Crackin’ weekend, wasn’t it? I took the family to Shell Island (Boba’s choice). It’s been three years since we were last there. It was peak season and mayhem then, but this time, slightly off-peak and far more relaxed. There was still some late night revelry on the Saturday night (the site allows large single sex groups) and this is the main reason not to go as a family. However, the beach was fantastic and there was enough surf to do a spot of body-boarding.

On the Saturday evening we drove into Barmouth and visited Knickerbocker’s ice-cream parlour (me and Boba also visited the fabulous boys’ toys shop) before returning to Shell Island for a fruitful hour or so of crab-fishing.

We rounded off the weekend with a visit to Harlech castle, and a pint and a steak at the fabulous Victoria Inn.

Just to try and keep the weekend going a bit, Me and Boba rode up to White Man’s Damn with the 1st Knowsley Sea Scouts for an hour of kayaking.

I’ll be growing a beard next!