Summer 2009 bike rides

In May 2009, Liam rode his bike without stabilisers for the first time - see the footage of this definitive rite of passage here - and throughout the summer of 2009, he and Daddy went off for long bike rides around Durham, finding parts of Newton Hall and Nevilles Cross that you just can't reach by car...

In these two pictures, we are somewhere down by the railway track toward Newcastle, having crossed a footbridge between the Newton Hall housing estate and a load of fields behind Crook Hall.

As you can see from the top picture, we went 'off-road' a lot, cycling through woods and down footpaths. The path we were on curves left and slopes downward , giving both of us a real buzz.

In the other picture, Liam is heading down a path by Framwellgate High School.

These were fantastic times we spent together; a real father-son experience. Watching him bomb down paths, holding his arm as we negotiated to the other side of busy main roads, even pushing him up the hills...

Austria holiday, summer 2009

We had been so surprised and impressed by our summer holiday in Zell am See in 2008 that we went again in August 2009, staying at the same place, Hotel Stadt Wien.

'Zell' really is a preposterously picturesque part of the world, a quiet, under-stated resort on the shore of a huge lake, surrounded by mountains covered in dense forest.

It takes a lot longer to get there under your own steam, mind: train down to Kings Cross then down to Gatwick, an overnight in a Travelodge where customer service clearly meant inefficient working practices and was accordingly rationed to momentary eye contact only. An early morning flight to Salzburg, then a shuttle bus to the train station, for a train down to Zell am See, and a taxi up to the hotel. But we got there.

This time Valeria's parents, Anna Maria ['Nonna'] and Maurizio, and Liam's cousin Elisa travelled across from Italy for the week, as well.

We had another great week of mostly sunshine. There was only one day when it chucked it down (for which we went to a great swimming pool/waterpark in Kaprun).

As well as just playing in the heated hotel pool, and the one down in town with the big yellow water slide, we took a long mountain walk down from the summit of the Schmittenhohe mountain that towers over the town through the woods, and which is accessed by cable car. It's a stunning walk, with so many vistas.

We also took another trip to the Krimml waterfall, this time by a steam train departing from Zell am See.

It too is a spectacular place, the highest waterfall in Europe apparently, and takes about an hour and a half to walk to the top (where there is a cafe - the proprietor's journey to work every morning must leave her with calf muscles of steel).

But the best day was an all-family bike tour around the lake, a decently long journey of around 22km in circumference - with a stop-off at a lakeside cafe for an ice lolly. Spot the cheeky tongue out at the camera from you-know-who... (click on the picture to reveal!)

A great holiday. Highly recommended.

Trip to Bournemouth

One weekend during the summer we took the train - well, two trains - down to Bournemouth to see Uncle Matthew and Auntie Marion, and their four - count 'em, FOUR! - kids: Chloe, Gregory, Barnaby and new arrival Timothy. They had come up to us in 2007, and we had been down to their last place in Winchester, but we had never down to their south coast.

The gang: (back row) Gregory, Matt, Liam and Graham; (front row) Chloe, Barnaby.

We had a great couple of days, despite the inevitable ego-clashes and territorial squabbles. Best of all was the trips down to the seaside, in the blazing sunshine. Best of all were the action shots of the kids: I just asked them on the count of three to jump, pushed the button and here are the ones that worked, especially the one of Gregory horizontal!

Matt and Marion have a whirlpool in their garden, which Liam loved...