Coniston

This easter, (or should it be last easter?) I decided upon gracing the glamorous coniston water with my presence for a camping trip. I thought 'wouldn't it be nice to get away from it all for a day?' The first problem became apparent as the second week of holiday turned around: no tent. So I, rather stupidly, decided to cycle there for a day of rest, relaxation, swimming and orienteering.

I got all my stuff ready to go, bag packed, bike checked, before I realised the tyre mending kit was too decript to be worth taking, so I had to wait for an hour whilst dad got me a new one from town.

When I finally set off, the hill was steeper than I remembered. In fact, all the hills were, not helped by the heavy bag on my back, and I alternated between boiling hot and frezing as I went up and down the hills. When I got there, I went to sleep on a rock, much to the amusement of rowers, before heading (at a gentle pace) towards Coniston villiage. Where I bought lunch and tea, at extortionate prices, and tried to find an ATM or a shop that gave cashback. Neither of these existed.

I cycled onwards, stopping frequently for 'lets lie on the beach and swim' sessions, before arriving at the O place. 1 1/2 hours early. So I waited. And slept. Before running (well it was more of a saunter through the woods) for an hour. I had a deadline of sunset: 8.06pm, and it being 6.45 when I'd finished orienteering, I had a mad dash back home. I was exhausted, my legs felt as though someone was sitting on them, and my back ached, the bag upon it getting heavier and heavier. By the time I reached greenodd I was ready to collapse, but there was more hills to come, so I grimly held on. Up the hill. Down the hill, up the hill and up some more. I felt sick and exhausted, but I was closer to home with ever breath. That one thought kept me from giving up there and then. Home.

I finally got in, couldnt breathe properly and collapsed onto the sofa, before crawling to bed, where I slept the next 13 hours.

Thats something I wont do again in a hurry.