An Xmas break in pictures

Ahh, Christmas. The joy of giving, the winter sun holiday and the relentless tide of marketing.



There was plenty of the latter at the "winter experience"; a park just outside Wetherby where we took my nephew Alex just before Xmas. Ice skating, big wheel, snowflake maze and cafe/shop. The winter experience has it all, and for the pittance of £15 a head you can enjoy all the above, plus the Nordic ski trail around the Enchanted Forest. Here you'll find animatronic raindeer, lit by fairy lights, stooping to drink from a frozen lake. I loved it!





Christmas was spent at home, opening presents and getting fat. This year was a little sad, as my sister couldn't make it back from her home in Mexico. Still, it was lovely to spend time with the family and see them enjoying their gifts. My Dad got particularly lucky this year, as Santa brought him a Canon 400mm lens. I couldn't resist borrowing it for a few shots, and now have serious lens envy!




Usually I weigh myself before and after Xmas dinner each year; after a heavy meal the difference can be nearly a stone! This year I refrained from the scales. I took it pretty easy at dinner though, probably because I was psyched for the winter break...

This year, we're splitting our trip between Barcelona and Siurana. The Barcelona part was a treat for surviving a difficult year; we stayed in a posh hotel in the city centre and combined rest days sightseeing with days climbing at Monserrat. The climbing was a bit of a disaster as I pulled a tendon on my second day, so am now in full rehab mode. The sightseeing was more successful though. Barcelona is my favourite city and is lovely now as they are gearing up for their big Xmas festival, the day of the Kings, on the 6th Jan. Here are some shots of the city in all it's seasonal splendor.









Finally, we have come to Siurana, for Jules to crush and me to take it easy. Taking a tip from Dave McCleod, I've been climbing as hard as my finger will take; taking care to stay open handed at all times. Thankfully the finger can take a lot of strain in that position, although it's very sore in a half-crimp. The steep pockets at Margalef are just what the doctor ordered, thank god.

We are staying at Cal Giral 2 in Cornudella; a good option for those with cash to splash. Friendly, comfortable and a nice breakfast of fresh pastries each morning. Heartily recommended; and the view from our balcony is stunning...