Cornwall

 The spirit of Summer... larking around on the beach, skinny dipping and getting a suntan. That's how we all remember our summer holidays isn't it?

This is Maen Porth on the coast path south of Falmouth.

 One of Greg's photos capturing a smile or two

Lewis had sat down in this field to watch a tractor mowing the thistles. Miranda had sat down next to him and they were jabbering away together about lord knows what.

 Racing down the hill to catch the ferry at Helford Passage. Five minutes earlier we'd set off on this walk and the rain had been hammering down, I think the sun had lifted spirits somewhat!

 We had a pleasant visit to Carn Euny, an Iron Age settlement near St Just. There were lots of well preserved remains to aid the kids imagination, and not far from here we also came across a beautiful stone circle. The afternoon was also fab, spent on the beach at Porth Nanven. We kayaked in the sea and bodyboarded, and then ate chips on the beach til sun down...

 Another day another antiquity, Carn Brea I think

 Lewis bodyboarding being persued by two snorkellers, makes for a very James Bond sort of picture! This was Kynance Cove, another fab afternoon on the beach (after a very stormy start to the day)

 Lewis is very confident in the water now, and I guess I am more confident to just stand there with a camera and snap him having fun. Greg and Miranda were in the water at every opportunity to be fair but I'm happier when I'm in the water with them just in case. I think we went in the sea most days this time - not a single time did I get turned down!

 And as ever we walked miles and miles...

 Skinny dipping on the Helford River.

 These two photos maybe should have gone up yesterday; they are from the Fowey Regatta Red Arrows display. Being steeply banked with narrow streets they put on a special display of aerial wizzardry to keep everyone guessing where they were coming from next. Quite a remarkable display, which left a rather sombre aftertaste when we discovered one of them had perished two days later at Bournemouth. We watched the display from the pub terrace in Polruan where these guys were singing Cornish songs in part, before taking part in the traditional Giant Pasty ritual - all very good fun!

You can get a good insight here and if you are interested can see a recording of the Red Arrows here