A new best friend, a woodland walk on Otley Chevin and pumpkin picking in Pontefract!

 

With half term and a full weekend of kids parties our adventures recently have been a little bit different, so we’ve managed to fit in a woodland walk on Otley Chevin, pumpkin picking in Pontefract and we even dragged the kids Grandparents up Burley Moor. I also have a new best friend!
We were introduced a few weeks ago and I already feel this might be the start of a love/hate relationship. My new best friend is the leg press machine! I’m still having physio after my hip surgery last year and working hard to get stronger, with my charity trek next year I need to be as strong as possible so the jelly legs need a workout. I’m trying really hard to go to the gym every other day to do my prescribed exercises but the lurgy and half term had scuppered things slightly. Having said that my legs are definitely getting stronger and on the exercise bike it’s a lot less like cycling through treacle.
With a fully packed party weekend planned for the kids we only managed to fit in a few short walks to help with my training and try some steep inclines. We’ve walked on Otley Chevin before but there’s lots of it that we still haven’t discovered so this time we started our walk in a slightly different place. The autumnal woodland was gorgeous and the steepness of some of the paths were just what I needed. The kids had a great time in the woods kicking leaves and hiding behind the trees and we managed to spot a few planes taking off from the nearby airport. 
​The next party stop took us near Pontefract and so whilst the youngest was bouncing around on a trampoline we dashed over to Farmer Copley’s pumpkin farm. We had half an hour to pick three pumpkins and get back to collect our daughter, so the pressure was on as it’s a really popular place that if you can you could easily spend a few hours at.
I usually do an aqua-fit class on Wednesday but with it being half term this wasn’t on but I needed to get my exercise in somewhere. The kids had been driving me mad so we visited my parents for a bit of a distraction with a walk nearby planned to wear them out! We marched off up to the moors with a plan to walk over to the Cow and Calf rocks at Ilkley. Having walked up the incredibly steep moor and negotiated a few streams and rocky sections we could see in the distance that the rain seemed to be heading over our way. It was getting rather blustery so we decided that it was best to turn around and head back. I’m so proud of my little lady, the walk was tough at times for us all (well apart from my son who leaps around like a mountain goat!) but she fell and hurt both knees but bravely carried on. We walked nearly 6 miles and I could definitely feel the burn in my legs. Burley and Ilkley Moor are a brilliant training ground for my trek, apart from the walls in this area are the drystone type and I don’t suppose I’ll meet many sheep in China!
So a busy half term is over and I’ve a physio session tomorrow, lets hope there has been a significant improvement in my leg strength.
For extra photos and more of our adventures then pop over and check out my Facebook page.
All views are my own.
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22 comments Add yours
  1. They are lovely photos! You guys had some great outdoor half term adventures! I have to say, your new best friend sounds a bit mean 😉 Thanks for linking up with #YorkshireFamily

  2. Sounds like a busy half term! I think I might be the only person in the world who hasn’t visited a pumpkin patch this autumn, your photos look gorgeous. Good luck with the physio! #chasingnature

  3. I don’t recall visiting pumpkin patches being a thing when I was young, it’s so great to see that it is now.
    #ChasingNature

    1. I don’t think it was the done thing when I was little either! That’s probably why I’m as enthusiastic as the kids to go and get one. Thanks for reading.

  4. Thank you for linking up with #ChasingNature!
    I hope your physio is going well – it’s horrible having an operation. Your photos are gorgeous by the way! I don’t think I’ve ever visited a pumpkin patch, but I’ve seen a lot of people visit them this year!
    #ChasingNature

    1. Thank you, my physio was pleased with me so it’ll be worth all the tears and hard work!
      Pumpkin patches seem to be getting more popular so maybe you’ll get to one next year.

  5. Good luck with the leg exercises, a walk on Otley Chevin is on my list of things to do, it looks lovely! #YorkshireFamily

    1. Thank you. There’s lots of lovely footpaths and places to explore on the Chevin so it’s definitely worth a visit.

  6. I love walks with my kids, we go somewhere most weekends. Pumpkin picking is also really enjoyable, we did it last year. Sarah #whatecertheweather

  7. Looks like a great walk. 6 miles is a great distance. Its amazing how far little ones can walk sometimes #whatevertheweather

    1. Thanks for reading. I’m very proud of how far my kids can walk although sometimes the enticement of cake is needed!

  8. Goodluck! With all this acitivty I think you will be ready for your walk! And I will be reading about your journey here in your blog =) #whatevertheweather

  9. What a wonderful half term you had and busy. I love woodland walking especially in autumn, so many natural treasures to be found. I am yet to visit a pumpkin patch, I think the closest one to me is 2 hours away but I must visit one next year. Thank you for linking up to #ChasingNature and we hope to see you back again. Kelly

  10. You were so busy during half term, it looks like you had a fantastic time visiting pumpkin patches and well done to your kids on the 6 mile walk, they are definitely fab little walkers! Thanks so much for linking up to #Whatevertheweather and hope to see you again this week. 🙂 xx

  11. Stunning pictures. I think we need to find somewhere to pick our own pumpkins next year because I keep seeing amazing days out of people doing this and it looks like so much fun! #chasingnature

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