& relax

A long day today; the first meeting of the new combined strategy group for climbing, wonderfully (apparently *not* ironically) called ClimbGroup, a collaboration between the Association of British Climbing Walls, the British Mountaineering Council, the Association of British Climbing Walls Training Trust (independently setup provider for the National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) and Mountain Training UK. We decided that ABCBMCABCTTMTUK wasn't that catchy!!
It started very drily with a lot of predictable uncertainty - but by lunch everyone was starting to get that we will achieve far far more together - and by late afternoon we had the first draft of a strategy for moving forward together towards the next government funding cycle.

Driving home the motorway verges were alive with colour, and reminded me of the article I read yesterday that confirmed that they now represent a habitat where over 50% of the UK's wildflowers can be found.
Arriving home a walk with pooch was called for before heading out with friends for a bon voyage meal - it made me appreciate how lucky we are here - Orton's verges are all protected SSSI's and are mostly around 20ft deep and abundantly rich in orchids, flowers, grasses and wedges. Just a few feet from my door and yet more diversity than most UK meadows. A great place to wind down.