Our weekend // Adventuring in Wales

I love the quiet rhythm that my days have taken on since our daughter was born, but I especially love the weekends when I know I will get to spend time with my husband and our friends. I remember the first time I read about the characteristics of extroverts and introverts, and smiled a big smile as I realised what I have known since I was a child but had never put a name to - I love to be around people. I am recharged by spending hours on end chatting with friends, and so I was particularly looking forward to this weekend. A good friend of ours is celebrating his birthday this week, and so in celebration, he invited close friends who are now scattered around to country, to spend the weekend in Rhossili Bay, Wales. 

To make the most of our weekend at Stormy Castle, John took the day off work on Friday so that we could get to Wales by lunchtime. (For the benefit of my international readers, although Wales is technically another country, it is only a 12 mile drive from the city I live in, to the bridge that takes you into Wales.) After a hearty lunch in The King's Arms, we went to Stormy Castle, which is situated on top of a hill with wonderful views of the ocean. On Saturday, we went to the nearest beach for a walk, and experienced an incredible array of changing weather. The howling wind was constant throughout, while the sun gave way to rain and a rainbow, followed by sleet and hail. We got thoroughly drenched to the skin in the rain, while Ruby slept through the entire adventure and stayed warm and dry in her sling.

We returned to Stormy Castle and changed into dry clothes, then settled in for a calm an quiet afternoon. The rest of Saturday was spent drinking coffee, chatting and watching Pacific Rim. Ruby was the only baby on this weekend, and so she had plenty of attention and conversation with our friends. I would love to know what she was thinking about when these photos were taken.

Sunday brought beautiful blue skies, so we went back to the beach for another walk. There was just a handful of other people enjoying the beach with us, and I couldn't get enough of the glorious views and the gentle roar of the ocean.

By the time we returned to Stormy Castle to prepare for going home, there had been more rain and sun, so we got to enjoy yet another rainbow. I came home feeling thoroughly refreshed, with a resolve to make more trips to the countryside and the ocean. While I love city life, there is nothing quite like going on adventures to places where the pace of life feels less frantic, and driving on roads with fewer cars and no traffic lights. Not to mention the way the sight of miles and miles of green fields and the sea has can refresh my soul.