Last Friday night we had dinner with Laura, Mike, Nicola and Nigel.  Laura and her daughter Emmy made the big move from London to the Northwest to move in with Mike and his children so we saw their new place in Longton (near Preston) and had a good laugh and catch up over curry.  They really have settled in well together.

We thought we’d make a little event out of the trip north so we stayed overnight not far away in Blackburn – it was actually the same hotel we stayed at the night before we picked up Olaf for the first time!

We woke up the next day and enjoyed our buffet breakfast before heading out for a walk on the moors around Darwen Tower.  It was a great day for it and our walk covered 13 miles.  We had been to Darwen Tower before once when we camped near Rivington – we were with Stella that time – but the tower was being refurbished.  There was scaffolding and sheeting covering it then but this time all the work was done and we were pleased to find it open and climbed to the top to enjoy the 360 degree views.  A lot of the walk was on the Witton Weavers Way which was an excellent path although the one across the moors was less well trodden!

We enjoyed our evening with friends as well as having a walk after a night in the hotel rather than Frank the van!