Up the creek with a paddle and Master FP.

Every now and again, we have one or other of our grandchildren to stay with us by themselves. It's a good time for us to give them a little individual attention and, let's face it, spoil them. That's what grandparents are for, after all. This time around it was the turn of our eldest grandson, Master FP, and we spent a day having fun in the Tamar Valley, within 5 miles of home. Why travel when it's all on the doorstep? I wonder what we will get up to this weekend when we entertain Master GRP, grandson #3?

We started off with a canoe trip up the Tamar, starting and ending on the quay at Cotehele. A round trip of just under 5 miles, up with the turning tide to Rumleigh Farm and then back down. We've done this a few times before and it's always been a delight (thank you, Canoe Tamar, for providing the facility).

Looking downstream from the quay over a very calm river. At this stage the flow was almost imperceptible making paddling very easy. Being on a quiet river is a unique experience: it's quiet, unrushed and so relaxing.

Master and Mrs P getting stuck in with their paddles. I had the more onerous responsibility of steering from the back. Plus a bit of paddling as well, of course. Actually, I sat back and enjoyed a rather delicious and leisurely late breakfast as they slaved away in front of me. Hee, hee. They didn't suspect a thing, even when the chicken bones and empty champagne bottle floated past them!

The iconic viaduct at Calstock from an unusual angle. You can get a very impressive echo if you clap your hands when you are underneath it. Look at how calm the water was.

This shot was taken on our way back down and gives a good view of the houses of Calstock tumbling down to the river.

And after a stop for refuelling at the Tamar Trails café in Gulworthy, for which we had to venture over the border into Devon, it was a session on the high ropes at Tree Surfers (forgive the blatant name dropping but it's good to support local businesses).

Holding on with both hands is too easy: how about doing it with one hand behind your back? "Easy, peasy" says Master FP.

Bet you can't do it without holding on. "No problem", says Master FP.

OK, clever clogs, how about keeping your  eyes shut as you go around? "Give me a harder challenge", says Master FP.

How about backwards? "Whatever", says Master FP. And after that we went home for tea!