Safe Return Doubtful

The start of March is the start of spring as far as the meteorologists are concerned, though astronomical spring is closer to 20 March, the vernal equinox, when day is as long as night.

Not much sign of it in weather terms here in Shap though, with some snow forecast over the coming weekend.

I have my own definition of spring, as being when the van’s power supply can be satisfied by solar power alone, which here in Cumbria, will be more like the early days of April.

This year 1st March is a significant date also, because Romania and Bulgaria are to join Schengen. This for me personally, is bad news as it gives less options for being in Europe (outside of UK) for more than the permitted 90 days of the Schengen visa. Though, the date has already been put back to 31 March, and at first, will only apply to entrants by air and sea, not overland. Overland visitors will still have their passports stamped in the usual way, though what is not clear, is whether that means, once you have entered either of the countries, whether you are outside of Schengen. One idea of mine for later this year was to spend 90 days in Romania (and maybe the Western Balkans), to give me a new 90 day visa in Schengen.

In other news, my plans for the next ‘course’ have moved on, as I have got a date for my hip surgery. I was given the option of 24 April, and on accepting it, and expressing that I would take anything earlier if available, I was offered 20 March, a ’special’ evening clinic put on at short notice.

It could be therefore, exactly as I hoped, that I could fit the surgery and recovery in within the 90 days that it is necessary for me to be back in the UK.

I did have a plan for a course up to the Isle of Arran and Mull of Kintyre for March, but that is now on hold. I have a pre-assessment in Hexham (where the surgery is) in ten days, and a few other things on that will keep me closer to Shap.

So it’s been a week of 2 – 3 hour slow hikes with the two dogs around Shap, then afternoons spent tidying up the website, and researching the Atlantic Norway course.

The website has received a spring clean also, and a smarten up. My thanks to Sinead for that. I hope viewers find navigating around it a lot easier now.