Here comes summer

Well there hasn’t been a frost here for two days now – so spring must be here at last.  The daffodils seem to think so as they are now hell-bent in making up for lost time.  But I have already skipped a season and booked my summer holidays.  And seeing as it is Sunday – I have been boning up on some summer getaway ideas to liven up my balmy summer evenings and weekends.

I am started trail riding last summer.  This not only gets you fit – you can plan your route via a series of pubs.  And if you pick trails where there are no hills whatsoever- it really is as pleasant and relaxing way to spend a few hours as you can imagine.  I particularly recommend the Sailor’s path between Orford and Aldeburgh (except at weekends when you’ll find yourself tripping over Londoners making the most of one’s country cottage).

If you have a strong stomach, you might like to try zorbing.  This might sound like a rather dodgy pastime in a Greek restaurant – but it is in fact a rather exhilarating way to get down a hill.  I can thoroughly recommend it.

At the other end of the scale is hot air ballooning.  Not exactly for adrenalin junkies I admit – but a summer’s evening spent riding the airwaves is literally quite breathtaking.  There is bound to be an outfit offering balloon flights near you.  I suggest that this year you give it a go!

When you get to a certain age, certain hobbies begin to seem more attractive.  Golf will forever be seen as a frustrating (and frustratingly addictive) pastime for pensioners – but strangely relaxing pleasures of hiking nowadays seems to be getting through to all ages.  And you don’t need to make your hike a yomp of endurance in the hills and mountains.  Every region of Britain has it’s network of ancient footpaths to explore.

Yet to my mind the most summery of summer pastimes is fishing.  And perhaps the very zenith of the sport is fly-fishing.  To be at one with nature and to try and catch supper through a mixture of stealth and imitation is a joy.  In fact you don’t really need to catch anything.  The pleasure of casting correctly and presenting your artificial fly is reward enough in itself.  I have to admit on the few occasions I actually catch anything – I slip it straight back.