BLIND DAVE'S BLOG

28-02-2007

With the London Marathon looming, Black Country runner Blind Dave Heeley took a few days out to enjoy a family holiday in The Lakes. As ever, the mishaps weren't far behind.

Hello Stirrers

Well I wasn't far wrong with the weather - the weather in Windermere anyway - yes we had a nice few days up in the Lakes, driving up from West Brom (not me, you understand, Debb was definitely doing the driving) and the sun shone all the time, (except at night when it was replaced by the moon, I think!)

Last Wednesday morning started with a bit of a shock; no, not because I had to get up early, to pack the car - thankfully, that had already been done.

No, I'd got up to use the bathroom, and the girls were moaning because I'd promised they could wake me up early this morning, so I got back in bed simply for them to jump all over me. Dads have their uses first thing in a morning. But as I sat on the edge of the bed, I forgot about our new alarm clock.

All of a sudden there was this man's voice booming out (from hundreds of years ago do you remember the old advert where the bank manager was in the wardrobe, well it was a bit like that) and it took a few seconds before I came down off the ceiling and realised the man's voice coming from behind me was the radio.

Believe me, it's not the sort of thing to experience when you hadn't been to the loo, I thought I controlled my body functions very well, Debb and the girls had quite a laugh, Ha! Ha! Ha!

We have been going up to the Lake District for quite a few years now. Windermere Manor, is a hotel run by Action for the Blind, but over the past couple of years they have invited sighted people to stay, and a lot of them return time and time again. Yes, they've realised blind people don't have two heads!

We can communicate and have a good time! We seem to know how to laugh, communicate and the nature of the hotel brings people together in a very sociable way. Give it a try, you'll definitely enjoy it, it's a very friendly place.

The hotel offers some great facilities, swimming pool, sauna, sun beds, gym, all free as well, spacious bedrooms, wonderful food, it will certainly expand your waist line, nice grounds to walk or sit in and enjoy and it's central to most attractions.

In fact if you go up to there in event weeks, there are trips also laid on, they organise pub weeks, food weeks, trains, boats, tour the lakes, walking, ghost, and also football weeks. It's the ultimate in relaxation.

Don't just take my word for it, go on try it, that's if there are any vacancies , it's very popular and the nice thing for anyone holidaying alone, there's no single supplements.

We had a nice couple of days just simply chilling out, we had no intentions of rushing around, getting there on the Wednesday with the sun shining. We had a stroll by the lake, a little spot known as Miller Ground, a favourite of ours, also where my last guide dog Carla's ashes were spread.

It was a favourite of hers too, a stream rushing down creating a little water fall, passing an isolated cottage, very tranquil, no car engines disturbing the silence, an occasional ferry, it's a lovely spot.

The kids had on their wellies, paddling in the water, they were running up and down the jetty throwing sticks for Wicksie to fetch out the lake, then peace was shattered. Dannie (one of the little un's) was perched on the jetty, Wicksie was milling around, then there was a splash, followed by screams and crying, Wicksie the big ooff had knocked Dannie off the jetty, straight into the lake.

After the event it is quite funny. I'm told Grace (the 16-year old) reacted very quickly, jumping in right away and scooping her out of the water, but I bet that lake was very cold. Admittedly, it was right on the waters edge but it was a hell of a shock all the same, although after a quick run back to the hotel, a shower, change of clothes, she was back in a flash ready for some fun on the swings.

Garry and his family came up with us and with Mac back at home I actually got in a couple of runs with Garry the Donkey, a nick name we have for him because he's young and past it - it's all taken in good humour.

A nice circuit from the hotel, up into Windermere, through Bowness along the Ray Rig Road up a lovely steep hill. Was Garry puffing or what? I thought he had two of those baskets on his back, the sort donkeys carry some times and he mentioned his nose was running. I had to make comment “Well it's doing a better job than you are”.

He actually stopped at the top of the hill, until I got a carrot out and cajoled him back to the hotel. All joking apart it's quite an incline but all said and done I appreciated him taking me out for a run - out at 7am, then back, in the shower, and having a full English breakfast by 8am, what a way to start a day.

The kids certainly enjoyed themselves, we made a couple of trips to Brock Hole, it's parklands run by the National Trust, which has some lovely walks, gardens, with all sorts of different things going on - you can even have a go at building your own stone wall, but the best bit is the adventure area for the kids, swings, zip lines, climbing frames, slides, cargo nets, a kids paradise and all free,

I do believe even Grace at 16, not that her friends at school will ever know, also enjoyed herself. There's a nice little café, shop and a visitors centre where you can learn about the history of the Lake District, farming, the fells, climbing, local people and local folklore, it's a fascinating place well worth a visit.

The pool at the hotel was also very popular with the kids, they do enjoy it - in fact Grace learned to swim in it over the years and it looks like the other two are following suit, yes I must admit it was a great few days away, a nice way to re charge the batteries.

A break of any description is always enjoyable, but coming home is always welcoming and there's no rest for the wicked, Sunday saw me out for a longish run - yes London is getting closer.

Mac told me he ran in the last cross country race for this season on Saturday, he had the best ever run on the country circuit, came in 49th; who said all this marathon training was doing him no good?

He said all the team ran well, a great performance on the day and West Bromwich Harriers were promoted to division two, well done to all the lads.

Well this week has been pretty incident free, well certainly for me for a change, Dannie became an official water babe, I had a couple of runs with a donkey, Garry, the weather was kind to us on holiday, Wicksie never got lost once!

But when in a race and you come to a nice downhill they always say an uphill always follows, so after a smashing week, what has next week got in store? It doesn't bear thinking about.

So it's blind Dave signing off until next week.