The other day when we were heading off to walk Jarvis on our way back from the supermarket, I accidently got in the wrong lane at the roundabout and took a wrong turning. Before we’d had time to turn round, we caught sight of a brown sign for a country park. We couldn’t resist following them and a few minutes later we’d reached Eastham Country Park.

My favourite walk on the Wirral has to be Thurstaston Common. So when we had visitors last week this is exactly where we headed. As we left the car park and started the climb to the top of the common, our guests said “you’ve not chosen a very child friendly walk”. To be honest I’d not really given it much thought, but it got me thinking.

Saturday was so nice and sunny it looked like spring was finally here. It really was the perfect day for a trip to the beach but then again it was also great bike riding weather. Aargh decisions, decisions – bike or beach. After umming and arring for a while we eventually decided– both!

Now I don’t want to Jinx it but it looks like spring has finally has finally made its way to the Wirral. The last of the snow has disappeared and the ground has started to dry out and we have even been luckily enough to have a few days of sun.

We had been eagerly watching the progress of the new Deeside cycle route linking Neston with North Wales and watching the diggers and dumpers has been the highlight of our daily dog walks for James for the last few weeks.

Spotty Otter’s new pinterest board “toys we remember” had got me all nostalgic especially the care bears and my little ponies.

We have always been big supporters of the air ambulance, they do such a fantastic job and as outdoor enthusiast you never know when you might need them. So when Grandma went to drop off a cheque from a fundraising event she had helped organised, we tagged along to say thank you too.

With glorious sunny weather we were all set to attempt the first of our Welsh 3000s. We headed to the first of the 3000s, Foel Fras at the Northern end.

We love a good challenge and are at our happiest when we’ve got a good project to prepare for. For us half the fun is in the planning and we love spending hours researching trips, whether its reading the guide books, pouring over maps and charts, checking tide tables and weather reports its all part of the fun.

As soon as we saw Spotty Otter’s fabulous new trapper hats last year, we were desperate to get one. I somehow managed to resist buying one straight away and convinced myself James already had too many hats.

Everybody has heard of the pirates of the Caribbean but did you know we also have a band of buccaneers over here on the Wirral?

Last Wednesday we woke up to a lovely and unexpected surprise – SNOW! Unlike last time James was fully aware of all the glorious white stuff in the garden. I knew from the rather unsubtle and incessant banging on the patio doors that we would have to cancel our plans for the morning and make the most of it.

Last weekend we headed over to the Clywydian Hills for a family walk. The plan was to head to Coed Llangwyfan, for a nice stroll through the forest.

After road testing our new sledge at the local park we decided we needed some bigger hills and more snow to do it justice. Unfortunately the snow we’d been hoping for overnight didn’t appear so we headed over to Nercwys Forest just south of Mold hoping there would be more there.

On our recent trip to Scotland we were treated to some typical west coast weather - rain, rain and a bit more rain for good measure. Some folks might have been disappointed with the forecast; we on the overhand donned our waterproofs and made the most of having the sights to ourselves whilst everyone else cowered indoors.

Having spent most of his short life in Norfolk, an area not renowned for its white water kayaking potential, James hasn’t seen much moving water. So whilst in Scotland we thought we’d remedy this and show James some Scottish classics and our favourite rivers from when we lived up there.

Back in 2009, when I was working as an ecologist up in Scotland, the Scottish Beaver Trial was just starting out. The trial is an exciting conservation project to reintroduce beavers to Knapdale forest in Argyll after being extinct in the UK for over 400 years.

Since our first bike trip the other week, we have vowed to get out on our bike at least once a week. So far we have just been doing short local trips whilst we get used to the trailer. James doesn’t usually “do” sitting down so we try and go somewhere where we can do something exciting when we get there.

Unless you’re lucky enough to live up in Scotland, than like us you’ll have to put up with seeing American grey squirrels. Well unless you head to the National Trust’s Red Squirrel reserve at Formby.

The other weekend was so glorious and sunny down in Liverpool, it was easy to think summer had returned – that was until you stepped outside where the frost and the cold convinced you otherwise. It really was the perfect day for wrapping up warm and heading for the beach. As it was the weekend we decided to head a bit further afield to Crosby, just north of Liverpool, which hosts Antony Gormley’s Another Place.

The good thing about all the recent rain we’ve been having is all the mud! We had a gloriously squelchy walk at the weekend along the coastal path to the beach. Just before he locked up the car Dom asked me “are you sure you don’t want your wellies”. I decided it was far too much effort to take off my walking boots, a decision I later regretted!

We have been avidly reading everybody’s cycling blogs, desperately waiting for James to grow into his cycling helmet, so we could join in the fun too. After trying it on weekly for the last few months it finally fits, we were all set for our first bike ride.

With all our usual daytime activities cancelled for half term, we found ourselves with a day with nothing planned. With the prospect of staying in and tackling the mountain of housework which needed doing, we very quickly decided to head out for the day.

...is his dog, which is certainly true for James and Jarvis. James has always been Jarvis’ number one fan, but until recently I’m pretty sure Jarvis has tolerated James rather than truly enjoying his company.

Just round the corner from us, are the beautiful University of Liverpool botanic gardens at Ness. As members of staff we get free entry so regularly pop in if we have an hour or two spare. When we saw the signs for a spooky pumpkin walk we knew we just had to schedule a visit.

One of our top priorities when we were house hunting was good local walks, the marshes on the Dee estuary have not disappointed us. The English shore at Neston and Parkgate is home to a massive expanse of salt marshes, perfect for even the liveliest of dogs and Little Trekkers to explore.

Well yesterday was certainly a day for special birthdays, not only did Little Trekkers turn 10 but it was James’ 1st birthday too. I really can’t believe how quickly the year has gone, it seems like only yesterday we were bringing him home from hospital. So while he was napping I got a bit teary eyed and took a trip down memory lane, looking through all his baby photos.

Since James learnt to walk just over a month ago, he has become a boy possessed and his every waking hour is spent honing his new skills. So when we were looking for a walk to do last weekend we knew we needed somewhere with sections we could take him out the back carrier for.

Having been very busy recently moving into our new house, we were desperate for a family day out. When I heard about Birkenhead’s Festival of Transport, I knew our Little Trekker (and not so Little Trekker!) would love it.

Having already sold our house in Norwich and still having a few issues with our new house purchase we found ourselves homeless for a few weeks. Now I’m not one to turn don’t an adventure so when Dom suggested we camp I bravely (foolishly?) agreed.

Who’d have thought that a sleepy village in rural Staffordshire would be the site of the biggest explosion this country has ever known. Back in 1944 the Midlands was shaken when 3500 tonnes of bombs which were being stored in the gypsum mines in the area accidentally blew up.

With Dom getting himself a new job over at Liverpool University, our latest big adventure has been selling our house in Norwich. Though I’m not sure if you were to ask James and Jarvis they would agree and would definitely consider it more of a challenge.

We have always loved walking but since having James it has become one of our activities of choice. Unlike a lot of our other hobbies, which although still possible with a baby, require a lot more planning and are difficult to do at the same level, walking has been relatively easy to carry on as normal.

I don’t know about any of the other Little Trekkers but here in Norwich we have been rather uncharacteristically glued to the television since the Olympics began. To say we were excited to be heading there ourselves was a bit of an understatement. Not only were we lucky enough to have got tickets but we were off to see the canoe sprint – one of our favourite sports.

We’d like to say a big Teva-tastic thank you for James’ Teva hurricane sandals which arrived the other day. If you haven’t already guessed from the photos we love Tevas and have a pair for every occasion – Tevas do go with suits don’t they?

Arlo’s blog, got us thinking about our perfect Sunday. I think last Sunday comes pretty close...

We have a selection of fruit bushes at the end of the garden and every morning when we let Jarvis out we go and pick some raspberries. Most mornings we have eaten what we have collected by the time we reach the back door but if we’re lucky we sometimes have enough to have with our weetabix. With Daddy away with work a strange phenomenon had occurred, even after gorging ourselves over breakfast we still had some to spare.

Every year on the first weekend in July, Norwich city centre is transformed into one giant party as everybody takes to the streets to enjoy the Lord Mayor’s celebrations.

The Olympic torch finally made it over to East Anglia the other week and after reading everybody’s blogs and seeing how much fun they had, we decided we had to go and see it for ourselves. We couldn’t make it when it was in Norwich, our home town, so headed down the road to see it at Southwold.

Having got a few short local trips under our belt, we decided to be brave and head a bit further afield. So a plan was hatched for a trip to the River Waveney on the Norfolk Suffolk border for our first full days paddle. James must have over heard us discussing our plans the previous evening and got us all up nice and early so we had no worries about in finishing in time.

Not quite – but certainly past James’ normal bedtime. Every summer the Forestry Commission put on a series of concerts in clearings in their forests and this year Razorlight were playing down the road at Thetford.

With Jubilee fever in the air, we thought it was about time James went on his first visit to a castle. So off we headed to Tutbury Castle, in Staffordshire, down the road from Grandma and Granddad’s.

Seeing as the sun was out (a rarity on a Bank Holiday weekend!) we decided to avoid the Jubilee crowds and paddle rather than walk to the park for Jarvis' afternoon walk. We packed up the paddling kit and headed for the River Yare which flows through Earlham Park on the edge of Norwich.

Whilst all the sun we’ve been having has been lovely, it’s been a little bit too warm for our daily walks with our furry trekker, Jarvis. It’s hard work carrying a heavy lump on your back in this heat. So we decided to seek out some shade in our local woods.

With all the glorious weather we'd been having we decided to take the plunge and go on our first family camping trip. We found a great campsite, basic - just how we like it, on the banks of Coniston Water and with a new family tent bought we were all set.