Our first hike of the year

This time last week I had been curling up on the couch and congratulating myself on the kick-ass Thai Fish Cakes I had made for our Good Friday dinner and debating opening a bottle of ice-cold wine as I toasted the first full day of my 10 day hiatus from work; but I didn't. I actually held off on the wine for a further day, finally breaking my 35 day run of wine-free veins. 

We spent the weekend conducting a vigorous spring clean and I can now say that our house looks great pretty good, especially our spartan bedroom which at the moment is taking a bit of getting used to because it's so minimalist. We moved our wardrobes to another room and I threw out a lot of stuff I'd been hanging on to.

Tonight marks what is the start of the weekend for those of you who actually had to work the last four days; for me it means I only have two days left of an at-home-holiday that ironically resulted with my coming down with a cold/flu on Tuesday. (So much for all the working out I had planned).

Speaking of Tuesday, we packed up the car and got on the road with Dawn, Rob and the dogs. A short uneventful three hours later, we arrived at one of our favourite trials to hike - Ingleton Waterfalls. It was a chilly day so we layered up and with backpacks full of water, juice and wraps we got underway. It's not a long one by any means (2.5-3 hours) but it was a good start to the hiking season, with lots of hills and steps. Oh, and tons of places for the fur kids to splash about in. 

If you aren't interested in viewing a TON of photos, you should probably change pages right about now because here they are: 

Just getting started and already a photo op

Beautiful scenery and my husband asks for me to get in the shot (not that he ever has to ask twice, I am a McDonald girl after all)

Dawn wasn't so sure Carter wasn't going to do a leap off the bridge...

Over the top;  Carter couldn't be bothered about a photo

 I like the quirkiness of this one :) 

This was high up... not that you can tell

The bridge was very flimsy 

A man, his dog and a breathtaking view

Daddy, throw the stick already

The Gallivan's - our great travelling companions

Only a few minutes up the road by car was this viaduct; my husband being the train geek fanatic that he is meant a quick stop and a short walk down to view it.  

It actually was quite spectacular, especially since it was built well over a century ago.