Inside and outside the Yurt
Well last weekend saw us in Scotland for Neil's Birthday.
We headed towards Dumfries way and stayed at a place called Mathrown near Mabie. http://www.marthrownofmabie.com/ This place was pretty cool, we had one of the Yurts to ourselves complete with pot belly stove that was cranked up the entire time. I have never been so hot in winter! 
The fire heated spa was also spectacularly hot (Neil was able to get in but I had to keep getting in and out a lot - I never thought I would be happy sitting in the rain early winter in the UK!) and the Sauna just as good. We even made use of tipping buckets of ice cold spring water on out heads to cool off - before getting straight back in the spa/sauna! There was also a roundhouse to stay in and Tipi (summer only) as well as the usual bunk rooms etc.
The fire heated spa was also spectacularly hot (Neil was able to get in but I had to keep getting in and out a lot - I never thought I would be happy sitting in the rain early winter in the UK!) and the Sauna just as good. We even made use of tipping buckets of ice cold spring water on out heads to cool off - before getting straight back in the spa/sauna! There was also a roundhouse to stay in and Tipi (summer only) as well as the usual bunk rooms etc. Spa and Sauna
The Mountain bike trail was approx 200m up the road and a pretty good one too. Mabie was one of the 7 Stanes http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/ACHS-5RJEKY a series of purpose built mountain bike trails in Scotland. They are pretty much one loop (for each grade) and take on average 1-2 hrs to complete but are ride able all year round. Lots of gravely bits and rocky technical sections with plenty of hills and undulations - no sand in sight! Not quite the same networks as Rotorua or Woodhill but pretty damn good anyway. The next day saw us head to the other side of Dumfries to Ae another one of the Stanes for another great ride. It even managed to hold off the rain both days while we were riding which is pretty much unheard of for Scotland!(Photos on facebook and out blog)
Riding Ae near Dumfries
Other than that we have been doing the weekly night orienteering in the area, I have been floundering around in the dark (literally) a bit but new ay-up lights have been helping a bit and Neil had a good win last night, this weekend we are planning on doing one of the trail quests (3hr MTB rogain)
For Christmas we head to Cirencester to Neil's Granny and Uncle, his sister will join us there and come back with us to Whitehaven, hopefully we will head back to Scotland for New Years but nothing is planned yet.
Well I guess a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all, I hope you have great plans. Till the next one K
