followed a pretty stressful summer holiday which had so far featured too much vomit.

We’ve been to Wales plenty of times before but never Harlech, and never in so remote a cottage. The views were  stunning; the weather in turns beautiful and wild; the family happy – once the youngest got some energy back anyway.

We did the usual holiday things: messing about on beaches (ostensibly more than is a usual amount of boule and jumping waves). We played in arcades, ate fish and chips, went crab fishing and visited castles.

Week Thirty-Five – Bounce Below

But the main thing everyone wanted to do was Bounce Below – a big underground bouncy net system in a Victorian Slate mine. We’ve been the Treetop Nets before so were expecting the whole jump and the floor jumps with you sensation, but doing it in the semi darkness with a hard hat on was surreal. There were steps, huge flat sections and slides. We had a ball.

Week Thirty-Six – Humpity Bumpity Army Truck

We’ve chosen Bounce Below on this particular day because the weather was meant to be hideous. And it really was. When better a time to also fit in a ride up to the top of a slate quarry in an open sided army truck. I haven’t laughed so much in ages. The rain was horizontal. The driver got out occasionally to stand next to the truck and point into the distance at things that we couldn’t see because of the fog. At the top we got out and walked about a bit. On the way down he beeped the horn whenever there was something to see and a truck full of tourists looked around hurriedly out of each side in fits of laughter because you could barely see the road let alone long closed workmen’s huts. Water poured all over us once it had gathered so much on the tarpulin roof it could take it no more. We were thrown about in our seats. I can honestly say it was more fun than if it had been sunny.

Week Thirty-Seven

One more for good luck – we visited the world’s steepest street. It was hot and knackering walking down it. I tried to avoid walking back up it and went round the long way which was further and nearly as steep. Three days before we’d watched the cycle race for people cycling up it. Ridiculous. I come from Lincolnshire and often find Sheffield impossible. This was insane.

So a good week all round – some new adventures but the best bit I guess was much needed relaxation with my family.