Hiking in the Peak District & Clearing the Cobwebs!

The concept of a bank holiday must have been generated by a woman. Only a woman would have the foresight and knowledge to know that every now and then us humans require an extra day after Saturday and Sunday to catch up on life, slot in some extra rest and generally clear the cobwebs. The boy and I, on whim decided to hire a car and get away for a portion of the August Bank Holiday, which in the UK falls at the end of the month and not at the start of the month, like in Ireland.

The Peak District, literally only an hour or so from Manchester was our chosen destination. As we decided to head there on a whim, accommodation was scarce. So scare that we ended up booking a hotel outside of the Peak District, but we didn't mind. We had a car for the weekend and knew we'd spend most of our time outdoors taking in some fresh air. I recently had been worrying alot about work. There were heavy deadlines looming and I needed to get away from it, even if it was only for 24 hours. I just needed space to clear my head and what better way to do then with a 10 mile, mostly up hill, hike!

It was a well known route that the boy discovered online and being in a 'up for anything' kind of mood, we packed the car, turned on the sat nav and made our way to the Peak District to our hiking starting spot. When we arrived and despite wearing gym gear, we felt like amateurs. We were surrounded by outdoor professionals. People and families geared up in the best of hiking boots, jackets and waterproofs, while the boy and I looked like we were heading to a spin class. We laughed it off and made our way to the starting point. The funny was, the boy was going to wear jeans until I told him to change!

Within 20 minutes we were on our way and also on a very, very steep hill. The boy, clearly fitter than me found it easy, while I and my thunder thighs worked hard through every single step. Despite recently loosing a stone, eatting clean 80 percent of the time and loosing a jean size, my dire fitness levels were evident. I was nearly passed out by a 70 year old man! A very friendly and lovely 70 year old man, but a 70 year old none the less.

After about an hour of huffing and puffing, we reached the first summit. I didn't die along the way, I didn't give up and despite shouting at each other, the boy and I didn't break up along the way. It was a mini success to reach the top and the worries of work were becoming a distant memory.

The views were pretty incredible and we took a little time to rest, top up the water levels and chat to others who had reached the top. The 70 year old I previously mentioned arrived a short time later and was joined by his son. Chatting away, he told us that he meets his son once a year for a long weekend and it always results in a hike and a couple of pints. What a lovely idea!

After our short break, we continued on. There was a brief period where the terrain was level or downhill which was a nice relief for my poor legs and the steepness which followed afterwards, while tough, was no where near as tough as the initial climb. The scenery continued to be breathtaking and refreshing and when we reached our second summit, we choose it as the spot to eat and share our homemade packed lunch. A ham salad sandwich never tasted so good!

Fed and watered and ready for more exercise, we started the final aspect of the hike. Now mostly downhill (I was delighted) we met lots of families, couples, energetic dogs and individuals along the way, all of whom were making the most of the bank holiday weekend and making the most of the fact that the weather forecast said rain would hold off until 4pm. Despite feeling a little sore, overall I felt awesome. The hike did what I hoped it would do. It removed worries, cleared concerns and put things into perspective. It felt more than good to get fresh air into the lungs and get the heart pumping. 

The closer we got to the end of the walk, the more we talked about what we would do when we got there. Chats about eating, shopping or even sleeping and taking a nap cropped up, but really what we needed was a lovely little treat. On our arrival into a little village, we found the first pub and hey presto, we were satisfied. A gin and tonic and beer never tasted so good.

Blogging Bloopers: When you're a Blogger but your Boyfriend isn't

"Just hold the camera."

"Hold it straight!!!."

"Now you're taking a picture of me, so hold it portrait style and make sure you get in some of this cupcake I'm eating.......NO, THAT'S LANDSCAPE!"

"Ahhhhh it's blurred, you need to take it again. No need for the flash, plenty of light in here. It's on automatic, it'll focus automatically, leave the lens alone."

"Seriously babe, I need a decent pic with me in it."

As much as I love my other half, he's not the creative type. Instead, he's the 'really awesome at science and maths' type, with a flair for cleaning our apartment in such a way, you'd think no one lived there. He does not posses an online digital life, has no Facebook or Twitter account (say what!?) and recently asked me "What's Tinder?". He understands that I write a blog and on a rare day he'll even read a post or two. He cannot comprehend my interest or passion for sharing my images, thoughts and experiences with total strangers and fellow bloggers on the world wide web and often gets more than a little irate when I reach for my camera before departing for another weekend or evening adventure. 

The majority of images shared on my blog are taken by me. I enjoy dabbling in photography and while I'm certainly no expert, it's part of the blogging process I love. Time after time again the images shared, document the experience we're having, the food we're eating the interiors of a lovely bar, but more often than not, I am absent from them. As well as being the blogger of the our relationship, I'm also the photographer. The person who captures our holiday experiences, nights out with friends and birthday celebrations. In all of these albums, the other half is captured in the best light, casually looking into the distance, laughing with friends or supping on a warm coffee with little ole me on the other side of the lens, part of the experience, yet somehow removed from it also.

In an effort to share more with you, dear readers, I've taken to teaching him a few photography basics.The rule of thirds, shutter speeds and natural light are ever.so.slowly becoming part of our daily conversation, but I've yet to get him hooked. Asking him to 'take a few pics for my blog' is still a bit of a chore for him but bless his cotton socks he's trying. 

He hasn't quite mastered the art of capturing a non-blurry image, but I love him for trying and for putting up with my endless requests. If anything, the images above serve as a reminder that writing and capturing images for blogging can be a long (but fantastically enjoyable!) process. That behind the blogger, there's often another person, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a bestie or family member putting up with your shameless image taking requests. Today, we salute you, photography skills or no photography skills!

Guilty by Association (GBA), Stevenson Sq - Manchester Cocktails #1

You could be forgiven for walking past GBA (Guilty by Association) and completely missing it or not even noticing that beneath the busy streets, lies a rather lovely and inviting bar underground. I had walked past it on several occasions, not for once thinking it was a bar but more often than not, assuming it was an office or a gallery space of sorts. It was the boy who told me otherwise. 

If we don't have a plan set in concrete for our weekends, we usually find ourselves strolling around the city, eating a few nibbles along the way and popping in and out of newly discovered shops, cafes and bars. It's become a little hobby. A game where we ask Manchester to surprise us. Manchester never fails and we win by getting to experience a whole host of culinary treats or sweet and tipsy inducing cocktails.

Recently GBA, became our Saturday place of choice. We made our way underground via the dark staircase and I honestly had no idea what to expect. I thought perhaps I would be greeted by a dark bar, low lighting, a space difficult to navigate through, however it was the opposite that proved to be the case.

GBA has the aesthetic of a bar 'right up my street'. Mismatched furniture containing some pre-loved car seats from automobiles gone by, exposed ceilings and a mixture of brick and wood paneling lining the walls. The art of creating a look that says we haven't tried too hard is indeed, a difficult one to master, but I love what GBA has achieved. It's a comfortable space and for the day that was in it, it was the perfect choice to relax for an hour.

Having chosen some pre-loved car seats to rest our legs, we made our way to the bar. I was quick to grab the cocktail menu and seek out a new potion to try. Manchester it seems, has given me the new confidence to say to a barman, "What do you recommend?". For you see, being a barman here brings with it a whole host of knowledge and experience. Many are well versed in the language of cocktail making, often creating their own signature cocktails and adding them as special on the menu that day. Being a barman here is a respected profession and there are competitions to enter and awards to win should you meet the standard of what makes a great barman or mixologist.

We got chatting to the GBA barman who happily shared his knowledge and clear love of making cocktails. I did my usual "There's so much choice here in Manchester" spiel and the boy eyed up the menu while I blabbed away. The barman and I got chatting about great cocktail bars in Manchester and he openly shared about the importance of including the senses when making a great cocktail and how different brain receptors work when using a variety of ingredients. It really fascinated me.

In the end, I chose 'Sassy Bitch', mainly because the barman assured me it was sweet tasting and that the alcohol wouldn't be overpowering. That's the thing about me, I prefer my drinks not to taste too strong, I just can't handle it. I like to know I'm drinking without knowing I'm drinking. The boy chose a jam based cocktail created by the owner of the bar and then I sat back and drooled over the skill of the barman as he prepared our drinks.

And it's the skill of cocktail creation that I'm fascinated in. The process and how barmen remember the exact amount of ingredients to add. The array of equipment and contraptions used to make the perfect drink. I love the finer details, like delicately pouring or adding a piece of mint on top, or in the case of my cocktail, a sweet raspberry and a sprinkle of popping candy. I love the choice of glasses they can be served in, Roberts cocktail was in a jam jar, a nod to the jam ingredient. I love it all and I want to learn more.

Excitedly we took our drinks to our car seats of choice and chilled out. Very kindly, the barman gave us two shot glasses of 'Sassy bitch', explaining he made a little too much and rather than let it go to waste, he made two miniature cocktails, complete with popping candy. I thought it was a sweet and generous gesture. I've discovered in so many Manchester eateries and bars that if you ask questions and take an interest, those on the receiving end are happy to help, often letting you try a little something in advance. If anything, it's excellent customer service.

As is the norm with us (and most couples I expect) we tasted each others drinks. The boys was delicious, not too overpowering, sweet but no so much that even he wouldn't be able to drink it. Mine was divine, just divine. The foamy froth melting away in your mouth to reveal a deep tasting cocktail which warmed me up. We chatted, relaxed and took in the surroundings. It was a number of hours before the night crowd would appear so the space felt chilled, peaceful and not packed to the brim with loud crowds.

 

 

With that our cocktails were gone. We did ponder purchasing a few more but decided to keep our pennies for another cocktail adventure. It seems that a new bar appears to be popping up every few weeks. Its hard to keep up, but it's a hobby we're most definitely enjoying.

Twitter: GBA